When the Holy Child is born into our heats
there is a rain of stars
a rushing of angels
blaze of candles
this God burst into our lives.
Love is running through the streets.
– Godbursts, by Ann Weems, from Kneeling in Bethlehem
Dear Caldwell,
The poetry of Ann Weems is a particular gift for me. In her two books that focus on Advent and Easter, she lifts up both the pain and the joy of these seminal church seasons. I find that honest. It’s honest to say to each other that even the highest church seasons aren’t always filled with exaltation and celebration. It’s authentic that there is pain, loss and lingering grief.
These seasons when our Lord comes to us, in birth and resurrection, are just about the most honest times for us to turn to the Divine, express our pain and, in God, find the strength and hope to carry on.
So, I invite and encourage you to come to our Blue Christmas service on Thursday night. It’s a time to come as we are, pain and all, unresolved loss and all, mixed feelings about Christmas and all, and lay it on the altar of community. Maybe this is the year when you finally come, after all those years of saying “I don’t need that” or “I am OK, really.”
If you are OK, then we rejoice with you. If you’re not, for whatever reasons, large or small, come. Thursday night at 7 p.m. in the Shelby Room.
Counting Our Gifts and Blessings in Each Other
One thing we can celebrate is the remarkable blessing of how the Lord continues to increase our company as a congregation. Growth alone, for its own sake, is no virtue or valid goal. But when a range of people, from all walks of life, organically come to Caldwell and make a very intentional choice to walk with us in faith, service, growth and commitment, well, that is a blessing.
Because the pandemic has interfered with our newcomer lunches and other ways to meet our newcomers on a predictable basis, I invite you to visit a new page on our website to learn more about the pilgrims who’ve joined their walk with ours.
Think of it as the bulletin board in the church hallway where all the new member photos are posted. Visit it here. Learn these faces and names. Invite these fine folks to coffee or lunch after worship and get to know a little about their stories. Each of the 16 who joined Caldwell in 2021 is a blessing, including the 7 (!) who joined just this last Sunday.
New Bible Study – Come On!
A new Sunday morning gathering is gaining momentum. A group gathers in the Upper Room (for now) to look at the scriptures the preachers choose for each Sunday. It’s a great way to encounter scripture with no strings attached. We read the passage, think out loud about what it says and how to incorporate in our lives.
A range of folks have been asking for a new class and new Bible study options. Join us 9:45 a.m. each Sunday. In these pandemic times, here is community.
And … don’t forget to order your poinsettia’s for Christmas Eve. Deadline is Thursday. Send an email with name, whether its in memory or in honor of someone and how many you want to Anne at ahuntereidson@caldwellpresby.org .
Yours in Christ,
John