Dear Caldwell,
I’m a firm believer in the theology of gifts. As written in James 1: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
Do we go through life complaining and counting what’s wrong, numbering our grievances, bemoaning the glass as always half-empty? Yes, there are days and times when we feel like that. But is the arc of our living more about counting our blessings, measuring God’s generosity, celebrating what is good and extending God’s gifts to us to others?
Is our living theology (knowledge of God) about scarcity? Or is it shaped by abundance, even when we have what the material world might define as little? We might find that our answer to that question can shape us in profound ways.
Tonight, we have a chance to think together about how we practice a theology of gifts in a very practical way: How do we extend the gift of the community hall we have been given? How do we share our abundance? How do we practice hospitality that creates and deepens community?
Join us tonight online to take a look at the floor plans and to dream a little about how we can share what God has given us through the generosity of the Gambrell Foundation. Our experience with old Belk Hall, warts and all, was that we were able to host a range of organizations, gatherings, events and regular users that served to advance the kin-dom of God on earth and at the corner of Park and 5th. Just imagine what lays ahead with our new hall?
PLEASE NOTE: Because of construction-related projects, electricity has been cut to our buildings so we will NOT be gathering in person tonight. If you know of someone who planned to come in person who may not see this letter, please pick up the phone and update them on this necessarily late decision to be online only.
We won’t make any final decisions and this meeting isn’t to change the design or revisit decisions our hard-working committees have been making. But we can practice a theology of grace and generosity and share this unexpected and undeserved gift in the name of our Lord for the healing of our city. Click here to join at 6:30 p.m.
Lamentations, But:
On Sunday, Gail took us into the Old Testament book and the time-honored practice of Lamentations. She invited us to name those things we lament, that hurt our hearts or that we know hurt God’s heart in a broken and suffering world. She asked us to spend time with Lamentations 3:19-30 this week as we pause at the colon and think and pray about what comes next (remembering that what doesn’t change is God’s unwavering presence).
If you kept your bulletin with your list of laments, find it and pray over those things you named, perhaps even adding to it. Read the scripture and prepare to see where Gail leads us this coming Sunday.
Please keep so many at Caldwell who are experiencing trials of carious kinds in prayer and mind. Lift up our college kids as they prepare to go to school, some reporting to college for their freshman year. Other households have adults preparing to return as teachers and/or kids enjoying their last days of summer, all of which is so clouded by this spike in Covid cases.
Watch for all the details later this week in Caldwell This Week. Hope to see you tonight.
In Christ,
John