Dear Caldwell,
Gail here, writing to you from home. I hope and pray that you are feeling safe, surrounded, and held by the tender, loving, and mighty hands of our ever-present God.
These are unprecedented times for all of us; I hope and pray that you remember that we are still “we.” We are still community. We are still the family of Caldwell, even though we cannot see or hug one another right now. Please know that you are in the thoughts and prayers of the Caldwell staff.
Speaking of the staff, we want you to know that we are in regular contact with each another, holding virtual meetings, and brainstorming new ideas of how we can maintain and deepen our connections during these coming weeks. Keep an eye out for communication in the next few days related to online and phone-based gatherings.
Being that today is the third Tuesday of the month, it’s time for Preacher’s Porch. I invite you to grab something to sip on, something to nibble, and plan to meet us in our new Zoom space (you can connect by computer, tablet, or smart phone) at 7 pm tonight. The information on how to connect will be at the end of this blog post.
Caldwell friends, one technology related request – if you do not have the Zoom app on your phone, tablet, or computer, please download it so that you will be able to connect with us during tonight’s conversation and many future online gatherings.
This evening, we will spend the first chunk of our time together just checking in with each other. After that, we will take a look at the two scripture passages I am considering for this coming Sunday’s worship gathering. The passages are John 9:1-41 and Psalm 23. Feel free to read and ponder them ahead of time. Join us with ideas and questions related to these Scriptures. For those of you who have the Wilderness devotional book, these are the two passages that are the focus of the fourth week of Lent in that booklet.
Questions to ponder – How do these two passages relate to the wilderness journey we find ourselves on at this time? Where do you find God in these two passages? Where do you find yourself? And where do you find hope in John 9 and in Psalm 23?
Our hearts are full. Our minds are swirling. We are unsure of what is yet to come. I invite you to take all of your concerns, questions, fears, doubts, and worries to God in prayer. I invite and encourage us to reach out to each other to ask for prayer and encouragement as needed. And I pray that we will hold tight to the promises of God to be with us at all times – even when we can’t feel it, even when we can’t see it. No matter what we think or feel, no matter how much we doubt it, God is with us every step of the way.
Psalm 23:1 and 2 tell us – The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. The Lord makes me lie down in green pastures; The Lord leads me beside still waters. God restores my soul. God leads me in right path’s for God’s own name sake.
May we live ever deeper into the truth of these verses.
Below is the information you need to join us for Preacher’s Porch tonight. We plan to be together from 7:00 until 8:30 pm. Join us when you are able to and leave when you must. It will be very important to mute your phone or your computer when you aren’t talking, or there will be a tremendous amount of background noise and echo.
I look forward to “seeing” you tonight.
In the meantime, know that you are loved and that you are being prayed for.
In the meantime, know that you can reach out to me, John, Anne, and/or Justin with needs, questions, joys, and concerns.
Grace and peace be with you, Gail