SOTC DC Recap: Reaping Wonder in the Everyday
Earlier this month, Theological Horizons ventured up to the Washington, D.C. and NoVa region! Karen encouraged long-time and new friends alike to incorporate ancient practices of rest and wonder into their spiritual lives in the hectic modern world.
First, she shared some highlights from her book Wake Up to Wonder at D.C.’s National Presbyterian Church. Check out the recording here!
Later, friends of Theological Horizons gathered for a lovely afternoon in Falls Church. The Lord blessed us with radiant sunlight and clear skies, as Theological Horizons friends of all ages and backgrounds chatted, laughed, and ate together. Even amidst the often intense environment of a city like D.C., Karen shared simple practices from saints across the centuries to find rest in the presence of God.
For example, Karen presented Martin Luther’s enthusiasm for singing as a vital means of praising God and strengthening the community of believers. In the spirit of promoting practices of wonder, she then led the group in a hymn! Luther’s fervent advocacy of singing as an activity for all people, not just a “talented” few, reminds us that the Lord invites all of us, whatever our strengths and regardless of our struggles, into wonder in our everyday activities through ordinary practices like raising our voices to Him.
In this transitional time from summer to fall, this day in D.C. exemplifies the encouraging accessibility of wonder even in what often feels like a whirlwind of work, school, family, and other continual responsibilities. Amidst the full days, God provides refreshing ways to reap wonder through practices as simple as walking, singing, and pondering. The words of Brother Lawrence provide an apt conclusion to catalyze this everyday wonder: “Lift up your heart to Him during your meals and in company; the least little remembrance will always be the most pleasing to Him. One need not cry out very loudly; He is nearer to us than we think.”
If reflecting on these saints of the past with people seeking to embrace their wisdom today interests you, please join friends at the Bishop’s Garden in D.C. this Sunday, September 29 from 1:30-3:30 PM for a wonder-filled fall gathering!
Below, please enjoy some photos that captured the joy of our afternoon in Falls Church.
Interested in joining a SOTC gathering in NYC, DC/No Va, Charlottesville, Richmond or Atlanta? Or, perhaps you’re interested in starting one in your home? Click below to learn more.
Thanks to Vintage Lunch Sponsors, Mark & Terry Metcalf!
This fall, we’re asking our community to consider sponsoring a Vintage Lunch. Each lunch is catered by a local Charlottesville eatery and helps feed 20-30 students who come hungry for food and community and spiritual nourishment.
Mark Metcalf is a UVa professor in the school of Commerce and he and his wife Terry are sponsoring a Vintage Lunch this September. Learn more about their partnership with us below:
Why did you choose to sponsor a Vintage lunch? How are you connected with Theological Horizons?
Like many other churches in C'ville, our congregation - Christ Episcopal - has an active UVA student ministry. But Terry & I also realize that campus ministries like Theological Horizons provide unique opportunities for fellowship and spiritual growth. So we're happy to help support organizations like Theological Horizons as we are able. And since food and fellowship are perfect partners, when told about the opportunity to sponsor a Vintage Lunch, we didn't give it a second thought!
What blessing, quote, or advice would you like to share with a UVa student?
"Be a student, not a disciple.". Anna Shields, my MA advisor.
Horizons Fellows Retreat | Taking off our Masks
Our new cohort of Horizons Fellows had a beautiful 24 hrs at our friends’ - the Mastersons- lovely 40 acre farm just outside of Charlottesville. After a warm welcome, I gathered the Fellows for a delicious dinner (thanks, Milan Indian!) where we unpacked our summer reading book A Sacred Voice is Calling: Personal Calling and Social Conscience by John Neafsey. I’ve read quite a number of books on vocation and calling and this one has risen to the top due to its ecumenical appeal as well as its connection of calling to include concepts such as suffering & service.
After dinner, we resettled by the fire pit for s’mores and the beginning of sharing personal faith journeys. This comprised the rest of our time together as we carefully listened and held one another’s stories. There was a lot of pain and hurt but also resilience and hope. At TH, we believe the sharing of stories is a deeply sacred act and one of the most powerful ways to connect with one another. The foundation of trust and intimacy laid during our annual retreat is one that lasts for the rest of our year together.
I was so grateful 11 out of our 12 could be present and I’m just sad I forgot to get a group photo! Enjoy these images of our gorgeous spot and a river plunge after lunch.
These words by Ross Gay in The Book of Delights gets a little at the mystery of sharing our stories with one other, the sorrows that can birth joy in the sharing:
Among the most beautiful things I’ve ever heard anyone say came from my student Bethany, talking about her pedagogical aspirations or ethos, how she wanted to be as a teacher, and what she wanted her classrooms to be, she said: ‘What if we joined our wildernesses together?’ Sit with that for a minute. That the body, the life, might carry a wilderness, an unexplored territory, and that yours and mine might somewhere, somehow, meet. Might, even, join.
