We are honored to welcome Becca Stevens, Episcopal priest, author, survivor, and founder of Thistle Farms, a nationally recognized Nashville-based nonprofit dedicated to healing, empowering, and employing women who have survived trafficking, prostitution, and addiction. What began as a small home has grown into a network of survivor-led enterprises supporting women through community, meaningful work, and long-term healing. Becca is the author of 12 books and has served for nearly 30 years as chaplain at St. Augustine’s Chapel at Vanderbilt University.


Becca will join us on Sunday, March 1 for three thoughtfully planned events, each shaped by a different focus and conversation.

Note: There will be NO 8:45 Chapel service on March 1st, please join us for Sunday School and the 11 am service!

At 9:45 am in the Chapel, Becca will share the story of Thistle Farms, how it began, and the journey of faith that shaped its mission. She will offer stories that speak to healing, hope, and the power of love at work in real lives.


At 11:00 am, Becca will preach from John 3:1–15 in a sermon titled “The Long Work of Healing.” Drawing from the story of Jesus and Nicodemus, she will reflect on how healing unfolds over time through love that is patient and persistent, and how lasting change often begins quietly, requiring courage, consistency, and faithfulness, especially in divisive times.


Following the 11:00 am service, all are invited to powerful stories in the Fellowship Hall at 12:15 pm. We will hear from two women who have completed the Thistle Farms program as they share their stories of perseverance, restoration, and new possibility, offering a witness to how hope grows in community.

Becca will also bring a curated collection of Thistle Farms bath and body products along with handcrafted accessories created by artisans around the world. These thoughtfully made goods support survivor-led businesses and global artisan communities, and guests will have the opportunity to shop during the event


If you would like a boxed lunch from the church ($10), please RSVP and submit payment online using the link below. The deadline to reserve and pay for a boxed lunch is February 23. Please note that lunches must be paid for in advance by this date.