Dear Caldwell,
Today Veronica (the Rev. Rogers) and I had the privilege of visiting with Caldwell’s oldest member. At 101, Elise Hood is a year older than the church! She came to Caldwell with her parents, who joined Caldwell after World War II. As an adult, she served the church as a choir member, a Sunday school teacher and is a lifelong member of the Women of the Church. During our visit today, Elise listened silently, occasionally lifting her head and opening her eyes, while her daughter shared fond memories of growing up at Caldwell. “The church was the center of our lives back then,” said Janice Johnson, Elise’s daughter.
At her age, Mrs. Hood is living expectantly in the sense that she knows that she is neareing the day when she will see God face to face, and we give thanks for her and the small handful of those who hung on at Caldwell … just long enough. We all hold her in out hearts at this stage in her life.
The rest of us are also living expectantly in these days, but in a different sense. In Advent, we wait and we watch. We hold off the pressures of commercial Christmas for as long as we can so that we can dwell quietly in the joyous expectation of the coming of our King. I shared a few more thoughts on this theme in last Sunday’s sermon, which is on the Caldwell website at http://caldwellpresby.org/docs/11_27_11_The_Opening_of_the_Heavens.pdf
Many of our members knew Rev. Bill Stewart, who was instrumental in missions ministry at the Siegle church in the past. We mark his passing last Sunday, thank God for his ministry and take comfort in the assurance of the resurrection.
I close with this wonderfil Advent benediction, which member Johnny Johnson shared with me today.
Let us begin Advent, waiting.
Not the “going back to sleep” kind of waiting.
Not the impatient pacing, or the wasted anxiety of waiting.
Not even the passive-aggressive waiting that says, “Really? We’ll see.”
Let us begin Advent, waiting.
Getting up and joining the adventure,
Even when we don’t know where it will take us.
Shifting the impatient waiting to expectant living.
Boldly claiming the Good News that we know will come.
Waiting with joy as we reach out with the grace of God that is so much more than amazing.
Let us begin Advent.