Posts

Making a Difference in the Neighborhood

/in /by

When the people of First Christian Church in Downtown Knoxville made the decision to move to this place and become the Table, a big part of that decision was with the intention of building community with the neighborhood we were joining and finding ways to make a difference in that neighborhood.

 

Now that we are here in West Haven, we hope that we are proving to be good neighbors and an important, difference making, part of the community.

 

We certainly felt like part of the community when the West Haven neighborhood hosted a fun picnic and get together at our church in June.

A West Haven Neighborhood picnic at the Table

 

And we also felt like the neighborhood was part of our community the last few weeks.

 

As a church, we decided to have a drive to get school supplies for the children at West Haven Elementary who might not be able to purchase those supplies for themselves.  We also opened this drive up to the neighborhood and were overjoyed by the response.  Together, the church and our neighbors gathered up enough items for 60 children at West Haven Elementary, ten backpacks with the full amount of items on the school supply for each and every grade!

Last Sunday, July 30, we packed those supplies into the backpacks

Packing backpacks with school supplies for West Haven Elementary

 

And then we delivered them to a very thankful West Haven Elementary

School supply backpacks delivered to West Haven Elementary

 

We couldn’t have accomplished this without the support and help from the people of the West Haven neighborhood, and we hope to continue to partner with them and whoever else will join us as we try to make a difference in our community!

 

Thanks to all who helped make this possible!

Rev. Josh

A Little Bit About Me

/in /by

Hello!

My name is Joshua Toulouse, and as of May 1, 2017, I am the Senior Minister here at The Table.

 

I am a TCU graduate (majored in Radio/TV/Film, with a minor in Religion), so that might help to explain why I wear so much purple (GO FROGS!)

Maybe once I experience a football season here in Knoxville, I might add a little orange to the wardrobe!  (But don’t expect my love of TCU to ever lessen at all!)

 

I have two Master’s degrees from Brite Divinity School (on the TCU campus), a Master of Divinity (M.Div) and a Theological Masters (ThM).

 

Besides TCU sports (GO FROGS!!!), I am also a huge fan of Chicago sports, particularly the Blackhawks, the Cubs, and da Bears.  I was born in Chicago and spent the formative years of my life in that great city.

 

I also am a huge fan of pop culture, especially movies and television, often of the sci-fi variety.  I proudly wear my geek love on my sleeves (or, occasionally my stoles),

and many times I will use those loves in my sermons and messages, so be prepared to hear about the latest Comic Book movie each Sunday!

 

But most importantly, I believe in the transformative, radical love of God, meant for ALL people, especially those to whom society attempts to deny that powerful love.  We are all, women and men, LGBTQi+ and straight, Republican and Democrat, and even Christian and non-Christian, created in the Image of God, beloved by God, and ordained by God to do wonderful things in the world if we allow ourselves to do them.  So, I hope to help lead this congregation and all who would join us in working to do wonderful things in the world and bring about the kin-dom of God here on earth as it is in heaven.

 

I look forward to working with you all towards that cause!

 

Rev. Josh