And what if the wilderness — perhaps the densest wild in there — thickets, bogs, swamps, uncrossable ravines and rivers (have I made the metaphor clear?) — is our sorrow? Or, to use Smith’s term, the ‘intolerable.’ It astonishes me sometimes — no, often — how every person I get to know — everyone, regardless of everything, by which I mean everything — lives with some profound personal sorrow. Brother addicted. Mother murdered. Dad died in surgery. Rejected by their family. Cancer came back. Evicted. Fetus not okay. Everyone, regardless, always, of everything. Not to mention the existential sorrow we all might be afflicted with, which is that we, and what we love, will soon be annihilated. Which sounds more dramatic than it might. Let me just say dead. Is this, sorrow, of which our impending being no more might be the foundation, the great wilderness?
Is sorrow the true wild?
And if it is — and if we join them — your wild to mine — what’s that?
For joining, too, is a kind of annihilation.
What if we joined our sorrows, I’m saying.
I’m saying: What if that is joy?”
Memories: Sunset with the Saints in NYC
Amidst the reflective and reorienting season of late summer, friends of Theological Horizons gathered in New York City to pause and ponder the glory of God under the glowing sunset and Manhattan skyline. As many prepared for the new beginnings that fall brings, this time offered a space to remember and celebrate the Lord’s many gifts, especially community and creation.
While we gathered at the peak of golden hour, Karen shared Howard Thurman’s stirring reflections on how He experienced the Lord’s beauty in the rising and setting of the sun. Even as the colors faded from the sky, the bright lights of the city’s skyscrapers contrasted with the stillness of Central Park. Evoking images of Central Park during the daylight, Karen then educated us about a word coined by medieval saint Hildegard von Bingen: viriditas. This word refers to the green of plants and trees as the color of God’s love. We relished this beautiful description of our Creator’s gift to us in the lush plant life that fills the earth, while we also enjoyed the fruits of that creation in refreshing herbs, figs, nuts, and more.
Karen concluded by sharing Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s gratitude for the Lord’s steadfastness in even the apparently mundane rhythms of one day ending and the next beginning. Bonhoeffer’s words offer a poignant reminder that God’s glory manifests not only in the memorable moments but also in the regular rhythms of our lives.
This verse weaves together many of the themes from that lovely evening: “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him” (Psalm 34:8 NIV). As we establish and engage in our rhythms for fall, let the awareness of God’s grace and beauty that surrounds us in every season encourage you in the everyday.
Please also enjoy these photos! I hope that they give you a glimpse into the enchanting evening that I (Fiona Balfe, Leadership Associate), Karen, and many other cherished friends shared.
Faith & Election resources
In our polarized political climate, we know these months leading up to our presidential election will be tense and fraught for many. Here at TH, we seek to be a space where listening can occur, bridges built and a sense of hope fostered.
Below are some events & resources to help. We will continually update these over the fall and feel free to send us recommendations.
UPCOMING Events
Sept 15th, 11:30-1pm: Non partisan Voter Registration. Common Grounds, 480 Rugby Rd, Charlottesville, VA. 22903.
RESOURCES
Soong-Chan Rah, Can US Evangelicals Lay Down Power, not seek more of it? Sojo.net. Sept/Oct 2024.
The Colossian Forum: The ongoing work of The Colossian Forum is designed to promote the health and sustainability of the Church in the face of intensifying polarization and division. We do so by equipping Christians to recognize conflict’s inherent opportunities to actively pursue deeper relationships with neighbors and with God.
Sojourners: Congregations from Polarization to Unity (CPU) new initiative. Sojourners recently welcomed Rev. Dr. Andrea (Andi) Saccoccio to lead their new program, Congregations from Polarization to Unity (CPU), which aims to help congregations overcome the cultural and political polarization that has seeped into and divided our churches. CPU will provide ecumenical resources and experiences to congregants and faith leaders that will help them build bridges of understanding and common action, as they work towards addressing polarization.
The And Campaign. Led by Justin Giboney, an Atlanta-based attorney and former political operative, and Rev. Chris Butler, a Chicago pastor and experienced community organizer, the AND Campaign encourages Christians to develop a political perspective shaped by Scripture and their Christian orthodoxy rather than the messages of either the Republicans or Democrats. In today's politics, they recognize a flaw with the dichotomy often presented and advocate for an "AND" approach rather than either or, with "Compassion (&) Conviction" as their motto. They emphasize the need to neither avoid nor idolize politics but rather to treat it as an aspect of discipleship under the Lordship of Christ.
