Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Dear Talmadge Hill Family,

As we approach Christmas, I find myself deeply grateful for this community committed to our mission: to know the Love of God and share it. In these uncertain times, we gather not in certainty but in hope—lighting candles against the darkness, singing carols of peace, and making room for the Christ child to be born again in our hearts. In the spirit of the season, we want our staff and volunteers to enjoy time with their loved ones, so we are sending this Happenings early; there will be no mailing this coming Friday.

Christmas Eve Services – December 24th

Join us for two identical services at 5:00 PM and 9:00 PM. We welcome everyone to this service of carols and alternative lessons, featuring Maya Angelou’s powerful poem “Amazing Peace,” candlelight, and special music. Our choir will sing at the 5:00 PM service. Whether you come early or late, come as you are. There is room at the manger for everyone.

Sunday, December 29th at 10:00 AM

The Rev. Dr. Cheryl Bundy will preach "Light Years," exploring Edith Wharton’s wisdom: “There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” (Scripture: John 1:1-14).

Year-End Giving: If you would like to make a year-end gift—money or stock—we would be grateful. Your generosity sustains and shares God’s love through our ministry.

Grace in Transition

Since summer, as we’ve navigated transitions in our staff, we have seen the true beauty of our partnership as a church. Our Board members and volunteers have stepped up with dedication and grace, and the congregation has responded in kind with patience and support.

This season has reminded us that the church is all of us—each person living into the unique gifts God has given us. Together, we are discovering that when we walk in partnership, we embody our mission more fully. May the vulnerability of the Christ child remind us that God meets us not in power, but in love, and that our greatest strength is found in our shared journey.

This Christmas Season, in the words of Maya Angelou: "We look at each other, then into ourselves and we say without shyness or apology or hesitation: Peace, My Brother. Peace, My Sister. Peace, My Soul."

Geseënde Kersfees,

Dries

Sunday, December 21, 2025

Dear Talmadge Hill Family,

Celebrating the Season Together

Join us this Sunday at 10:00 am for our annual production of The Innkeeper. Dress rehearsal begins at 8:45 am. Enjoy a fresh take on the Christmas story, a tradition Rob and Mich have given to the community, and our dedicated cast and crew perform each year.

We are hosting two Christmas Eve services at 5:00 pm and 9:00 pm. Join us for worship focused on the Good News, featuring carols and alternative readings. Reflect with us, as the shepherds did, that good news is stronger than fear. Bring your family, friends, and questions—everyone is welcome at Talmadge Hill Community Church.

A Season of Gratitude

This season, many of us reflect on our gratitude for Talmadge Hill. If you'd like to make a year-end gift—money or stock—we would be grateful. Your generosity sustains and shares God's love through our ministry.

Preparing Our Hearts

We invite you to prepare your heart for Sunday’s worship and the coming of the Christ child by reflecting on these words from Mary’s Magnificat, which will be featured in the bulletin:

"My soul magnifies God. My spirit rejoices. I sing out in thankfulness. At the top of my voice, I sing out: Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice."

Geseënde Kersfees

Merry Christmas. I look forward to seeing you at worship on Sunday and Christmas Eve. Your presence matters.

Mooi loop,

Dries

Sunday, December 14, 2025

Dear Talmadge Hill Family,

Last Sunday was inspirational as we celebrated thirty years of Rob's ministry among us. It was wonderful to see so many people showing up for Rob and Talmadge Hill and to hear him share stories from the past. We laughed, we celebrated, and there were tears.

I am glad Rob shared so many stories, as research shows that shared narratives do far more than preserve the past—they actively shape our collective faith and identity. When we tell stories together, we're not just reminiscing; we're discerning who we are, what we value, and where God might be leading us, strengthening our community bonds.

Storytelling matters particularly in liminal seasons like ours. In times of transition, stories become anchors that connect us as a community. They remind us we've crossed thresholds before and reveal the core values we've lived out together, reinforcing our shared identity. Last Sunday, in honoring Rob's three decades of faithful presence, we were remembering ourselves—acknowledging that this community knows how to sing songs of faithfulness across time.

This Sunday, the Third Sunday of Advent, we continue asking: "What do you fear?" Our scriptures—Jeremiah 1:4-10 and Luke 1:26-39—offer two powerful call stories that begin exactly where we find ourselves: in self-doubt and uncertainty.

