Dear Caldwell, The picture above is Nineveh, the capital of Assyria and the world’s greatest city at the turn of the 8th century BC. Pretty impressive place, huh? “Get up and go to Nineveh, that great city,” God told Jonah. Instead, Jonah went the other way, at least at first. I wonder why Jonah didn’t want …
Dear Caldwell, This morning I am sitting at a table in a restaurant. My daughter Ellison and I are visiting a college out of town. I’ve just chatted briefly with the man at the table next to ours. He happens to be the Finance Department chair at the college we are touring and we talked briefly about his job …
“We are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality….” – Letter From a Birmingham Jail Dear Caldwell, As we enter the weekend set side to prayerfully consider the life and unfinished business of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I am reminded in particular of how fiercely he held on to a vision of America that reflected …
Dear Caldwell, That’s an odd thing to hear, isn’t it? We’re not used to the words “good” and “funeral” sitting side by side. Nonetheless, I heard that more than once yesterday from visitors, family members of the Pettys, even the man from the funeral home. Noone welcomes memorial services, especially those that come with the pain and …
Dear Caldwell, Final details are in place for Thursday’s service for Ebony Petty. Noon: Wake/Visitation: A time to view the body and express support for the family. In the sanctuary. (There will not be a visitation at the funeral home.) 1 p.m.: Memorial service to give thanks for Ebony’s life and find comfort in the promise of the resurrection. …
Manger scene by Ellen Martin, 3 Manger scene by Hayden Griffith Dear Caldwell, The secular calendar marks today as the second day of the new year and, on behalf of all here, Happy 2012. May God bless each day for you and yours. The church calendar, however, opens the new year at the beginning of Advent and …
Dear Caldwell, Today we are reminded that even the first Christmas included both great joy and deep sorrow. In Christ, God came into the world but was greeted by Herod’s attempt to kill him by the massacre of all the young children in Bethlehem. We’ve exeprienced the same mix of the joy of the season …
Dear Caldwell, I’ve already been asked once today:”Couldn’t you order up some better weather than this for Christmas?” Well, all I can say is, I tried. If anything, these dreary days can remind us that the Light is coming, the Light of the world that shined so bright no darkness would overcome it. In the …
Dear Caldwell, As a child of divorced parents, the holidays had their complications for me. Both of my parents did everything they could to make the holiday shuffle work for my sister and me. Inevitably, though, despite everyone’s best efforts, the season had its stresses. As an adult, I recognize how I still associate those memories with the season. …
Dear Caldwell, It won’t be long now. The last stage of our gradual decoration of the sanctuary has just been completed with the arrival and array of the poinsettas you ordered (thanks volunteers!). As we begin the fourth week in Adevent, the stage, so to speak, is set for our full celebration of the birth of Christ. …
