The Truth and This Week in Caldwell History

By / September 20, 2013

Dear Caldwell,

While on a walk around campus today, I found these two (a butterfly and a bee) of God's creatures occupying the same flower in our vegetable garden. After this week's violence, it was good to see at least these two finding a way to share and get along.

It has been, in some ways, another week when we find ourselves grasping for what is real and true. Another mass shooting in Washington. A tragic police shooting here in Charlotte, ending the life of another young African-American male. And on more round of bitter, divisive political rhetoric on Capitol Hill. It’s enough to leave us asking: What is lasting? What is real? What is true?

On Sunday, we will start with that last question, “What is true?”, as it came out of the mouth of the Roman Governor Pontius Pilate the day he had the chance to spare the life of Jesus Christ. He didn’t of course, but that didn’t stop what became Christianity. “What is true?” Well, one of the Great Ends of the church, according to our tradition, is “The Preservation of the Truth.” It’s humbling, to say the least, to think that is what we are charged to do, especially in these days of such differing worldviews swirling all around us. Nonetheless, that is our charge. We will start with the story of Christ’s trial before Pilate in John 18:32-38 and take it from there.

Also Sunday:

  • Caldwell House breakfast – prep (7:00 a.m.) and served at 8:30 a.m.
  • At 9:45 a.m.The ACE adult class will look into what went into the Heidelberg Catechism, which came early in the Protestant Reformation, and how it speaks to us today. Come and participate in this interactive class.
  • At 6 pm, Anne Hunter Eidson will wrap up her fun and enlightening series on the history of our church music, traditional and gospel, with a nod to our new PCUSA hymnal to debut later this fall.

Before all of that, our middle and high school youth are in for a “lock-in” as they paint and decorate their new youth room in the Price Building.

Calling themselves the "Agape Group," this gathered group of believers stepped in to partner with the 'senior saints' of old Caldwell to join God in a "new thing."

On Sunday we will also mark an important moment in the resurrection of this church. It was this week in 2006 when a group of believers without a church walked into Caldwell to join hearts, arms and minds with the aging remnant that had hung on here, expecting God to do a new thing. Out of that came the “new” Caldwell. There is far more to that story. If you haven’t heard it, feel free to ask any of the folks in the accompanying photo, taken in 2006. (They all look the same!)

We are keeping several situations in our prayers: Eli Kleinmann’s recuperation after having tubes put in his ears; Marie Mancinelli’s mom and Julie Price’s father, who are ailing; Cornie Pleasants, recovering from eye surgery; and Marion Idol’s mom, recovering from hip surgery and Ben Broyles on the loss of his grandfather, among other situations.

Please note two other upcoming events:

  • Next Thursday at 6 pm at Trinity Presbyterian Church (Providence Road near Sharon intersection), NC Faithful will host the second learning forum focused on outcomes from the 2013 NC General Assembly. This forum features a non-partisan look, through the lens of our faith, at just tax policies.
  • Next Sunday night, the 29th, we will hold a special Service of Healing for all those who are in the midst of loss or grieving. Mark your calendar and details TBA.

See you Sunday.

In Christ, John