In her poem entitled, “The Journey,” Ruth Forman writes:
Let the journey continue
let us speak the same language in our many tongues
may the path lead us home may the journey lead us home
in faith child let it be
in faith mother let it be
in faith pop pop
in faith sister
brother my brother let it be let it be
we the sky we the laughter of the rivers
we know day we know dawn we know evening
pray we know ourselves
pray I find myself in you
pray I find me in God
then I know where I’m going and feet to get there
The journey long y’all the journey long
but we got company
pray we find it
*****
Caldwell, the journey is long. You know that full well.
The journey towards meeting our 2021 stewardship goal is long. Gratefully, we are about half way there. If you haven’t done so, please make your pledge soon, so that staff and Session can create a budget and make hopeful, joyful, generous plans for next year. Click here to pledge online.
The journey towards justice for our beloved Wilma Petty has been long, and it is not over yet. I was honored to speak on her behalf and on your behalf on the news last night. Check out the WBTV segment here.
The journey towards peace and justice in our nation is long. The new Supreme Court Justice is likely to make the journey longer and harder, but we will remain steadfast in our work and unshakable in our determination to make good trouble on behalf of those who will suffer when injustice is handed down.
The journey towards the outcome of the upcoming election will be long. May we seek God and hold onto one another as we walk this difficult, sometimes disheartening journey together.
One way that we can find new hand holds on peace and also hold each other up is through prayer.
Next Tuesday, on Election Day, you are invited to spend the day in fasting and prayer for the soul of this nation, come what may. Check out the Caldwell website page that provides resources for prayer and fasting. www.caldwellpresby.org/prayer. There will not be a sign-up page for this day of focused prayer. Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, you are invited to turn off your news notifications, stay off social media, and keep your mind stayed on Jesus next Tuesday. Reach out to your Caldwell family members and others, and encourage each other. Pray together via phone or text or Zoom. Keep on praying, friends. Keep on praying.
At Vespers this Thursday at 8 pm, we will focus on fasting and prayer, so join us to learn more and to deepen your prayer practice. At Vespers next Thursday, we will continue our prayer as a community. Please plan to join us. Look for links in the emails you receive this week and next week.
“The journey long y’all the journey long
but we got company.”
We have each other here in our Caldwell community.
We have so many people around us who are with us on this long journey.
As the poem says, may we know and recognize each other.
And may we trust that as we go, as we walk, we will know where to go and have feet to get there.
Most important of all, friends, as we travel this long journey, let us remember that God is with us.
She is always with us. Within us. Beside us. Holding us close. Loving us still.
May we know that we know that we know that God’s amazing grace, Christ’s boundless love,
and Spirit’s incomparable power are ours, from this day forth and forevermore.
May peace prevail, the peace that surpasses all of our understanding.
Your friend and sister in Christ, Gail
PS. Please, please, please make a plan to vote – if you have not already done so.
Early voting ends this Saturday. You can register and vote on the same day between now and Saturday.