Dear Caldwell,
Remember the fast-forward button on your old 8-track or cassette players? (If you are reading this and under 40 in age, you will have to ask someone older). You punched it to jump ahead but never knew quite where you’d end up in the song.
As the world pivots to face what we pray is a move from a pandemic to an epidemic, cultural prognosticators, social forecasters and others are all saying that the pandemic has been a BIG fast-forward button for society. Most say it’s accelerated our lives by 10-15 years. All agree it’s raised some big questions ahead of time – including how and where we live and work, what constitutes community, what of our pre-Covid life may never come back and how we can learn from this pole-vault into a future we didn’t expect. Answers will be playing out for years to come.
All of that is true for the church, too. Churchy leaders are having all kinds of conversations about things such as what worship looks like (in-person, on-line, both or just one?), how the church should view its buildings (as incubators for new life or as expensive anchors to a past that may never return?) and more. Recently, I’ve read about the rise of virtual reality church. Not online-worship and activities, as we now offer, but the gathering of the people through avatars for praise, study and more. Some say, with a self-certain tone of voice, that all chuch will be “VR” by 2030 and that we ought to start learning it now. I even heard of an avator wedding and an avatar baptism.
I wonder what Christ would say about all of that.
He was a game-changer, to be sure. He turned the institutional religion of his day on its head in ways we may tend to forget, from ritualistic, tradition-bound, sacrifice-smoked Temple marathons to his famous (but at the time outrageous) claim that God is anywhere where 2 or 3 are gathered in God’s name.
As important, Christ put a high priority on getting together with others over meals, sitting on hillsides, walking down the road and in other ways. When he was resurrected, it was in flesh and blood, not a hologram. When Thomas doubted, Jesus told Thomas to plunge his hand into his bloody wound to know it was the Divine standing there. The future, whether online, in person or virtual, will present itself when it is ready, but I can’t help but think Christ would want us always to be incarnational.
In that spirit, we are beginning to offer more and more ways to gather in person at church. In-person attendance in worship is picking up. We are working to bring back more children’s programs. Classes and things like anti-racism education sessions are in the works. \
This Sunday, with profound joy and gratitude, we will dedicate the new community hall, itself built to bring people together as a “hearth” for faith family and for our city. At its meeting tonight, the Session will discuss its stance toward how we balance our “return” with being “safe” and inclusive for all. The Safe Return Team will meet soon as well as Mecklenburg County lifts its mask mandate this Saturday. Stay tuned for more.
Do, however, make plans to see the new hall this Sunday. We will thank our donor and those who made the building happen and have some time to explore it’s 7,000 square feet. Refreshments will be served outside.
Otherwise ….
Speaking of using our bodies, there are two ways to serve in a hands-on way this Saturday.
- At 9 a.m., all are invited to come to the Grier Heights neighborhood (corner of Billingsley and Ellington) to join other Presbyterians in cleaning and weeding out an historic Black church cemetery. A great way to ACT on all we’ve said and thought during Black History Month.
- Caldwell has been gifted abundant supplies needed to host Room in the Inn, including air mattresses, shelving and personal items. This Saturday, we need people to help move all of that from another church to Caldwell. A truck or SUV is needed in particular, along with some strong backs and legs. Meet at a10:30 a.m. at Plaza Presbyterian Church, 2304 The Plaza. Contact Jim Thompson at 704-572-9127 or jimt9699@gmail.com to let him know you can help.
Also, let’s rally around the beloved Richard Campbell, who is at home but needs fresh food to fuel his recovery. Dietary considerations vitally important! Please read the details and do what you can by going to this link to take him a meal.
Finally, if you made a pledge to the stewardship campaign, don’t forget we have a gift for you waiting at the church, a copy of the book My Grandmother’s Hands. You can pick one up Sunday or at church on weekdays but please call ahead to make sure one of us is here. The ACE Class is reading and discussing this book as a rich element of our anti-racist work. This Sunday, I will lead the discussion of chapter 4.
Let us pray for our nation and those in harms’ way in Ukraine, that sane and peaceful hearts might still prevail.
In Christ,
John