Oh! brethren, my way, my way’s cloudy, my way,
Go send them angels down,
Oh! brethren, my way, my way’s cloudy, my way,
Go send them angels down.
Old Satan’s mad, and I am glad,
Send them angels down,
He missed the soul he thought he had,
O send them angels down.
– My Way’s Cloudy, A Negro Spiritual
Dear Caldwell,
Recently I came across a Lenten guide to the spirituals, including the one above, titled “Were You There?” Thinking about how so many have turned to song to express their faith amid hardship has provided good soundtrack as I’ve walked with you through the wilderness in this season.
As the lyrics above promise, God doesn’t forget us in the wilderness times of our life, when the clouds gather over our heads. Instead, the Lord delivers us on to the promised land, if we just keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Are you wondering about your personal call to serve? Your call to Mission & Justice work? About our spiritual foundation for M&J work at Caldwell? Please come find out more at any one of these sessions: Sun, Mar 22, 9:30 am (Third Place);
Mon, Mar 23, 7 pm (Shelby Room);
Thur, Mar 26, 11 am and 6 pm (Shelby Room);
Sat, Mar 28, 10 am (Shelby Room).
Sessions will be a little over an hour. Part workshop/part meditation/part conversation. Contact Helen Hull if you have questions!
In worship Sunday, we will hear a story from Exodus 17:1-7 about when God’s people forgot that promise and got into a big argument. It’s a passage that reminds us what happens when we lose our faith and how we can learn from our quarrels.
Update on the Coronavirus
In the meantime, the cloud that is the Coronavirus is certainly keeping media outlets busy. You should know that church leaders continue to monitor information from the Centers for Disease Control, the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance agency and state and local authorities.
Based on that collective advice and direction, for now, we plan to continue to proceed with all church activities – but with emphasis on several ways to keep everyone safe.
- Frequent and thorough hand-washing and avoiding touching one’s face.
- Avoiding shaking hands or touching others.
- Covering coughs and sneezes, preferable by doing both into your elbow.
- Those who are ill should stay home.
- Those who have weak immunity systems or compromised health should be extra cautious.
- Keep a distance of three-feet between you and someone who is sick.
- Everyone should try to get plenty of rest and avoid stress to keep their immunity at normal levels.
In worship, we will implement some additional measures, like not passing the guest register and taking up the offering in a new way (don’t forget you can give online to support the church’s ministries). As with last Sunday, we will refrain from touch when passing the peace. One public health official advises that public gatherings of more than 250 should be reconsidered. We worship about 150 on Sundays.
Click here for more information.
We know the situation is very fluid and will keep a close eye on the best guidance available. If something changes, we will let you know. We welcome your input.
We’re also aware that the risk and uncertainty of all of this may present needs for pastoral support. Gail, Anne and I remain available if you need to talk.
For now, go forth with the hope and faith of those who sang the spirituals amidst their suffering, including this verse from “My Way is Cloudy:”
This is the year of jubilee,
Send them angels down,
The Lord has come and set us free,
O send them angels down.
In Christ,
John