Dear Caldwell,
Today’s Business Page reports that there is a new direct flight from Charlotte to Las Vegas. If the Prodigal Son lived here, he’d be on the first flight out. You know the story – he asked for his inheritance early, before his father’s death – and then spent it all in riotous living before coming to his senses about his father’s love and forgiveness. If it happened in 2019, you see, I figure it would play out in in Vegas, at least the party part.
Jesus invited his followers into this story and its many layered lessons (Luke 15:11-32), and does again this Sunday. We learn from the Prodigal, but also from his dutiful elder brother. The brother comes off as resentful and angry that his father not only welcomed the prodigal home, but threw the party of the year, he was so glad that his lost son was found. We can learn as much from the elder brother’s reaction in how he lost sight of the blessings he had as the Prodigal’s mistakes. It’s a story about us and God’s scandalous grace. Come Sunday for worship as we hear it anew in our Lenten walk.
How Are You Caldwell Well?
Come Sunday also because we will be doing something new. After worship, we will host a Discovery and Engagement Opportunity Fair in Belk Hall. It’s a chance to stroll around to different booths and consider how you may be “called well” in service in ministry through the committees that organize how we seek to serve as the hands and feet of Christ. If you’ve been thinking about a new or different form of involvement at church, this is for you.
Third, at the opportunity fair, we will celebrate and bid farewell to intern Donna Singletery as she moves on to graduation from Union Presbyterian Seminary.
It will be a full and ful-filling day together.
See you then.
In Christ,
John