The Table Church, D.C. - Sermons: Shae Washington

They Asked the King Where's the King

Shae Washington — Sun, 04 Jan 2026 10:30:00 +0000

They Asked the King Where's the King

Series: Advent 2025: What do you fear?

Preacher: Shae Washington

DC Bilingual

Date: 4th January 2026

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Fear has a way of convincing us that silence and compliance will keep us safe—but what happens when staying quiet means cooperating with harm? This sermon explores how fear gets weaponized to control us, especially in times when oppressive power seems to be winning. Through the story of the Magi, we see what it looks like when an encounter with something true makes compliance intolerable.

Shae Washington unpacks four questions that might help us resist letting fear dictate our choices: Where are we focusing our attention? What ways is God trying to guide us that we're missing? And uncomfortably—what patterns of fear-driven harm do we need to dismantle in ourselves? The Magi didn't confront Herod with speeches or swords. They simply chose another way home.

If you're exhausted from hypervigilance and looking for permission to rest while still resisting, or if you're searching for what your "alternative route" might look like in 2026, this one's for you.

Who Am I Really Beneath the Surface?

Shae Washington — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 10:30:00 +0100

Who Am I Really Beneath the Surface?

Series: What Lies Beneath: Moving from the Clouded to the Clear as Disciples of Jesus

Preacher: Shae Washington

DC Bilingual

Date: 15th July 2025

Passage: Exodus 3:1-22

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Many of us feel stuck between who we think we should be and who we actually are. Whether you're questioning your purpose, feeling unworthy of your dreams, or wondering if you even have a "calling" at all, you're not alone in this struggle.

Through the story of Moses and the burning bush, Shae Washington explores three common obstacles we face when trying to live authentically: not knowing ourselves deeply enough, feeling unworthy of our aspirations, and the pressure to find one perfect purpose. She offers a refreshing perspective that shifts focus from finding the "right" thing to do to cultivating the "right" way to be.

This isn't about religious obligation or spiritual performance—it's about discovering what it means to live as your full self while staying connected to something larger than yourself.

Feelings Aren't the Enemy: Honoring Your Emotions as Self-Care

Shae Washington — Sun, 30 Mar 2025 10:30:00 +0100

Feelings Aren't the Enemy: Honoring Your Emotions as Self-Care

Series: Sacred Self-Care

Preacher: Shae Washington

DC Bilingual

Date: 30th March 2025

Passage: John 11:1-57

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In a culture that often tells us to suppress our emotions, what if they're actually trying to tell us something important? In this refreshingly honest conversation, Shae Washington unpacks how our emotions—even the uncomfortable ones—serve a purpose in our lives. Drawing inspiration from Pixar's "Inside Out" and challenging the messaging many of us received growing up ("boys don't cry," "happiness is a choice"), this talk offers practical wisdom for recognizing what your feelings might be signaling about your needs. Whether you've been told anxiety means you lack faith or that sadness should be overcome quickly, this episode provides a framework for treating your emotional life with respect rather than suspicion. Plus, stick around for an adorably instructive "feelings fashion show" from the kids that perfectly demonstrates why children might be our best teachers when it comes to emotional honesty.

Pain as Portal to Joy: Reading Mary's Magnificat with Nikki Giovanni | The Poetry of Advent

Shae Washington — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 10:30:00 +0000

Pain as Portal to Joy: Reading Mary's Magnificat with Nikki Giovanni | The Poetry of Advent

Series: The Poetry of Advent

Preacher: Shae Washington

DC Bilingual

Date: 15th December 2024

Passage: Luke 1:51-55

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In this compelling meditation on joy during difficult times, elder Shae Washington weaves together Nikki Giovanni's radical poetry with Mary's subversive Magnificat. Through fresh interpretations of these revolutionary texts, Washington explores how marginalized voices throughout history have claimed joy as an act of resistance. Drawing on personal stories, historical context, and contemporary struggles, she challenges us to see joy not as an emotion dependent on circumstances, but as a posture of hope and defiance in the face of empire. Part of The Table Church's "Poetry of Advent" series examining sacred and secular poetry as spiritual practice.

Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 3:45 Nikki Giovanni's Poetry of Black Joy 8:30 Mary's Magnificat as Revolutionary Text 15:20 Joy as Resistance in Modern Context 21:00 Three Keys to Finding Joy 26:30 Closing Reflection and Song

Advent #Poetry #Faith #Resistance #Joy #NikkiGiovanni #Spirituality #ProgressiveChristianity

The Annoyingly Lavish Mercy of God Pt. 2

Shae Washington — Sun, 05 Nov 2023 17:00:00 +0000

The Annoyingly Lavish Mercy of God Pt. 2

Series: The Annoyingly Lavish Mercy of God

Preacher: Shae Washington

Downtown

Date: 5th November 2023

Passage: Jonah 2:1-4:11

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What did reconciliation look like to Jesus? How do we intentionally practice liberation within our own communities? Shae Washington, an elder at the Table Church, continues to look at the book of Jonah and how we can work towards freedom for all.