The After Party. This book, free video course, and associated resources recognize the brokenness of the approach to politics in much of the American church and, in response, seek to guide Christians "towards a better Christian politics" by encouraging the Church to "radically recenter on Jesus." Developed by David and Nancy French, Russell Moore, and Curtis Chang, all of whom bring experience with not only the devastation to relationships brought on by unhealthy political approaches in Christian spaces but also with working to inculcate a more faithful approach, the After Party focuses on grounding Christian political engagement first and foremost in the "how" of Christlike love of neighbor, even enemies, and the fruits of the Spirit rather than prioritizing the "what," i.e. specific policies or candidates using whatever means necessary.
Kaitlyn Scheiss is an author, speaker, and Duke Divinity School doctoral student who works to equip Christians to develop an approach to politics shaped by robust spiritual formation that builds a foundation of confidence and hope in Christ rather than candidates, parties, or even policies. She emphasizes the need for Christ to guide our political engagement by both keeping our eternal perspective of His ultimate victory, which counters the temptation to view any candidate as a savior, and by clarifying the priority of loving our neighbor and seeking flourishing in our communities as the goals of politics. She also, especially in her most recent book, The Ballot and the Bible, empowers Christians to develop a more thoughtful approach to applying the Bible in politics, in contrast to the frequent proof-texting by both sides.
The Holy Post Podcast, hosted by Phil Vischer (the creator of VeggieTales), Skye Jethani, and Kaitlyn Scheiss, covers news, both political and specifically related to the American evangelical church. They intentionally offer an alternative to the culture war approach by prioritizing humility, intellectual openness, and grace towards those with whom they disagree. In addition to their news segment, they do a guest interview each week, often with people who recently published books, to deepen the conversation on Biblical, theological, political, and cultural matters with leaders in their respective fields.
Secular OR INTERFAITH Organizations:
Essential Partners: We give people the means to strengthen relationships, deepen belonging, and renew hope in their communities. Founded in 1989, Essential Partners helps people build relationships across differences to address their communities’ most pressing challenges. Our proven approach helps people live, work, worship, and learn better together. Through richer, healthier, more inclusive dialogue, people strengthen relationships while gaining new insight into themselves and each other as well as the problems they face together.
Braver Angels: Americans on opposite sides of the political spectrum don’t only disagree on issues — they increasingly dislike one another. This growing partisan animosity is the crisis of our time and threatens our nation. Braver Angels exists to address this challenge.
Bridge Alliance’s comprehensive list of Bridge-Building Organizations working to foster unity and understanding among diverse groups, transcending political and social differences.
Dignity Dialogues has another list of bridge-building organizations. DD exists to encourage people of varying ideologies, races, religions, generations, and gender identities to explore the roots of their differences and biases. Learn to engage peacefully in difficult conversations and to mend fences. Whether you are among the politically polarized, the marginalized, or the mainstream, we urge you to join hands and hearts with others who share your humanity, although perhaps not your persuasion.
Interfaith America: Faith is a bridge. Interfaith America inspires, equips, and connects leaders and institutions to unlock the potential of America’s religious diversity.
The One America Movement partners with faith communities across religious, political, and racial divides to confront toxic polarization in our society.
A Taste of Theological Horizons: Crunchy Romaine Salad
At the Bonhoeffer House, we love the satisfying crunch and rich flavors of this salad as a classic of our times together. Enjoy recreating it for yourself and remembering your own meals with us…or building new traditions around shared meals in your own community.
Crunchy Romaine Salad
1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
1 pkg Ramen noodles, uncooked, broken up,
4 Tbs unsalted butter
1 bunch broccoli, coarsely chopped
1 head romaine lettuce, washed,
broken into pieces
4 green onions, chopped
1 cup sweet and sour dressing
Brown walnuts and noodles in butter & cool on paper towels. Combine noodles & walnuts with broccoli, romaine, & onions.
Sweet and Sour Dressing
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
½ cup wine vinegar
3 tsp soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
Blend all ingredients thoroughly and pour over the salad for a flavorful finish. Toss and enjoy!
Lattes on the Lawn Highlights!
Last week, we officially jumped into the school year with two wonderful days of extending a warm Wahoo Welcome to students and their families at Lattes on the Lawn. We loved sharing refreshing drinks and delightful conversations with all who stopped by, from first years settling into Grounds to fourth year “Lawnies” (students who live on the Lawn)!
As we reflect on the event, we praise God for the opportunity to meet over 55 students and many of their families. The unexpected connections we discovered chatting with new friends alongside the joyful updates we shared in reuniting with returning friends, filled us with invigorating anticipation of building and broadening our community this year.
