Pastoral Letter 263
Dear Members of St. Andrew’s Uniting Church, Friends and Adherents,
Grace and peace to you all. I hope all is well.
This will be one of my last pastoral letters, as we come closer to my retirement and closure. My Service of Closure and Retirement will be held on Sunday 25 May 2025 at 11:30 am followed by refreshments. I look forward to seeing you all and your family members at the service, so we can give thanks to God together and pray seeking His blessing upon us all. The Church Council and Elders met during the week to plan the way ahead. Already we have almost completed the roster of preachers for the month of June, and we are sure that with God’s help all will be good, because God is good.
Last Sunday some of us joined the Crows Nest Uniting church for worship, while eleven of us spent a week in Wagga Wagga, visiting nearby townships landmarks and interesting places. We had a great week together enjoying the scenery and the beautiful sunny weather. We had a very good time and on Sunday we were welcomed by the Wesly Wagga Wagga Uniting Church congregation and their warm hospitality providing lunch to us. They were delighted to have us with them and asked me to prepare and lead the Sunday Service, because for the last three years they don’t have a minister in placement. Today, I received an email which says that during their weekly Bible Study group via Zoom, many people commented warmly about the church service and the intermingling of people from both congregations. It was a great occasion of worship and fellowship.
Tomorrow, we will celebrate Mother’s Day during the Worship Service and Morning Tea. We will give thanks to God for all the mothers and ask for His blessing.
If you are not able to join us tomorrow for worship, please light a candle and join us for worship following the Order of the Service.
Please let me know if you or anyone else has prayer points.
Here are some prayer points for this week:
- Pray for the elected and re-elected leaders of our country seeking God’s wisdom to lead the nation in a fair go.
- Prayer for the Catholic Church and the newly elected Pope Leo XIV.
- Pray for peace in war-torn countries and support to the affected.
- Pray for trusting God and asking that He protect those who need protection.
- Pray for the poor, the sick, the hungry, the struggling and the stressed.
- Continue to pray for Virginia, Frank, Ned and Adrienne as they face medical issues and challenges.
- Pray for following seven months, June to December, as we plan to welcome visiting, regular and casual, guest preachers to lead our services after my retirement.
In Christ
Krikor
MESSAGE
A Remarkable Woman: Tabitha – Dorcas
Acts 9:36-43
Today, we reflect on the life of a woman whose quiet faith and tireless acts of service left such an impact on her community that, when she passed away, her absence caused an outpouring of grief so deep that the people called an apostle in desperation, hoping for a miracle. That woman’s name was Tabitha, also known as Dorcas. And while she is only briefly mentioned in Scripture, her story speaks volumes.
There are many ways to serve God and serving God does not look the same for everyone. Some are called to stand behind pulpits and proclaim the gospel. Others are called to write, to compose, to teach, or to counsel. Some take the gospel to distant lands as missionaries. Others serve through leadership, organization, or administration within the church. Some give generously, others serve in practical ways, and still others intercede in prayer for their families, their church, and their world.
And then there are those who, like Tabitha, serve by sewing. Quiet, often unnoticed, but life-changing service.
Each of these expressions of faith are valid, powerful, and deeply spiritual. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 12 that the Body of Christ is made up of many parts—each one different, each one necessary. Whether your gift is hospitality, encouragement, generosity, craftsmanship, or administration, God can and will use it to build His Kingdom.
Tabitha’s ministry was sewing clothes. It might seem small or ordinary compared to the preaching of Paul or the miracles of Peter. But her acts of compassion were just as important to the people she served—and, as we see in Acts, they deeply moved the heart of God.
Let’s look at this remarkable woman called Tabitha.
1. Tabitha: A Rare Title
Acts 9:36 begins by telling us: “In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha, which, when translated, means Dorcas”.
This introduction is special. Tabitha is the only woman in the entire New Testament who is explicitly given the title “disciple”. This word isn’t used lightly. A disciple was a student, a follower, and someone who deliberately patterned their life after their teacher—in this case, Jesus Christ.
She didn’t just believe in Jesus—she embodied His compassion. She modelled His generosity. She imitated His character in daily life. She didn’t stand in the synagogue and preach, but she lived her faith with such depth and conviction that those around her were transformed by her presence.
