Thank you, Caldwell, for the ways in which you have stayed true to your call to do the work of God in the world. You show up with food for McCreesh Place and QC Family Tree. You show up and participate in the Mission and Justice audit conversations. You show up and protest. You show up and hold up signs with messages of justice and hope. Furthermore, I have no doubt that many of you are showing up in small ways and quiet ways that the rest of us know nothing about. May many lives continue to be changed because of your faithfulness to the call and the will of our Creator-Redeemer-Sustainer God.
Check out these additional ways to be the church in the world and for the world…and also to have some fun while doing it.
Christian Formation is so excited to announce our STAYCATION Bible School: Feet That Follow! We hope you know a child (or children) who will be able to attend this fun series! While this curriculum is geared more towards elementary aged students, we always want to welcome friends of ALL ages who might like to participate.
The dates of this series are as follows:
Wednesday, 7/15, 11:00am
Wednesday, 7/22, 11:00am
Wednesday, 7/29, 11:00am
Wednesday, 8/5, 11:00am
Wednesday, 8/12, 11:00am
To register – please email Heather Newgreen at hlnewgreen@gmail.com
On Sunday, August 2nd, we would have been marching and singing in the Charlotte Pride parade. We can’t have the parade this year, but we can still celebrate! Please dress up in your Caldwell t-shirt (if you have one) and your Pride “gear” (or anything colorful you would wear/bring to the parade) and take a picture. Send your picture to Lisa Raymaker at lnr114@gmail.com by July 24th. During worship on August 2nd, we can watch a video of all of your lovely Pride pictures!
And tonight, please plan to join us at 7 pm for Preacher’s Porch. Gail will be preaching next Sunday from Genesis 21:8-19, the second half of the Hagar story that John preached about two Sundays ago. What might God have to say to us through the story of Hagar, through her second time in the desert with El Roi – The God who Sees? Look for the link in the usual places where our Preacher’s Porch link resides.
Friends, I recognize how easy it is to feel overwhelmed by the bad news, the rising Covid numbers, and the lack of clarity on when this crisis will end. It is easy to be unsettled by and upset about the racial injustice that is so pervasive in our nation, as well as the divisive political climate that seems to be getting worse. The effort we make to fill food pantries, to show up at protests holding our signs, to speak up about what is good and right and just – these efforts feel small and insignificant in light of all that feels so heavy. It’s a lot. A whole lot.
I want to remind you of Matthew 11:28-30, where Jesus invited the disciples and invites us to come to him with our burdens and weariness. Jesus offers us rest. It’s okay to take breaks from all of this and rest in the arms of God.
Let me remind you that God sees all that you are doing. God hears your prayers and the laments of all people. God is neither deaf nor blind to all that is happening. God is not overwhelmed. God is still at work “making all things new.” Even now.
Remember that the Word of God promises that justice will prevail, that love will win, and that we are not alone, even in the midst of all that we are in the midst of. Please do not lose sight of the faithfulness of our Living and Loving Lord. And don’t forget about the presence of your Caldwell family, here with you, in spirit, in hope, and in prayer, if not in person. We are in this together.
Amen? Amen.
Grace and peace be with all of you – Gail