Both Jeremiah and Mary protest their inadequacies. "I am only a boy!" "How can this be?" Yet both discover something profound: their God-given identity is more fundamental than their fear. They are loved, known, and called to serve.

What's most compelling about Mary's story is what happens next. She doesn't retreat into solitary contemplation. Instead, she hurries to the hill country to be with Elizabeth. Her belovedness doesn't make her self-sufficient; it makes her relational. She needs community to help her learn the songs of what she is carrying, to wait through the slow unfolding of God's promise, and to sing the dangerous, revolutionary Magnificat.

We move forward not because we are strong enough, but because our identity—woven together in community—is stronger than our fear. We carry songs we didn't write ourselves. We journey together, not alone.

Join us Sunday as we discover that even in our fear, we keep moving forward together. Know this: You are not alone. You are loved. You are known. You are sent to serve, and your presence makes a difference in our shared journey.

I am looking forward to seeing you on Sunday,

Dries

Sunday, December 7, 2025

Dear Talmadge Hill Family,

As I mark three months of sojourning here at Talmadge Hill this December, I am deeply grateful to be among this accepting community of faith and to witness the spiritual depth that is truly transformational. One of my greatest joys has been working with Rob—experiencing his creativity and intentionality in expressing his spirituality through his musical talent, and witnessing his deep love and commitment to Talmadge Hill.

This Sunday during Advent, we will incorporate a celebration of Rob's remarkable ministry into our worship. Rob will preach, reflecting on thirty years of service through the lens of our mission—To know the love of God and share it—using 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 as his text.

A single Sunday cannot fully honor Rob's contribution—or the collaborative ministry partnerships that have sustained our worship life. In early 2026, after the holidays, we will gather for a time of fellowship, music, and the opportunity to share gratitude and memories to celebrate Rob—more details to come.

It's not too late to submit your 2025 pledge. Rob's celebration of 30 years reminds us of the commitment and transformational spirit that have sustained Talmadge Hill across generations. Your financial gifts not only support our ministry in the year to come—they ensure that Talmadge Hill remains a beacon of God's extravagant love for generations yet to arrive. Thank you for your generosity and faithfulness to this community.

See you on Sunday!

Mooi Loop,

Dries

Sunday, November 30, 2025

Dear Talmadge Hill Family,

Insisting on hope and confronting fear this Advent: A journey of faith and reflection for our community.

As we gather with gratitude this Thanksgiving weekend and prepare to enter Advent, I find myself both eager and humbled by the theme we'll explore together: What Do You Fear? Insisting On Hope This Advent. Being a pastor is a continued journey into authenticity through the vulnerable work of reflecting on our lives. I'm struggling with my own fears that have intimately and directly impacted most of my life's decisions.

What if our deepest fears aren't just feelings but the beliefs that shape our lives and call us to active hope?

Here at Talmadge Hill, we are insisting on hope—not as passive recipients of the future, but as active participants in its cultivation, inspired by Luke's Gospel and the courage of those who faced fears with resilience.

December Worship at a Glance:

November 30 (First Sunday of Advent): In the Time of Herod, We Long for God to Break In

Like Zechariah and Elizabeth, we name our longings and trust that God hears us even in our waiting. What are we afraid to hope for?

December 7 (Second Sunday of Advent): Celebrating 30 Years with Rob Silvan

When We're Running Out of Hope, God Is at Work. We celebrate how God has been at work through Rob's 30 years of faithful service—music that reminds us, God is present even when hope feels scarce.

December 14 (Third Sunday of Advent): Even in Our Fear, We Are Called Forward

Like Mary receiving impossible news, we learn that fear and faith can coexist as we step into God's invitation.

December 21 (Fourth Sunday of Advent): When You're Afraid, Give Me Your Hand

Featuring our beloved Innkeeper tradition—a story of transcendence, hope, and making room.

December 24 (Christmas Eve at 5 pm & 9 pm): Good News - A Service of Carols and Alternative Lessons

Like the shepherds moving from terror to wonder, we proclaim: good news is louder than fear. Bring your family, your friends, your questions—all are welcome.

December 28: First Sunday of Christmas

The Rev. Dr. Cheryl L. Bundy is preaching

January 4 (Epiphany): Fear Doesn't Stop Us

Like the magi who crossed boundaries and resisted empire, we discover that fear can be the beginning of faithful courage.

I am looking forward to journeying with you through the season of Advent!

Mooi Loop,

Dries