2. Her Name and Its Meaning
We are told that she had two names: Tabitha in Aramaic, and Dorcas in Greek. Both mean “gazelle”, a symbol in Scripture of grace, elegance, and beauty. In Song of Songs and Proverbs, the gazelle is described as swift and graceful—a fitting name for a woman who was quick to act when others were in need.
But there’s something else here. Why did she have both names? It’s because she served everyone. The Jewish community would have known her as Tabitha, while the Greek-speaking Gentiles in the city of Joppa would have known her as Dorcas.
Her life transcended cultural boundaries. She didn’t serve only her “own people”. She sewed clothes for Jewish widows and Gentile widows alike. Her love was as inclusive as Christ’s. She didn’t draw lines between people—she simply saw need and responded with grace.
3. Good Works and Charitable Deeds
Luke, the writer of Acts, says that Tabitha was “always doing good and helping the poor” (v.36), which means, she was doing charity work. In the original Greek, the phrase suggests that this wasn’t a one-time or occasional effort. She was constantly, consistently, and habitually doing good.
There’s a slight but important difference between “good works” and “charitable deeds”. Good works may be general acts of kindness—helping a neighbour, showing hospitality. But “acts of charity” go further. These are acts specifically aimed at helping the poor, the suffering, the vulnerable.
In Tabitha’s case, she focused her efforts on widows—those who, in her culture, were often left destitute and forgotten. Without a husband or family to support them, widows had few options for survival. But Tabitha saw them. She clothed them, quite literally, with dignity. She met a need that many others may have overlooked.
And she didn’t just give them clothes. She gave them attention. She gave them friendship. She gave them value. To a group of people that society often ignored, Tabitha gave presence, honour, and care.
4. A Legacy That Moved a City
Then, she died. We don’t know how. But the mourning that followed was immediate and overwhelming. The widows gathered. They wept. They brought out the clothes she had made, showing Peter their garments as if to say: “Look. This was her. This is what she did. This is who we lost”.
Luke records that the widows weren’t just showing outer garments. The Greek text suggests they were also displaying undergarments—items that required intimate measurement and personal attention. This wasn’t mass production—these were garments crafted with thoughtfulness and personal care.
Each article of clothing was more than fabric and thread—it was a memory, a connection, a testimony to the love of a woman who had served in the spirit of Christ. Tabitha’s love was woven into every stitch.
5. A Miraculous Resurrection
Moved by their grief, Peter went to the upper room where her body lay. He sent everyone out, knelt down to pray, and then said: “Tabitha, get up”.
The words are striking. They echo the words of Jesus in Mark 5, when He raised Jairus’s daughter from the dead: “Talitha koum”—“Little girl, get up”. Peter, perhaps recalling that moment, says: “Tabitha koum!” And she opened her eyes, sat up, and Peter helped her to her feet. The people rejoiced. The community celebrated. And the text tells us that many came to believe in the Lord as a result (Acts 9:42).
6. The Quiet Power of Servant Evangelism
This is what servant evangelism looks like. It’s not flashy. It doesn’t need a microphone or a spotlight. It simply sees a need and responds in love. It reflects Christ’s character through humble action. We don’t convert people by our own power. But when Christ is alive in us—when His compassion flows through our words, our hands, our presence—He draws others to Himself.
Tabitha never preached a sermon. She never planted a church. She just kept sewing, giving, and loving. And God used her in a powerful way.
Today, on Mother’s Day, we honour our mothers and mother figures—those who have nurtured us, clothed us, fed us, comforted us, and loved us through every season of life. Tabitha wasn’t a biological mother, but she mothered many. She gave herself to the care of others with the heart of a servant and the hands of a healer.
Our mothers, too, often go unnoticed. Their quiet sacrifices, their daily acts of love, their faithful prayers—they are the backbone of our families and our faith communities. Like Tabitha, they serve not for praise, but from love.
Tabitha’s story is short, but her legacy is long. She reminds us that even the simplest acts—sewing a garment, feeding the hungry, comforting the lonely—can be powerful tools in the hands of God.
Her life invites us to ask:
How can we serve God today?
What gift do we have that we can use to love others?
Who in our community is waiting to be seen, valued, and loved?
We don’t have to be a preacher to preach Christ. We don’t have to go far to be a missionary. Right where we are—through our kindness, faithfulness, and daily acts of love—we can reveal Jesus to the world.
May we all strive to be like Tabitha. Full of good works. Overflowing with charity. Faithful in service. And always ready to show the love of Christ—one act at a time. Amen!