Tabernacle’s mission statement:
We are called into compassionate community, Following Christ, Advocating for peace, justice and reconciliation, and celebrating God’s loving embrace of all creation.
Our current focus:
In 2015 the congregation engaged in a visioning process that helped us identify two areas of focus of our current mission work: combatting racism and environmental justice. We are engaged with our mission partners to do this work in the world. In addition, smaller groups are forming at Tabernacle to lead our efforts. For example, the Environmental Action team is organizing education about key issues and activism in Philadelphia.
Our Mission Partners
The congregation of Tabernacle supports our mission partners with financial gifts, partnership in action, and prayer. Our partners are local, national and global. We have been blessed to have many of these organizations started by members and friends of our congregation. Our partners work across categories; these grouping are helpful and reflect our mission values, but do not intend to fully capture the work of these groups. Check out our list of mission partners below [toggle to show categories]
Racial and Economic Justice
New Sanctuary Movement
New Jerusalem Now
POWER (Philadelphian Organized to Witness Empower and Rebuild)
Romero Interfaith Center
Peacemaking & Interfaith Community
ArtWell
Healing Presence Singers
Heeding God’s Call
The Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia
The Philadelphia Interfaith Walk for Peace and Reconciliation
Sexual Justice & LGBT Issues
Incarnation Institute for Sex and Faith
TransFaith Online
Environmental Action
Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light
Progressive Christianity
More Light Presbyterians
UCC Open and Affirming Coalition
Emergency Relief
Presbyterian Disaster Relief
UCC Disaster Ministries
Outreach [should toggle and drop down]
You can find Tabernacle members sharing God’s love at community events throughout the year. We have been walking in the Philadelphia Pride Parade for more than 25 years, celebrating National Coming Out Day at Outfest in the Gayborhood and sharing God’s inclusive welcome with neighbors at community celebrations in Clark Park, Mantua and University City.
Tabernacle’s Mission History [should toggle and drop down]
Tabernacle has a long history of founding mission projects that then become stand-alone non-profit organizations, including the Gray Panthers, the Northwest Interfaith Movement, Women’s Alliance for Job Equity, Borderlinks, the Metropolitan Career Center, The Career Wardrobe, the Interfaith Working Group, ArtWell, the Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia, and the Interfaith Peace Walk.
Our “firsts” include: The first Sanctuary church in Philadelphia for fleeing immigrants in war-torn countries in Central America and the first More Light and Open and Affirming congregation in Pennsylvania.
Tabernacle has also had a long history of modeling and advocating for equality for the LGBTQ+ community. As a More Light/Open and Affirming congregation (these are denominational labels given in the Presbyterian Church USA and the United Church of Christ for such congregations) we welcome lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and their families into the full life and leadership of the congregation. We sponsored gay, lesbian, and bisexual candidates for ministry before it was fully recognized by our denominations, performed union ceremonies before marriage was legally recognized in the United Stated, advocated in favor of civil marriage equality, testified for equal treatment at Presbytery meetings, and financially support the More Light and Open and Affirming ministries within our denominations. Tabernacle has sponsored the Philadelphia-area YES! Coalition, and has provided space and volunteer support for Soulforce, Witness Our Welcome, and NGLTF’s National Religious Leadership Roundtable. Two members of the congregation are profiled on the LGBT Religious Archives Network web site for their pioneering work. We also maintain an LGBT Spiritual Resources web page.
Stewardship of our Space [should toggle and drop down]
Designed by the noted Philadelphia architect Theophilus Chandler, our building began to rise in 1884. An outstanding example of the neo-Gothic style, the church is ornamented by many fine features, among them elaborate stone carvings and numerous panels of leaded stained glass. In the 1990s we signed a contract with Penn, according to which it rents what was formerly the main sanctuary as a theater for student productions.
We offer the use of our space to organizations whose mission is consistent with our own. For rental information click here.
++++++++++
Note to John: For all of the offsite links, the a tags should include target=”_blank”