The range of locations, experiences, and interests in the backgrounds of these students reminded us of God’s hand in bringing a diverse group together to reflect on and aspire towards shared flourishing at Theological Horizons. Realizing the range of ways people found us, from the coffee piquing their interest as they walked by to receiving an outreach email earlier in the summer, highlighted God’s hand in working through many different ways to bring people to our community. We respond with humble gratitude and eager anticipation for the year ahead.
Please enjoy this photo gallery capturing this time of smiles and specialty drinks, such as the popular dirty chai (a combination of chai and coffee)!
Perkins Plunge 2024 Recap!
Our Perkins Fellows gathered on August 26th to share their personal stories as well as listen to the individual stories of our community partners and the collective story of our city. Founded eight years ago, the Perkins Fellows program fills a unique void at UVA: to try to live out Jesus’ call to love our Charlottesville neighbors as ourselves. We are inspired and motivated by the vision of John & Vera Mae Perkins who’ve distilled their work in Christian community development down to the 3 R’s:
Relocation - To move to be near the people you are serving. Bryan Stevenson’s talk about Proximity fits in well here, as does the theological concept of the Incarnation.
Reconciliation - To reconcile people to God and neighbor as the Greatest Commandment teaches us.
Redistribution - To love people by tending to their physical needs through practicing justice & mercy.
Since I love alliteration, I developed our own set of practices centered on LOVE for Perkins Fellows called the 3 L’s:
Listen & Learn the stories and histories of our city collectively and our neighbors individually. This involves a lot of question asking; Jesus & his disciples were always asking questions!
Laugh - We don’t take ourselves too seriously. Humility is key.
Lean In for the Long Haul- We hope to help the UVA community to continue to lean into our Cville neighbors and the work of justice, even when uncomfortable or inconvenient
We started the day with visiting Bread & Roses - an urban garden and food justice initiative of Trinity Episcopal Church, the first Black Episcopal Church in the area founded in 1919. We then enjoyed iced lattes at the Kindness Cafe while we heard from Founder Katie Kishore about their work employing adults with cognitive disabilities through a coffee shop. Next stop was the Haven, a low-barrier day shelter for anyone with housing instability where we unpacked some myths around those struggling with finding a home.
We then spent some time at the Heather Heyer Memorial, named after the young woman tragically killed by a white supremacist on Aug 12, 2017. I talked with the Fellows about the importance of asking the question that Civil Rights activist Ruby Sales asks: “Where does it hurt?” Any doctor or concerned parent will always ask this first. Knowing & seeing peoples’ pain is essential. John Perkins talks about learning peoples’ FELT NEEDS. But, we also have to see their strength and beauty as the evolution of asset-based community development has tried to balance out with overly need-focused community development. We are not all just pain and problems! I ended our time at the Heather Heyer Memorial, reading a selection from their summer reading, Welcoming Justice beautifully written by Charles Marsh illuminating the life and last days of Heather Heyer.
After a hearty lunch at Otto’s Turkish Street Food, we joined Ike Anderson for a tour of the Music Resource Center, a place that offers affordable, high-quality music education and community for youth in Charlottesville and the surrounding area. We ended our long day sitting with the program staff of Abundant Life Ministries, long-time friends and partners who for 28 years have been loving on the Prospect neighborhood through all sorts of creative youth and family support.
I’m so honored to walk alongside these faithful community partners and inspiring students who are teaching us so much about what it means to love our neighbors while strengthening ties between the University and our surrounding community.
Meet our new Leadership Associate!
Hi! I’m Fiona Balfe, and I am delighted to be serving as the Leadership Associate for the 2024-25 school year. In May, I graduated from Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL (a suburb of the dazzling city of Chicago) with a double major in Biblical & Theological Studies and Environmental Science and a minor in German. I loved learning alongside other Christians from a wide range of places, experiences, and theologies, and my years there ignited a passion for learning and intellectual life as a path to glorifying God. At Wheaton, my studies with brilliant professors and peers opened my eyes to how learning deepens our understanding of and wonder towards the intricacies of God’s creation and the creativity and complexity of the human communities within it.
Outside of class, I loved singing in Women’s Chorale and growing in my experience with the riches of choral music, both sacred and secular, from all different time periods. The proximity to Chicago also allowed me and my friends to attend some astonishing live shows, such as the national tours of the Broadway musicals Anastasia and Les Mis. I love music, especially choral and musical theater, and am always down for a conversation about those topics, perhaps even including breaking out into song!
