Dear Caldwell,
My work here in St. Petersburg, FL is wrapping up. Kelly and I drive back to Charlotte tomorrow and I am very much looking forward to seeing you all on Sunday. This is the last face-to-face gathering of my doctorate class. It’s been a chance to walk with pastors – Presbyterian and Methodist, black and white – of churches in many different contexts. A bond has formed among us over these last two years, as we have shared, studied and learned together. So today is a bit bitter sweet. Still, I always feel a little “out of body” when I am away – if you will excuse the pun – out of the part of the body of Christ that is Caldwell.
I have kept track, more or less, with life back in Charlotte, though I haven’t had the time to get into too many details. I am grateful you have seen each other through the memory of Charleston and the shock of Orlando, among other things. Thanks to Anne Hunter Eidson for shepherding you in my absence and to the elders for keeping our ministries on track.
I know you are praying with me for Sally Herlong, along with all of the commissioners, as they contribute to the work of our denomination at the national level at the General Assembly meeting this week in Portland. There will be a chance for us to review some of those decisions later, but you can follow that work online here. This is a link to the Presbyterian Outlook, an independent bi-monthly news magazine covering our denomination (I will join its board in the coming months).
Speaking of news, you may have seem some of the nice stories in the Charlotte media this week about The Third Place Coffee shop. They are here and here. including a nice video. Don’t forget about its important mission – and invitation.
I look forward to seeing you Sunday and hearing our campus partner Dr. Ray Casey of Hagar International preach about their important work and how it touches Caldwell, along with our annual visit from the Davidson-Stapleton interns.
Until then, I remain yours
In Christ,
John