Dear Caldwell, Fall has fallen upon us. Cooler temperatures and fewer hours of sunlight remind us that 2019 is coming to an end, and 2020 will be upon us in no time. How is it possible that November is less than ten days away? A long time ago, I heard someone say that time flies …
Out of the Abundance of God’s Heart – and Our Hearts As Well Read More »
Dear Caldwell, It’s been fun to find ourselves over and over again in the ancient story told in Exodus of the Israelites’ liberation and journey to the promised land. It is, most of all, the story of a God who frees and provides for all. This week, that story intersects nicely with our own consideration …
“We love God because God first loved us.” Dear Caldwell, The words above may ring a bell. We say them when we baptize infants and toddlers. Long before we can know God, God has adopted us. This is the order of our lives with God. God moves first, out of love, and we respond. This week …
Dear Caldwell, I heard an interesting interview on NPR yesterday about the power of symbols and how some organizations use secret symbols like hand gestures or bumper stickers to identify themselves, including white supremacists. People have always used symbols, for good and for evil, even after developing complex languages. Symbols hold power. They can mark …
Dear Caldwell, In 1951, the great southern novelist William Faulkner penned a story about sin and redemption titled Requiem for a Nun. It included one of Faulkner’s most famous lines, “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” That truth describes more than how past sins can haunt us. It describes ancient patterns and practices in how the …
I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the …
Dear Caldwell, A word of warning – You may want to grab a snack and something cool to drink. This week’s blog is longer than usual… Here goes. We made it. We made it through another summer of the Hope Social Justice Interns. We made it through the renovation of our sanctuary. And we made …
Dear Caldwell, One of my great joys as a member of the Caldwell staff is to share with you the news of new babies and new members. You were able to experience that joy with me last week. Welcome, Quentin, Neecho, and Eleanor. Another of the joys of this job is more nuanced than the …
In Life and In Death, We Belong to God and One Another Read More »
God is doing great things here at Caldwell. This past Sunday, we heard the Word read, proclaimed, sung, and played by Greg Jarrell, Dawn Anthony, and three other wonderfully gifted musicians. We sang. We prayed. We laughed. And more than a few tears were shed. It was a wonderful time of worship – different than …
Dear Caldwell, Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to pull it all together – your diligence and commitment made it possible for Caldwell to shine the light of God’s love in the heart of this city we call home. This coming Sunday, please plan to join us as Greg Jarrell and some of his …
