Enough

By / March 15, 2013

Dear Caldwell,

Last fall, our Sunday school class came across the idea of “enough-ism.” This turns the American value of consumerism on its head by embracing the theology of an ‘ism” that declares that most of us have enough, if not more than enough, to live a decent and joyful life. This Sunday, we declare a very different kind of enough-ism – that we have had enough of guns and gun violence.

We join with our sister congregation at Covenant Presbyterian in marking a national Gun Violence Prevention Sabbath. On Jan. 25, the day our Mike Middleton was murdered, a Covenant member was also shot. Following up on a sermon on gun violence I preached in January, Intern Phanta Lansden will preach a sermon called Dispensation of Love (scripture readings are Lev. 19:13-18 and Mark 12:28-34). Other aspects of our worship will focus on an appeal to God to move our nation closer to being the kingdom of peace that Christ ushered in.

There are actions you can take right now to help bring that kingdom closer. As Jeff Sinn mentioned on the Yahoo group earlier this week, part of our effort Sunday is to join a petition asking Congress to act. You can sign that petition here through the PCUSA website:

http://www.capwiz.com/pcusa/issues/alert/?alertid=62382861&type=C

You can read more about the partnership of more than 50 denominations and traditions behind the Gun Violence Sabbath here:

http://faithsagainstgunviolence.org/sabbath/

We give thanks for the life of "Skipper the Church Dog," who appeared in our church courtyard on a wet May morning in 2010. After Jimmy Todd plastered the neighborhood with "found dog" signs, dog lovers Eloise and Bill Hicks took Skipper in. He lived with them until his recent death. "He left footprints on our hearts," says Eloise. Thanks to the Hicks for making room in their lives for one of God's creatures.

Other goings on include:

  • A workday in the Caldwell garden tomorrow (Saturday), starting at 9 a.m. Come, get some exercise and get dirty to feed others.
  • Caldwell House Breakfast – come and help prepare starting at 7:00 am or come and enjoy fellowship with our neighbors at 8:30
  • At 9:45, the Adult Sunday school resumes its viewing of Adam Hamilton’s video series on 24 Hours that Changed the World, which follows Christ’s last hours. Sunday’s segment is “Jesus, Barabbas, and Pontius Pilate”
  • Hear a Minute for Mission update on our Merry Oaks Elementary partnership and order an Easter lily in worship.
  • Monday night: Caldwell Book Club at 6:30 pm (The Color Purple) at Sally Thomas’ house
  • Also Monday night: Krista Tippett, host of the NPR show On Being, will speak at Queens University Monday at 7 pm, in the Dana Auditorium. Free but please register online at www.queens.edu

See you Sunday (if not before) as we raise our prayers for peace.

In Christ,

John