As I completed my time at Wheaton, Theological Horizons offered an incredible next step with its value on the integration of faith and learning to the glory of God. Theological Horizons’ emphasis on the wisdom found in the breadth of the Christian tradition, faith integrated with all of life, and thoughtful dialogue about profound topics sparked my interest as soon as I learned about this community. Working here is an honor and a joy, as I engage with both the everyday details and overarching concepts in my work and witness how they work together to sustain all the work that we do here. I especially love the opportunity to apply my spreadsheet knowledge from my Environmental Science degree to some of my organizational responsibilities! :)
As I look to the future, I aspire to continue exploring and encouraging others in seeking and serving God through intellectual life and the practices and embodiment that flow from it. Towards that goal, I will be pursuing my M.Div. at Duke Divinity School starting next fall! I hope to both work towards ordination, probably in the Anglican church, and prepare to apply for a Ph.D. in theology. Some of my research interests (AKA topics I love to chat about) include theologies of creation care/ environmental stewardship, the Protestant Reformation, embodiment and faith, and public/political theology. This year, I am excited for the ways the Lord will continue to guide and form me through this community and certainly anticipate many riveting conversations. I praise God for the blessing of working with the lovely people at Theological Horizons and look forward to meeting more of you soon!
Vintage Iced-Tea Recipe
Says Karen, “This iced tea tastes like home!”
Ingredients:
3 family sized tea bags
1 quart water
1 large 12 oz frozen lemonade concentrate
8-12 sprigs of mint
1 cup sugar
Instructions:
Bring water to a boil & remove from heat.
Add teabags & mint & let steep for 20 min
Remove teabags & mint, Add lemonade concentrate, sugar & enough water to make 1 gallon
Practices of Wonder | Escape to the Beach
Escape To the Beach: Dorothy Day (1897-1980)
Adapted from Wake Up to Wonder: 22 Invitations to Amazement in the Everyday
Dorothy was a New Yorker born and bred, an urban dweller from her early bohemian days in Greenwich Village to her elder years on the gritty Lower East Side. In the shadow of glittering skyscrapers, corporate wealth, and global power, Dorothy Day’s New York was one of soup kitchens, picket lines, political protests, jail time, and communal living.
No worldly ambition drew Dorothy to the city; rather, it was great love that kept her there. “I do not know how to love God except by loving the poor. I do not know how to serve God except by serving the poor,” this woman, at once politically radical and theologically orthodox, remarked. “Here, within this great city of nine million people, we must, in this neighborhood, on this street, in this parish, regain a sense of community which is the basis for peace in the world.”
Dorothy Day lived her convictions to the end of her life at age eighty-three. Yet from her spartan combination bedroom-office in the noisy, crowded Catholic Worker Maryhouse among the tenements of Lower Manhattan, she wrote, “I am restless for the beach, not too far away, where I can enjoy the beauties of sunrise over the bay and the sunset.” The same Dorothy who labored tirelessly on behalf of the oppressed, who went to prison to oppose war, never stopped longing to be by the bay. Whenever she could make an escape, Dorothy fled to the respite of a “tin roofed fisherman’s shack” perched on Raritan Bay, the rough bungalow she had purchased in the 1920s. “One of the joys of Staten Island is that one can get down there after a grueling day in New York, and for thirty-five cents find oneself on a deserted beach,” she explained.
Dorothy Day’s Catholic Worker comrades sometimes heard her quote St. Teresa of Avila: “Life is but a night spent in an uncomfortable inn, crowded together with other wayfarers.” Still, they knew her to be a part-time hermit whose exhausting work and life compelled her to slip away to the beach, for space to be by herself, to think and pray and write. One young Staten Island neighbor remembers being told, “Dorothy is here this weekend. If you are playing house, keep off her porch.” For those rare restorative days, Dorothy was to be left alone to savor a space all her own, a rickety beach chair, a salty breeze.
TRY THIS
Reflect upon Dorothy Day’s words:“One of the joys of Staten Island is that one can get down there after a grueling day in New York, and for thirty-five cents find oneself on a deserted beach.”
Are you feeling the pressure of a tough day? A fisherman’s shack may not be waiting for you, but think about a getaway within reach, somewhere you could go with your equivalent of thirty-five cents: a bike ride, a walk, or a short drive away. It might be a public park, a hiking path, a walking trail, a hidden garden, a pond—a spot where nature offers some quiet and beauty.
Can you make a plan to go there today or in the next day or two?
What tools, toys, or props will you take with you?
What sights or experiences do you expect to find there?
As you picture your place, write a few words about it, beginning with Dorothy’s words: “One of the joys of [this place] is . . .”
Buck's Bend Berry Spoon Cake
I know it’s July when the blackberries on our meadow walk are ready for picking. For about a month, we gorge ourselves with its purple-black jeweled flesh. The picking experience becomes a form of meditation: there are thorns, ouch!, but that constant danger steadies my hand and my breathing and I become utterly focused for 20-30 minutes on snaking my fingers just so through the jagged maze to snag that perfect, gleaming one.
Usually, these beauties go straight into our mouths for the next day or perhaps in a bowl with a dollop of yogurt and a drizzle of maple syrup.
