Dear Caldwell,
On Sunday, we considered how God leads with grace, politely but firmly telling the world, with all its presumptions of power and control, “Step aside. Move over. We need room to have a baby here.”
Not that I have any first-hand experience in giving birth, but we know that birth is a messy and painful business. Still, as we read in John 16:21:
“Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world.”
In this season of Advent, as we await the birth of God, the risk is that the birth pangs of God’s new thing can blind us from the joy that is coming. Global and political news can shroud the way to Bethlehem. We need a word of liberation from what we perceive as all-too-immediate hindrances.
Tonight, Richard Harrison will bring us that word at a Wednesday night supper discussion. He will lead us in a talk and singing of several favorite African-American Advent spirituals – “Go Tell It On the Mountain,” “Mary Had a Baby,” and “Rise Up Shepherd and Follow.” These songs provided hope and strength to generations of enslaved and oppressed African-Americans and they continue to speak to all of us today. Related scriptures are Luke 2:1-19, Matthew 2:1-12 and Micah 5:2.
With food provided, we will begin eating at 5:30 p.m. in Belk Hall with donations for food. Bring yourself, your family and friends and your appetite for a word of hope.
Finally, as in each year, there are several families and individuals who need help providing a Christmas for their young ones. If you are interested in helping these Caldwell-related families, please contact me.
Please keep these individuals and situations in prayer:
- Linda Schick, elbow surgery today.
- Linda Sluder and family as Linda’s mom is in Hospice care.
- Wayne Russell’s mother
- Quan Rutledge and family
- Elaine Hultman and son
- Kathy Neal
- Our college students as they take exams
- Charlie Brown, knee surgery on Dec. 15
- BJ Griffin, friend of the Lord family, who is in critical condition related to Leukemia.
- Wilma Petty, mourning the loss of her mother
In Christ,
John