Dear Caldwell,
In this season of Advent, we follow the prophet’s call to “prepare the way.” We prepare for the coming of the Lord.
For me, as we travel from Sunday to Sunday, the idea of preparation connects to the gifts of radical hospitality and mutual care that God calls us to extend. Just this week, I have witnessed how you do that so remarkably.
Yesterday, a dozen members of our Congregational Care and other committees helped host 300 people at a reception for a family that had suffered the tragic loss of their 23-year old son. Most of those at Caldwell who stepped up to help barely knew young Will Morrill, if at all. (As an Eagle Scout, he built the garden shed that holds all of our tools to grow food for others.) But they came and decorated Belk Hall, set out food, helped park cars, took out the trash and more. Hospitality indeed. Will’s family and the wider community felt the love.
You have also spent time caring this week, namely for our members Terry Nilles and Marie Mancinelli. Terry died this morning (Saturday, Dec. 8).
I must also report that our call to care for each other is now needed also for Adele Samson and her family. Her husband, Greg, died unexpectedly this week from complications from a brain tumor. Details on services for both are pending. Meanwhile, God calls us to care for them in prayer and in other ways as we learn what the families will need and want.
Prepare the way of the Lord – by caring for others, by extending love, space and comfort to those in unspeakable grief and pain. That is how we prepare the way, isn’t it, by doing for others what our God has done for us?
On Sunday, we will listen to two voices from scripture about preparing the way. Malachi was a priest who calls us to prepare a way by returning to the Lord in our hearts and in how we live. Zechariah proclaims the coming of the Lord with unstoppable praise, but only after being put in divine “time out,” struck dumb himself so he could listen more closely to the voice of God.
We will also hold a congregational meeting to elect new elders to make up the incoming class of the session. Our Caldwell 101 class concludes with opportunities to get involved. ACE class continues its spiritual practice of lectio divina. We have postponed the Congregational Luncheon to celebrate the stewardship campaign.
We are, of course, watching the weather and will communicate directly with you if anything changes. We plan to explore going live on Facebook, if needed, for those who can’t make it. Safety first as always.
Let us prepare the way for the birth of our Lord.
In Christ,
John