But, when you’ve had your fill of them straight, you might be inclined to try something slightly different, but still ridiculously simple and sublime. Any berry will do that you happen to have in abundance. Peaches would be equally amazing.
Inspired & adapted from: New York Times Cooking & King Arthur Flour Baking.
-Christy Yates, Associate Director
Bucks Bend Berry Spoon Cake
Ingredients:
2-3 cups fresh berries or other fresh fruit
1/2 cup of butter or coconut oil (melted)
2 T maple syrup
lemon zest & juice
1/2 cup all purpose flour (or GF flour)
1/2 cup almond flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/4 cup milk, whole or alternative milk
1 large egg (optional)
Instructions:
1) Preheat oven to 400. Stick 10’’ cast iron skillet (or similar dish) with butter/oil into oven to melt.
2) Using your hands or the back of a fork, mash the fruit to release all its juices and stir in the maple syrup, some lemon zest and squeeze of lemon juice. Set aside.
3) To make the batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flours, baking powder, and salt.
4) In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the milk & egg (if using).
5) Once the butter/oil has melted, swirl it around in the baking dish so it coats the sides, then pour it into the flour mixture and stir with a spatula to thoroughly combine.
6) Add the milk mixture and whisk well to incorporate.
7) Immediately transfer the batter to the warm buttered baking dish, then gently spoon the macerated fruit and its juice over the top. The fruit mixture should cover the batter almost entirely with a few bare spots peeking through.
8) To bake the cake: Bake until golden brown and puffed, 30 to 35 minutes.
9) Remove from the oven and serve warm. Top with whipped cream, ice cream or yogurt on each serving, if desired.
10) Storage information: Refrigerate any leftover spoon cake, covered, for up to four days.
Spoon cake with freshly picked blackberries and local peaches.
The Best of TH! Watch the Video.
Enjoy these glimpses into our community of faith, thought and life!
Smart Stewardship: Platinum Transparency 2024
Did you know TH holds the highest level of non-profit accountability? The Platinum Seal of Transparency indicates that we share clear and important information with the public about our goals, strategies, capabilities, achievements and progress indicators that highlight the difference we make in the world. Donate with confidence.
A new Give.org report shows that a nonprofit’s accomplishments are the number one factor in establishing donor trust. According to Give.org’s report, the top reasons inspiring trust are the charity's accomplishments, reputation, and financials.
Learn more about Non-Profit Transparency and the Guidestar badge.
Smart Stewardship: A Spirituality of Tithing
“The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:6-7
What does it look like to live a life of generosity and trust in God’s provision? How can practicing tithing be seen as a part of our spiritual formation? Dr. Colene Trent, a professor of Economics, helps us unpack these questions in her helpful article: Tithing: An Expression of our Faith.
“I am compelled to believe that we should give generously and joyfully back to God. Rather than seeing tithing as a rule to be followed, we should approach it as a way of furthering God’s kingdom and as a way of acknowledging that God is the giver of every good and perfect gift.”
June Prayers | For Rest
“In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”
DEAR FRIENDS,
What a gift to have seasons of rest in anticipation of our Great Rest. The early church even saw our sleep each night as a dress rehearsal for our own deaths which is echoed in some of the compline prayers handed down to us: “now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep…”
Whether we’ve practiced this small daily surrender or not, for most of us, summer provides an opportunity to remember that we are more than just worker-bees. We exist in relationship to our Creator, to others and to this created world. May this month offer you moments to remember from Whom you came and to Whom you will return; may you experience the childlike rest that comes from contemplating such a holy mystery.
To Live in the Mercy of God
BY DENISE LEVERTOV
To lie back under the tallest
oldest trees. How far the stems
rise, rise
before ribs of shelter
open!
To live in the mercy of God. The complete
sentence too adequate, has no give.
Awe, not comfort. Stone, elbows of
stony wood beneath lenient
moss bed.
And awe suddenly
passing beyond itself. Becomes
a form of comfort.
Becomes the steady
air you glide on, arms
stretched like the wings of flying foxes.
To hear the multiple silence
of trees, the rainy
forest depths of their listening.
To float, upheld,
as salt water
would hold you,
once you dared.
.
To live in the mercy of God.
To feel vibrate the enraptured
waterfall flinging itself
unabating down and down
to clenched fists of rock.
Swiftness of plunge,
hour after year after century,
O or Ah
uninterrupted, voice
many-stranded.
To breathe
spray. The smoke of it.
Arcs
of steelwhite foam, glissades
of fugitive jade barely perceptible. Such passion—
rage or joy?
Thus, not mild, not temperate,
God’s love for the world. Vast
flood of mercy
flung on resistance.
Smart Stewardship: Stocks & Securities
Tax-efficient gifting with appreciated assets | Want to be smarter with your charitable giving? Consider this.
