Dear Caldwell,
I find it interesting that the season of Easter – called Eastertide – lasts 50 days when so many other major spans of time in the Bible and in Christian life last 40 days.
The great flood lasted 40 days, as did the period of time Goliath mocked the Israelites. Moses, Elijah and Jesus all fasted for 40 days. God warned the city of Nineveh it had 40 days to get its act together. Lent, of course, spans 40 days (not counting Sundays). Generally, the number 40 stands for a long period time, often a season of testing, trial or probation.
On the other hand, Eastertide, which began at sundown on Easter Sunday, spans 50 days. Officially, that’s because tradition holds that the Risen Jesus walked the earth for 40 days and the gift of the Holy Spirit came 10 days later. That’s the church-wonk reason.
This year, however, I am going to try focus on the fact that we get those 10 more days to celebrate the resurrection and the new life it offers all of us. I am going to think about how the hope of Easter outlasts any period of trial or difficulty.
So I invite you to look every day for hope this Eastertide. It’s out there, despite the world’s best efforts to cover it up. It can be the manna that keeps us on our journey to the promised land. It can be like the great cloud that guided the Israelites.
Hope takes forms of all kinds. It may be the rebirth we see in nature. It may be the silver linings from the pandemic we are starting to notice. It may be the joy we all feel as we are doing more face-to-face at church on Sundays. It may be an upcoming graduation or the recovery from an illness.
How about this: Let’s take 60 seconds to name hope whenever we are gathered during Eastertide. At the start of a church committee meeting or when you gather with other members for a meal. As Sunday school or choir practice gets started. Nothing extensive – just a hope sighting or two someone can share.
We could use an extra dose of hope! Sometimes we need to give hope to others who aren’t seeing it or feeling it. Members of the Caldwell community continue to face a range of challenges, from raising children to caring for aging parents, from unsatisfactory work to loneliness or depression. We may be the ones who are aging and experiencing all the questions that raises.
If you would like a resource as a guide, click here to find video teachings, daily journal pages, and discussion questions to be used by yourself or in a small group. These are from Kate Bowler, who faced her cancer diagnosis with a faithful outlook that changed her perspective entirely.
We’ve certainly got much to hope for here in the work Caldwell undertakes to bear witness to God’s love and justice – hope that our dream of affordable housing will continue to advance, hope in the Hope summer interns who will be with us soon, hope in seeing so many children in worship and more. So, as my father used to say, let’s keep our “eyes peeled” for hope in the weeks to come and lift hope up to each other – not just sunny optimism, mind you, but the sure and certain hope we know from God’s Easter victory.
Supporting Mental Health
Part of my life in ministry involves being asked to serve on various boards of meaningful community partners. Few are as important as the work Presby Psych does. It is a non-profit mental health agency that provides services for people across Charlotte, including offering sessions on a sliding scale to make them more affordable.
On May 19, Caldwell will host a fund-raising breakfast in the new hall to raise awareness of the stress that our educators, teachers and other school workers have experienced over the last two years of pandemic. In addition to providing accessible mental health care for first responders, such as police and fire fighters, and for women in transition from homelessness, Presby Psych is emphasizing mental healthcare for those who keep our schools going despite the most challenging circumstances.
I hope you will consider supporting the breakfast, either as a sponsor or as a volunteer to help serve the attendees, which will include elected officials and others. A special keynote speaker will talk about his experience as an educator amid these stressful days. Seats are $60 a piece and a table is $500 (remember, it’s a fund raiser for a non-profit). As important, you can help as a host. If interested, see the flyer to the right and email me at jcleghorn@caldwellpresby.org. We will need plenty of helping hands. You can read all about the breakfast here.
Your Ideas Are In
Thanks to those who lifted up 35 or so suggestions for what we can name our new community hall. Your suggestions reflected lots of authentic and original thinking about potential names that signal the welcome, dialogue and inclusion we want the hall to facilitate.
The next step will be for the session to narrow the list to 3 that will then be put to a vote by all who wish to participate. Stand by for more as the process rolls on.
Let’s keep those facing procedures, illnesses and hospitalization in prayer this week, along with Gail, who has taken the week to focus on her BIG assignment to help lead 2 weeks of youth summer ministry in June.
And … let’s look for hope. I promise it’s out there.
More in Caldwell This Week on Friday.
In Christ,
John