Dear Caldwell,
A few years ago our Presbytery sponsored a poster featuring pictures of the front doors of each of the Presbyterian churches in our area. It provides a wonderful survey of church architecture, old and new, traditional and contemporary. Each front door represents “home” to some church family. Just last week, a newcomer pulled me aside in the sanctuary after his first worship service with us. “For the last 40 years, I’ve been attending a church where I thought I was supposed to be,” he said to me. “Now I am in the church where I want to be.” Welcome home, sir.
This Sunday our home at Caldwell will be a busy place from morning to night. In worship, we will look at the second of the “Great Ends” of the church, a directive to provide “shelter, nurture and spiritual fellowship for the children of God.” We will unpack that a bit, using the story in John 21 of the risen Christ hosting a fish fry for the disciples. But there is plenty more happening before and after worship:
- Caldwell House Breakfast: Prep starts at 7, meal service at 8:30
- 9:45, Fellowship Hall: Newcomers (and all others who want to come) will conclude their introductory series by looking at how the church works and how to get involved in ministry.
- 9:45, Shelby: The ACE adult class holds its second unit on the Confessions of our tradition, looking at the first part of the Apostles’ Creed
- 12:15. Fellowship Hall: After worship, all are invited to a covered dish lunch, a great chance to catch up with each other
- 5 pm, Fellowship Hall: Youth (middle and high school) and their parents are invited to an Ice Cream Social to kick off this year’s youth program
- 6 pm, Shelby: Anne Hunter Eidson will lead a learning-and-conversation series on worship music. We will look at the origins of the great Gospel music our choir sings as well as what will be in the new PCUSA hymnal
Please keep these folks in your thoughts and prayers: Eloise Hicks (loss of a loved one); Marie Mancinelli (ailing father); Julie Price (ailing father); Chuck Atwell, who continues his recovery from stroke: Elijah and Joan Kleinmann, after Elijah’s illness; Gino Harris (swollen foot) and Troy Bowles.
I want to thank all who cooked something for Randy Hood and his family as they gather for his father’s service tomorrow. The doorbell of the church has literally been ringing all day as you dropped items off. Doreen Byrd just drove off with literally a car full of nourishment for the family. “We rally,” Doreen said as I helped her load all the food. She’s right! What a compassionate people!
See you Sunday for some, if not all, of our day’s activities. Bring a dish … and a friend!
In Christ,
John