Adapted from Fidelity Wealth Management’s white paper. ASK YOUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR ABOUT WHAT IS BEST FOR YOU!
Key takeaways
Gifting assets, rather than selling them and donating the after-tax assets, can maximize your gift and provide a larger charitable deduction.
A donor-advised fund is an efficient way to manage your non-cash giving.
Whether you’re a seasoned philanthropist or you just started giving back, you have an opportunity to make an impact with smarter charitable giving—and it's as easy as picking the right asset.
When it comes time to support Theological Horizons, many donors instinctively reach for their checkbook or cash. Instead, you can potentially maximize the impact of your giving for both you and the ministry when you consider giving often overlooked non-cash assets, such as appreciated stocks in your portfolio, privately held business interests, or even cryptocurrency.
Because long-term appreciated holdings or investments may be prime assets for tax-efficient giving, exploring this strategy has the power to potentially take your philanthropy—and your overall financial plan—to the next level.
Give more than just after-tax proceeds
What if you could maximize your charitable impact and tax savings at the same time, all by using an asset that will give you a much bigger bang for your buck? Consider this hypothetical example. As a charitably minded individual, say you make a $5,000 cash gift to your favorite charity. While you usually just write a check, you also hold stock with a current fair market value of $5,000 that you purchased at least one year ago for $2,500. Perhaps your first thought is to sell the long-term appreciated stock, pay the capital gains tax, and then donate the net cash. Assuming a 15% capital gains rate, you’d only have $4,625 in net proceeds to donate, compared to the stock’s current fair market value of $5,000 or your $5,000 check.
This chart demonstrates how donating $5,000 in securities directly to Theological Horizons instead of selling the securities and donating the after-tax proceeds could allow for an additional $375 to be dedicated to the charity. In this example, contributing the stock directly to the charity is a more effective donation than just giving the after-sale proceeds: You have more money to give to support Theological Horizons’ mission.
Maximize both your tax benefits and charitable impact
Donating your stock directly to Theological Horizons also unlocks 2 key tax benefits for you:
It may eliminate the capital gains tax you are facing on the sale of the stock &
the stock donation is tax deductible at the current fair market value
As a result, the most long-term appreciated stock in your portfolio is often the best to donate because it offers the greatest potential tax benefit.You could also maximize your charitable gift. Because Theological Horizons does not need to pay the capital gains tax, it can now sell the stock you donated for its full, current fair market value and keep 100% of the proceeds – while you get the tax benefits.
Apply the strategy to other appreciated assets
When considering which asset to give, you can look beyond the traditional publicly traded securities in your portfolio. Vested shares in your company stock derived from an equity compensation program could be a powerful source of charitable funding. Long-term appreciated private company C- or S-corp stock, private equity partnership interests, or Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies can also help you realize the same tax benefits. Work with your financial advisor to navigate how to make the most effective and impactful gift.
Make your gifts hassle-free
Here’s one option to explore. When considering making this type of donation, many smart donors use a donor-advised fund (DAF) program to manage their complex contribution from end to end, allow them to support multiple charities from a single tax-advantaged charitable gift and keep recordkeeping and administration simple throughout the year.
Here’s the bottom line: Tap into smarter charitable giving with assets beyond cash, and you may make more of a difference for Theological Horizons and for other causes you care most about!
Ready to donate appreciated assets directly to Theological Horizons?
We have simple instructions to share with you.
Reach out to us at info@theologicalhorizons.org
THANK YOU!
As an independent Christian ministry, Theological Horizons is completely funded by donors just like you: giving partners who share our vision. We depend upon your support and carefully steward your contributions.
Theological Horizons is a 501(c)(3) not for profit charitable organization, tax exempt #581594037.
Your contributions are tax deductible. www.theologicalhorizons.org/giving
Resources
https://sagemintwealth.com/the-complete-guide-to-donating-stock-to-charity/
https://www.charitynavigator.org/donor-basics/other-ways-to-give/donating-stocks/
https://giving.duke.edu/blueprints/3-things-to-know-about-donating-stock-to-a-nonprofit/
https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/wealth-management-insights/gifting-appreciated-assets
Smart Stewardship: UVA & TH Partner Up
Love UVA? Love Theological Horizons? Give to both at the same time when you name “Theological Horizons” in any contribution you make to the UVA Fund!
Whenever you make a class gift, honor a grad, fulfill an alumni pledge, or contribute an everyday gift, simply designate it to Theological Horizons (UVA Fund acct #FAA288). All of your dollars will come over to Theological Horizons—and you’ll support a ministry that builds up the University community. How amazing is that?
Your generosity strengthens students’ spiritual experience, serves believers and seekers of all ages, and builds a faith friendly community at the University of Virginia.
