Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say Rejoice.
— Philippians 4:4
Dear Caldwell,
There is much to rejoice about this week in the life of your little church.
1. Four wonderful folks joined the church last week, each bringing their own distinct set of experiences and perspectives into our midst. See the photo and names above and introduce yourselves on Sunday. “Again, I say Rejoice.”
2. In last Sunday’s Souper Bowl of Caring, our neighbors came out the big winners. Thanks to your generosity and the hard work of the Caldwell youth and parents, about $550 in cash was raised for buying breakfast for Caldwell House in coming weeks. This is a new cash record for us, about 20% more than has been raised in past years. In addition, about 7 quarts of left-over soup has been frozen to feed Caldwell House a hot lunch on future Sundays and we have enough canned vegetables and broath to provide lunch on yet other Sundays. So, adding it up: $550 equals 7 Sundays of breakfast + 4 hot lunches from extra supplies = 385 individual meals for Caldwell House. “Again, I say Rejoice.”
3. Thanks to the initiative of our Elizabeth Hyland, who identified a grant opportunity and wrote the appeal, Caldwell House has received a $5,000 grant for food and instructional programming. Thanks, Elizabeth. “Again, I say Rejoice.”
4. Several providers have stepped forward to supply tables and computers for the Angel Room in Caldwell House, where volunteers from across the city will soon be leading “life skills” classes for our CH neighbors. “Again, I say Rejoice.”
So, let us gather Sunday to return thanks and praise and hear a word from the Lord. Rev. Veronica Rogers will preach on the subject of “faith and works” (see Ephesians 2:4-10 and James 2: 14-26). The Adult Sunday school class will contine its new study on the Lord’s Prayer and what its words meant to its original hearers. As always, breakfast with Caldwell House begins with 7 a.m. prep and 8:30 serving. Also, be on the lookout for a new way we can exchange items of need. Zoraida Stewart will have more.
Tomorrow, several of us will be at the first Presbytery meeting of the year. I ask you all to pray for our denomination, nationally and locally, that we might all focus on God’s will alone and fund unity there.
Wherever you are this weekend, may the Lord be with you there.
Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say Rejoice.
In Christ,
John