Dear Caldwell,
Last Saturday, I called Miss Janie Lownes, one of Caldwell’s senior saints, to wish her a happy 90th birthday. During our conversation, she told me about an opportunity she had to speak to the Caldwell congregation several years ago following a surgery she had undergone. She recalled telling the congregation, “Don’t take Caldwell for granted. Come as often as you can because a time will come when you won’t be able to come to church.” She laughed as she asked me to remind John and others about her prediction. Here we are, friends, unable to go to church… in the physical sense.
Nevertheless, we have come to be the church in deeper ways over these past few weeks. We have blessed one another and our community through food drives. We have created new opportunities to gather online, on Zoom, through Facetime, and Facebook Live. We have connected via email, texting, and phone calls. We have shown up at protests and marches as well. We are being the church, even though we aren’t going to the church building.
We have rejoiced together online.
We have lamented together online.
We have studied the Bible together online.
We have made new connections and deepened old ones online.
And we will continue to be the church and to come together as the church online – and in person…eventually. In the meantime, we will continue to find innovative and socially distanced ways to love one another, pray for one another, and work for justice, peace, and equity for one another.
The fourth chapter of the gospel of John relates the story of Jesus’ conversation with the woman at the well. At one point, in response to her comment about the right place to worship God, Jesus declared, “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship God in spirit and truth.”
Notice, it doesn’t say “in person.”
Friends, I know it’s not the same as being in person, but I pray that we will continue worshiping God and loving & serving one another in spirit and in truth.
Miss Janie gave good advice when she counseled the congregation to not take Caldwell for granted. More than that, we should not take the grace, love, mercy, and presence of God for granted.
Amen? Amen.
Grace and peace be with you all, Gail
PS. I hope you had a very special and extra happy 90th birthday, Miss Janie.