Go Hoos! Here’s how:
Give online through the TH UVA Fund giving page (by credit card, Venmo, Google Pay and Paypal
Write a check to “The UVA Fund” with #FAA288 in the memo line and mail it to
UVa Fund, PO Box 400314, Charlottesville, VA 22904
Have a question? We’re here to help: info@theologicalhorizons.org
Scoper Lecture '24 Videos & Next Steps!
Dear friends.
We are basking in the light of being together, making new connections, and having good though challenging conversations. We had a full house at Old Cabell Hall to listen to David Brooks in conversation with Melody Barnes and then several hundred of you joined us afterward in the amphitheater to sit down, eat pie and listen to one another. See below for videos, photos & next steps!
Know Better: Deepening the Bonds of Communal Life
with David Brooks, in conversation with Melody Barnes.
Surprised by Stories: How Movies Keep us Human
A filmmaker conversation with Nicholas Ma and Matt Weber.
Cultivating Curiosity: The Power of Storytelling to Mediate Messy Conversations
A panel discussion moderated by Anne Snyder Brooks, featuring Jocelyn Diaz, Ian Solomon, Gayle Jessup White and Greg Kahlil.
SERVE & LEARN
Over the years, we have developed trusted relationships with many in our community doing the daily good and hard work of seeing and caring for those often overlooked. Many of these organizations host our Perkins Fellows who serve & learn weekly. Click on the button below if you’d like to get proximate and serve or otherwise support these wonderful organizations.
HOST A WELCOME TABLE
Did you experience warm hospitality while eating pie at the Welcome Table reception? We’d love for this to inspire more welcome tables throughout our city and beyond. Click on the button below if you’d like us to send you a Welcome Table Conversations Guide as well as table question prompts so you can host your own welcome table.
SUPPORT TH TODAY
As we work to support Christians and seekers in the heart of academia and beyond, we’d love your partnership! Donate today, no gift is too small, and your money will be doubled as we work to continue this ministry of welcome.
SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK!
We’d love to hear how you experienced the Scoper Lecture, Welcome Table Reception and any companion events. Take a moment to fill out our anonymous survey below.
Rooted in Community | Perkins Fellow Lanie Moore '25
Seated on the hearth in Christy Yates’s living room one Sunday this spring, I read aloud a poem that I had hastily typed into the Notes app on my phone. I was sitting with the other Perkins Fellows from the 2023-2024 school year, sharing reflection statements about our faith journeys and our community partnerships. My reflection statement reads:
I have learned
That I’m still learning.
That a broken place can be full of joy.
That I can grieve and yet know that God is good.
That I can become the mycorrhizae of my community.
These past two semesters, I have served at The Haven, a day shelter for unhoused individuals located near the Downtown Mall. My Saturday mornings at the Haven have challenged and humbled me. Sometimes, I think that I can sense a palpable spirit of grief resting on the shelter, grief over what once was and what might have been. Other times, it’s a spirit of anger, directed toward unjust and uncaring systems of racism and classism. Driving home after my shifts, I mourn the stories of shattered families and relationships and livelihoods that I have encountered there. As I grieve the deep wounds of personal, generational, and systematic trauma, I cling tightly to my deep conviction that I serve a good God who grieves alongside me.
At the same time, mornings that I spend at the Haven are some of my favorites. I enjoy the routine that I’ve created for myself, reorganizing the inventory of clothing and toiletries, sorting the mail, and wiping down tables. I have become friends with the Saturday staff, guests, and other volunteers, and there is often something to laugh about.
Being made in the image of God means that the capacity for joy exists in every place that humans reside, and the Haven is no exception. My image of humanity, in all of its beauty and sinfulness and diversity, is becoming more complete each time I descend into the church basement-turned-shelter.
As I have served at the Haven and witnessed other Perkins fellows serving their community partners, I have decided that the soul of community-minded servanthood mirrors the role of mycorrhizae in ecosystems. The term “mycorrhiza” refers to the symbiotic relationship between hyphae, or the root-like projections of fungi, and the roots of plants. The hyphae of mycorrhizal fungi will reach out to nearby roots, wrapping them in a filamentous, subterranean hug. These mycorrhizal hug extensions increase the surface area of the roots and allow the plant to increase its mineral and water intake. In return, the photosynthesizing plant provides the fungus with increased nutrients.
Like mycorrhizae, I would like to extend my arms and heart to the strong, pre-existing networks of my community, wrap around them, and strengthen them further. I can help to draw in the minerals of excitement, kindness, and time to my community partner, and in exchange, I feel confident that I will be bolstered by the nutrients of laughter, joyous interactions, and community members’ wisdom.
And of course, I am still learning.
photo: Perkins Fellows out at Buck’s Bend for their final gathering. Lanie is the third from the left.