Dear Caldwell,
Yesterday morning in worship, James Ford charged us in his sermon to seek continually our identity in Jesus Christ – by going directly to who Christ showed himself to be. Afterward over lunch, about 100 members of the congregation took part in a robust and energizing dialogue about how we live out of our specific identity in Christ at Caldwell as a community of faith called to stand in the gaps that divide, cripple and scar our city.
Here is a brief recap of the afternoon meeting:
- Caldwell has been invited to “dream big” by long-time friend and supporters Sarah Belk Gambrell and her daughter, Sally, on behalf of a new foundation they have started. Sarah is the daughter of store chair founder William Henry Belk, who raised his family here.
- A representative team has been working quietly to research and outline some possibilities for how Caldwell might use its ample campus and the Christ-centered commitment to justice felt by its people.
- The Belk Gambrell family asked for our initial confidentiality. Now, with deepest gratitude to them, it’s time to engage the entire congregation in moving from a very high-level, initial idea to a final concept that makes sense for the congregation and the city.
Yesterday, Felicia Pine, myself and Gina Shell, who served as an elder and chaired our “3D” Visioning process a few years ago, presented a framework the initial team proposes after several months of early exploration. The team has talked with church members, experts on housing, supportive services, poverty and justice education from across the city and elsewhere. In short, the framework has three parts:
- Hearth: How might we refashion the aging and outdated Belk Hall into a building that can be used to engage the entire community in gatherings, dialogue and meetings focused on building bridges across difference? The Belk Hall redesign, either renovating or replacing it, would also be done to meet our needs as a congregation.
- Home: How can Caldwell do its part to ease the shortage of 35,000 affordable housing units in Charlotte? With the understanding that housing is a needed first step for stability, those in the housing would be connected to support social services, job training, etc. to continue to advance their lives. Any housing would be scaled to Caldwell’s size and capacity, so we can be in true community with the residents, which might include some of our own housing-challenged members. It would be flexible to adapt as we learn and move forward about how to help our neighbors. Think of the story of the starfish on the beach. Caldwell can do its share, in community and relationship with those on our campus.
- Hope: As James Ford reminded us yesterday, “justice is what love looks like in public.” After a decade of being a teaching campus for interns and innovative ministries (24/7 Prayer, The Third Place, the women’s shelter, a Muslim school, a Bilingual school, etc.), how might Caldwell more formally partner with Union Presbyterian Seminary, St. Andrews University (both of which have said they want to partner with us) and other institutions to educate young people, emerging leaders and others in our city about the plight of our most vulnerable city residents and the role of social justice in advancing the kingdom of God on earth?
You can read a more indepth version of this vision here. Keep in mind it is just an initial proposal.
After the presentation of these initial ideas, members raised some helpful questions and ideas that will inform any future planning. A range of members indicated their willingness to help as we refine our plans. The core team that has done the initial planning under an agreement of confidentiality will be expanded. Stay tuned for more on that. Ultimately, after much more community research and congregational communication and engagement, we will return to the Belk Gambrell family with a formal proposal the represents the heart and desire of the congregation.
As Gina Shell said yesterday, this opportunity is both exciting and scary. It asks a great deal of us at Caldwell to produce new and expanded ministries in Christ’s name that are well-structured, sustainable, needed alongside everything else being offered the most vulnerable in Charlotte and, most important, true to Caldwell’s identity, scale and particular, intersectional identity among houses of faith in our city.
If you have any thoughts, questions or ideas, please share them with me at pastor@caldwellpresby.org or any members of the initial planning team. They are Gina Shell, Mary Ellen Player, Felicia Pine, Jonathan Hardin, Woody Connette and Lisa Raymaker.
Remember that this is a fluid and ongoing process and all are invited to speak up and participate.
Please note The Third Place will be closed tomorrow due to flood damage last week. Also, I will post James Ford’s powerful sermon yesterday when I receive it.
We are truly, truly blessed, aren’t we? As something I read this morning noted, when we pray “in Jesus’ name ..,” there is both privilege and duty that comes with any such prayer.
More updates later this week.
In Christ,
John