The Beloved Community at The Trees Newsletter

We at The Beloved Community are committed to being as environmentally friendly as possible. We invite you to bring a device to access our Order of Worship online. We will have a sign at the entrance with a QR code that you can scan for a digital copy of the liturgy. You can also use this link: Order of Worship

Prior to our worship services on Sundays, we gather to pray together at 4:45 PM using Anglican prayer beads. You are invited to join us, and you are welcome to use one of the rosaries provided or bring your own.

We are using the Narrative Lectionary for our Sunday scripture readings, and we have a lectionary discussion in place of a sermon as part of our time together.

The readings for the whole year can be found at this link: Narrative Lectionary 2025–26

If you are interested in preparing ahead of time for our discussion, we have compiled a list of "Resources for Reflection" on our website that you may find helpful.

Religious trauma occurs when a person's religious experience is stressful, degrading, dangerous, abusive, or damaging. Traumatic religious experiences may harm or threaten to harm someone's physical, emotional, mental, sexual, or spiritual health and safety. You are invited to join us as we gather to discuss personal experiences of religious trauma and learn together about healing.

This group is offered for anyone who considers themselves family or friends of a queer youth. The purpose of this group is to explore together what scripture actually says about being queer, how to be supportive family, and how to process your own experiences as someone who loves a queer youth.

You can access the playlist at this link: Beloved Community Playlist on Spotify

With a special fireside conversation about the book with Rev. Dr. Lee on Tuesday, April 28 at 6:30 PM at The Trees

In the "Forewarning" of her book, Rhonda Mawhood Lee states:

"A country can't lose over forty-eight thousand people a year to suicide, as the United States currently does, without significant ripple effects and collateral damage. Suicide's toll spans the globe: the World Health Organization estimates about 700,000 people kill themselves annually. For some of us, the crisis is especially personal: those who have attempted suicide, or whose family member or friend has attempted or completed suicide. Christians affected by suicide may find that our faith helps us make sense of self-inflicted death and gives us hope. Or our faith may leave us in despair, causing us to shrink from asking questions whose possible answers we fear."

As you are reading each chapter, please consider the Questions to Consider in the back of the book.

Copies of the book will be freely available in the Beloved Community library at The Trees for anyone who wants or needs them. To sign up for the book study, follow this link: April Book Study Registration

April 8: Introduction, Chapters 1–2

April 15: Chapters 3–4

April 22: Chapters 5–6

April 29: Chapters 7–8, Recap

Each Sunday a member of the community picks up flowers from St. Philip's Episcopal Church in downtown Durham and brings them to The Trees for our worship service. We are in need of a few more people to transport flowers on a monthly rotation.

If you would like to be part of the flower team, talk with Carolyn or email communications@belovedcommunitydurham.org

To help all of us enter into the Narrative Lectionary readings and discussion, we have someone "set the scene" every Sunday with an introduction to the reading that offers us more context for understanding the scriptures.

We have requested use of The Trees on the first Fridays of each month in 2026 for social gatherings. In the past, we've enjoyed game nights, documentaries, craft nights, and more.

If you are interested in organizing a First Friday Social Gathering, let us know!