Meeting Up, Crossing Over

Dear Caldwell Family:

The upcoming week holds some wonderful opportunities for all of us to make new friends and hear new perspectives.

I hope you have all marked your calendars for our Southern Fiesta with the parents of the Bilingual Preschool at Caldwell. Next Wednesday, June 23 at 6 p.m., we will share dinner, fellowship and games with our new friends, more than 90 of whom will be there. If you have time to help with the event, please let Office Manager Leslie Gipple know at admin@caldwellpresby.org . Either way, come and have fun.

In worship this Sunday, we will continue our consideration of what it takes to “be a new church.” We will think about the experiences of the disciples as Jesus calmed the storm in Luke 8:22. I’ve asked a group of young people to tell us more about their experiences, hopes and dreams for the church. These Davidson-Stapleton interns are serving our community’s most vulnerable populations at area non-profits this summer. I’m looking forward to what they have to share with us.

In our Adult Sunday School, Intern Danny Trapp will lead a discussion of the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30). Danny will explore a non-traditional perspective on the lesson – that the servant who buried his talents and was cast into outer darkeness was the hero of the story. Come and join in the discussion.

Our Newcomers class continues, meeting first in the Stronghold room and then setting out on a campus tour and history lesson about our cherished old property. All are welcomed to join us

Last Sunday, about 35 folks gathered after worship as the first step in a dialogue about the role of race and racism in society and in the church. We had a great discussion and agreed to continue the conversation in a more structured way. For those who were there – and anyone who would like to join us going forward – stay tuned for more information.

We continue to keep many in our prayers:
– Dave Bradley and family and his father,who is under Hospice care.

– Martha Cooper, also receiving Hospice care.
– Elise Hood, Caldwell’s oldest member, at 100. 

– Donna Price, recovering from surgery, and her partner, Julie, whose father entered the hospital yesterday.
– the mother of Gina Shell, who continues recovery and deeper diagnosis of some recent troubles, along with Rita Slattery, the mother of Patrick Allen-Slattery, also recovering.
– And, Madison Dyson, Carol Williams’ granddaughter, who continues to do well after four vaccine treatments for a brain tumor. Her mom says Madison is “in camp, strong willed and doing the things that 6-year old girls do.”

Thanks be to God for this community of belivers and explorers.

In Christ,

John