What Does Lent mean to you? Send me your thoughts and I will be glad to share. Here’s what member John Crowell thinks:
“Lent, to me, is not a time for some dramatic, self-satisfying “giving up” of some material item or modern-day excess or self-perceived sin. It is not a time for giving up but calls for us all to give back to those around us. It is a time for focus and re-centering of self. In doing this, we bring the power of the resurrection to life.”
Dear Caldwell,
I admire today’s young people so much, in part because they seem so much more “grown up” than I recall being at their age. For instance, this week, once again, Caldwell is hosting a group of college students whose idea of “fun” on a winter break is to come to Charlotte, sleep on a church floor and work outside in this weather to build a Habitat for a deserving family. I won’t go into much detail about what I did on my winter breaks in college – but it wasn’t anything as honorable or as selfless.
This week, Caldwell is hosting a “alternative winter break” group of students from Siena College, Loudonville, NY, founded 75 years ago by 7 Franciscan monks. These students are following in the finest of their tradition, started by St. Francis, the great champion of humble and faithful living, who said: “We should never desire to be above others. Instead, we ought to be servants who are submissive to every human being for God’s sake.” That’s a good word for this Lent.
Two other colleges (U. Pennsylvania and Niagra) sent groups in January and there are three more to follow the Siena group in March. Last year, we hosted another 3 colleges. The students sleep in the kids’ Sunday school rooms, prepare simple meals in the Fellowship Hall kitchen and use our rather primitive showers in Belk Hall. It is a wonderful use of our space during the week, a great way for us to share the gift of hospitality.
As you know, we are sharing that gift in another way by hosting the Elizabeth Communities of Faith for the next six Wednesdays at noon. Tomorrow, the new rector of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church will lead worship – and his music director even has the courage to play our old organ. As always, a simple lunch will be served in the Fellowship Hall afterward. We hope to see you there.
These ministries of hospitality do not happen without MANY willing and hard-working servants and lots or organization and coordination. The fact that we are hosting four college groups in successive weeks AS we host the Lenten series takes extra effort by volunteers and staff. What an amazing group of servant-leaders we have here!
So, as you travel from Sunday to Sunday this week, give thanks for the opportunity to share our ample space with others who are advancing the Kingdom of God.
One last note: Please keep our spiritual leader, Richard Campbell, in prayer. He will have a heart procedure early tomorrow morning. I will keep you informed.
Don’t forget that yoga is tonight at 6:30 – you can meet some of the Siena College kids there!
In Christ,
John