Dear Caldwell,
We are in for a blessing this Sunday – make that multiple blessings!
Special guest Betty Meadows, the top regional Presbyterian official, will preach for us. She arrived in Charlotte just six months ago and has been hard at work visiting churches and getting to know congregations and their ministries. She will bring a fresh and broad perspective on what it means to “be church”, matched with a sense of what God is doing here at Caldwell. With a focus on prayer, she will lead us in considering scripture’s words in Psalm 18:1-19; Psalm 139:1-18; and, Luke 11:1-13. The gospel choir is geared up to sing some favorites, we will collect the Ten Cents a Meal offerings to fight hunger in Charlotte and we will welcome several wonderful new families as members.
An important part of worship will be our prayers of thanksgiving and intercession on behalf of Caldwell House, our ministry to homeless women in partnership with the Salvation Army scheduled to close next month after 3 and a half years on our campus. We will all take part in liturgy that gives thanks to God for our chance to serve these neighbors; confesses that we as a community have more work to do to provide housing for all who need it; and, commends the ladies of Caldwell House to our Lord’s safe keeping.
Pot Luck: After worship we will remain in Belk Hall for a pre-Thanksgiving pot luck luncheon with a special presentation from our Guatemala mission trip team. Come hear about the ministry (which you help enable) to our neighbors who live so nobly and joyfully amid poverty and other challenges. For the lunch, please bring a main or side dish (and maybe a dessert, too). Anything that needs to remain warm should be dropped off in the Fellowship Hall kitchen before worship.
Adult Christian Education class: If you were asked to write a modern-day statement of faith that calls the church to action, what one scripture passage – or even one word – would you choose as the basis of that statement? What four specific current societal issues would you name in the creed as areas where the church should act? Those questions will be where we begin the Adult Christian Education Class as we look at the Confession of 1967, one of our denomination’s most compelling calls to action and reconciliation in the name of Christ. We meet Sunday at 9:45 in the Price Building Parlor (and I get to teach!).
As always: Breakfast with Caldwell House ladies (meal prep starts at 7:30 and served at 8:30 a.m. If you haven’t experienced this ministry, there aren’t many weeks left) and middle school youth Sunday in the Youth Room in Price at 10 a.m.
Please keep in your prayers: Julie Price, whose father is critically ill; Linda Matney, recovering well from back surgery; Lynn Watson for her friend facing a serious diagnosis; Jackie Abernethy, continued rehabilitation; BG and Bob Metzler, who are traveling and Bob is still recovering from pneumonia; Robert McLendon and family, whose mother will be put to rest tomorrow; Daisy Oatman and her family, particularly grandson Naije and, Rev. Evie Landrau as she journeys home from South Korea today and tomorrow. We also wish Leslie Gipple, our business and operations manager, happy sailing as she takes a well-earned week off, and rest as well for Music Director Anne Hunter Eidson, who takes a well-earned Sunday off.
Discipleship – Have we heard from you? Finally, our Discipleship campaign is going well but we still need to hear from a number of members and friends before we wrap up the campaign. All pledges of time, talent and money are important, needed and honored in God’s eyes. If you have just haven’t gotten around to this, now is the time: You can pledge online at http://www.caldwellpresby.org/discipleship2013/
See you Sunday – come hungry and be fed, in all sorts of ways.
In Christ,
John