Welcome to the newly created Pastor’s Blog, set up by our communications pro Tovi Martin. (Thanks, Tovi!) Going forward, this is where I will post my thoughts and communications, but I’ll always let you know via the Yahoo group. You can also get to it directly on our website, Caldwellpresby.org.
As for my thoughts: With the exception of just a few degrees, I feel in some ways like I’m right back where I was a week ago today. The weather is again cold and wet outside but here at Caldwell the sanctuary has missed you and is ready to welcome you back after last week’s unusual cancellation of worship.
As we would have last week, we will have the highlight this Sunday of ordaining and installing our new class of elders, always a powerful aspect of our worship. We will celebrate communion and we will consider the call of the prophet Jeremiah and how it relates to our lives. So I hope you will come and be fed in multiple ways.
Also Sunday, as we did last year, our youth will be asking for your help in collecting a special contribution as part of Souper Bowl Sunday. So, if you can, put an extra dollar or two in your pocket and throw it in the soup pots the youth will have at the door after worship. Your contributions will go to a local hunger ministry of the youth’s choosing.
A few other activities this weekend:
- On Saturday, Caldwell will help build a Habitat home from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. For questions or to help out please contact Tom Bohr at tbohr@carolina.rr.com or 704.552.9474.
- The Fellowship Committee will meet Sunday at 10:00 am in the Fellowship Hall to finalize plans for the Coffee House and Talent Extravaganza (scheduled for Saturday evening February 20) and to continue planning for fellowship, fun and food in faith throughout 2010. Please join us if you are interested or have ideas on how we can play together this year. If you have not yet signed up to share your talents at the Extravaganza, please see Jim Everitt to get on the program.
I shouldn’t close without a quick shout-out to two teams that have been particularly productive this week in the service of God’s church. Buildings and Grounds leaders Ann Alford, Jimmy Todd and Chris Elslager have put an entirely fresh face on the kitchen adjacent to the Fellowship Hall. It’s gone from a bit shabby and overcrowded to homey, clean, bright, updated, comfortable and, if I might say, downright cute. This will mean we have an essentially new space when we host several hundred for lunch during the Elizabeth Communities of Faith Lenten Series. Please thank them
Tovi Martin, Jessica Pistole Polk and Office Manager Leslie Gipple have meanwhile spruced up and expanded our website in several ways. Please take a look, and thank them, too. Thanks also to those who will eat and sleep with our homeless neighbors tonight.
These efforts and those of others this week have made it a bright and sunny week here at Caldwell, despite the weather.
Peace,
John