Dear Caldwell,
Have you noticed the proliferation of these new consumer services like “Car Shield” and “Home Shield” that promise to help you pay your car and home maintenance bills for a monthly fee? Easy, peasy and all that ….
On Sunday, Gail told us about a different kind of promise and a different kind of shield – that we are “shielded by God’s power.” I’ll take plenty of that, please! Tonight, come to the Preachers’ Porch at 7 pm via Zoom to revisit that message and look ahead to Sunday’s message, which will be based on Ezekiel 37:1-12 and John 7:37-39. (If you missed the service, check it out here.)
As for the rest of the week, we’ve suspended what had been Caldwell Live! social time on Wednesday night due to lack of interest. BUT … there is something new – a new round of small groups is forming now. If you are looking to connect to other church folk, meet new ones or perhaps find a chance at Bible study or spiritual work, “The Journey” groups begin soon. No two groups will be alike. They will meet at different times and will operate in different ways. We’re looking for a minimum commitment of six months with your group, and we hope to add new groups regularly. Sign up here this week!
If you’re looking to serve, two members of the church are preparing meal boxes for our QC Family Tree neighbors in Enderly Park. You can bring dinner rolls or cookies to The Third Place to go in the boxes with some hot foot that’s being prepared. Read about that and other opportunities here.
These days seem to bring such highs and lows. Our hearts break again over last week’s police shooting of an unarmed black man in Atlanta (yet another!), but we pray that we are seeing a genuine awakening in our nation over racial injustice and a change in Charlotte in how we think about police and public safety. The COVID numbers seem to be on the rise and we pray for our “front-line” workers, including those in health care. Meanwhile, we celebrate yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling ensuring employment protections for our LGBTQ siblings. So often it seems as if the struggle of faith and justice is like that, one step forward, one back.
All the more reason to hear again Peter’s promise – that in Christ’s resurrection God “has given us a new birth into a living hope.” So let us take up our shield and stand in the gap as Christ’s body with each other and for the world.
Don’t forget Vespers Thursday night!
And you won’t believe the special guest that will be with us in worship on Sunday!
Yours in Christ,
John