Dear Caldwell, As a kid, did you ever pack a set of activities to take on a long car ride? I have memories of sitting in a spacious back seat in our family’s ’68 Chevy Impala and passing time playing games, reading, drawing and other ways to make the ride go a little quicker. That’s …
Dear Caldwell, I heard an interesting thing about how some Christians start the season of Lent – by forgiving. Here at Caldwell, we began our 40-day journey on Sunday by considering an idea from Rev. Dr. Teri Ott, whose devotional we are following (click here to see it). She proposes that, in light of all …
Dear Caldwell, With the arrival of Ash Wednesday tomorrow, we enter the season of Lent. This is a season of reflection, preparation, putting down or taking up and whatever else can frame our faithful journey with Christ to Jerusalem. I hope you’ll come to worship tomorrow night at 6 p.m. for a reflective taize service …
Dear Caldwell, Remember the fast-forward button on your old 8-track or cassette players? (If you are reading this and under 40 in age, you will have to ask someone older). You punched it to jump ahead but never knew quite where you’d end up in the song. As the world pivots to face what we …
Dear Caldwell, We love God because God first loved us. Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their siblings, are liars; for those who do not love a sibling whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and …
Dear Caldwell, On Sunday, we began Black History Month with Gail’s reminder that we should recall the triumphs of Black American history, not just the trauma. Then, she said, when we are informed fully and objectively about Black history in the U.S., Gail invited us to ask of ourselves: “What story are we telling and …
Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of …
Dear Caldwell, When I was a speech writer in a portion of a different career, I paid a lot of attention to the president’s annual State of the Union address. A White House full of speech writers and advisors typically spend weeks crafting the speech, which often runs close to an hour in length. The …
Dear Caldwell, For the last two Thursdays, Anne and Gail have hosted a welcomed online gathering just to visit and catch up called “Let’s Chat and Chew the Fat.” It’s been a great chance to see each other in these disembodied pandemic times for the church. If you could use some company or just want …
Dear Caldwell, For all that has been said about Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., he was among so many things a brilliant communicator. As we focus on advancing his dream in our own time, I give thanks for his example in both writing and oratory, to say nothing of his strategic mind, unfailing courage, …
