Dear Talmadge Hill Family,
This Sunday, November 24th, is Pledge Sunday—a significant moment when we, as a cherished community, reflect on our commitment to the work God is calling us to do together. Your presence and participation are invaluable. We invite you to bring your pledge card to worship on Sunday. In addition, as you enter worship, you'll receive an index card with a different kind of invitation. We are asking you to expand the definition of pledging beyond finances and share one way you are committing yourself to your Talmadge Hill family this coming year.
Before Pledge Sunday arrives, I want to extend a personal invitation to join me this Saturday, November 22nd, from 4:30 to 6:00 PM for our Pre-Holiday Happy Hour at the church. It's potluck style—bring something to share if you can—and come to connect and relax before the busy season begins.
Sunday also marks the 100th anniversary of Christ the King/Reign of Christ Sunday, a significant milestone in our church's history. This feast day was established in 1925 by Pope Pius XI as a prophetic witness against the rising tide of fascism in Europe. In the face of Mussolini's totalitarian regime and Hitler's resurgent Nazi Party, the Pope declared: "Regem habemus"—"We have a King!" This historical context gives us a deeper understanding of the importance of this day.
As a white South African who lived through apartheid, I know intimately what happens when earthly powers claim absolute authority and the church fails to name this idolatry. Today, watching programs like "Mission South Africa"—accepting only white refugees—feels like a cruel echo of apartheid's logic. This is precisely why Reign of Christ Sunday matters.
In worship, we'll reflect on Luke 23:33-43, where Jesus hangs between two criminals. In that moment of ultimate vulnerability, one recognizes Jesus' true kingship. One who reigns from a cross, whose power is expressed in self-emptying love, who opens paradise to the condemned. Together we'll explore what we at Talmadge Hill stand for and what kind of community we're called to cultivate in response to this upside-down kingdom. The service will be extra special with our Talmadge Hill Choir singing!
I also want to personally invite you to join me for the Ecumenical Thanksgiving Prayer Service on Tuesday, November 25th, at 6:00 PM at St. John Church in Darien. This service, organized by the Darien Clergy Association, is a beautiful evening of music, worship, and reflection. It's an opportunity for us to come together with our broader community in gratitude, and I would love to see familiar Talmadge Hill faces there.
As we move into Advent, please pick up your free Advent devotional after worship this Sunday. Even if you can't join our Monday evening Zoom sessions or Thursday in-person gatherings, I hope you'll read along with your Talmadge Hill family as we explore themes of waiting and preparing room for Christ's coming in our midst.
We'll also gather for our own Thanksgiving Eve Service on Wednesday, November 26th at 7:30 PM, right here at Talmadge Hill. I am excited to experience the worship service, as we gather in gratitude for all the ways God has been present with us.
As we approach Thanksgiving and enter this Advent season, I'm grateful for your willingness to sit in liminal space with me and do the deep work of identity and discernment. Together, we're learning what it means to live under the reign of the One who loved the world enough to follow the Way of the Cross.
Mooi loop,
Dries