Dear Caldwell,
With all that is dismaying in the world around us, how about some good news for a change?
First of all, I am always lifted up when a bunch of college kids pass up on going to the beach on spring break and, instead, give of themselves for others. We’re delighted to welcome the Georgia Impact Club (above). Now that’s life-giving good news, right?
More good news: NPR reports that the Monarch butterflies appear to be making a comeback after years of decline. Early reports are of colonies of up to four times larger than last year, which holds promise that the majestic creatures will be in stronger number when they hatch and fly from Mexico later this year.
For many, butterflies are symbols of the kind of transformation and new life we keep in mind in this season of Lent, the kind of dying-and-rising we strive for with Christ. Over the course of their journey from crawling, multi-legged creatures to flying stained-glass windows the Monarch reminds us of the promise we have in Christ, “Behold, the old has passed away. Everything is new.”
As we travel from Sunday to Sunday this week, there are other signs of transformation and new life around us.
A New Neighborhood (one day): Yesterday a representative group from your church met with a group from Novant-Presbyterian Hospital, Grubb Properties and Urban Design Associates to discuss visions for a four-block area immediately in front of the church. Novant and Grubb will develop the largely vacant land into a mixed-use village. So a neighborhood will one day appear around us.
The development partners graciously wanted to hear about the life and ministries of your church and invited our input for the big project. The Caldwell representatives spoke in favor of as much affordable housing as the developers could manage, public spaces for all to enjoy and any options that might allow Caldwell and the developers to cooperate for the common good.
It was an initial meeting and the conversation will continue for several weeks and months as the partners pull plans together. While the development partners have much work to do to finalize a plan, they told us that it is most likely that new apartments or condominiums will be built directly across 5th Street from the church as well as in front of Elizabeth Elementary School (about 4-5 stories in height, up to 700 units on those two lots in all). The rest of the multi-block effort will include offices, shops, retail and more housing. There is no timeline for construction at this point.
New Life in New Members: Caldwell is delighted to continue to welcome new members and receive new life from their gifts, perspectives and experiences. This coming Sunday we welcome two new couples, one family of five and, our latest new member, Mike Harris, who affirmed his faith with the session on Sunday. Why not make plans to get to know them at the Newcomers lunch this Sunday? Or you can sit in with them in the Newcomers Class, Sundays at 9:45 a.m. in the Upper Room above Shelby.
A New Ministry: Touchpoint is Caldwell’s outreach ministry to LGBTQI youth in Charlotte. You are invited to be part of this ministry and a first step is to join us for a planning session on Saturday, March 12th, at 10 AM in the Shelby Room. Breakfast will be provided.
Tomorrow is a full day for Caldwell:
- At noon, the Elizabeth Communities of Faith continues its Lenten worship series titled, “Last Words, Lasting Words” on Christ’s last words on the cross. It’s my turn to preach and I will focus on Christ’s cry from the cross, “I thirst!”
- At 5:30, come one and all to our Second Wednesday church supper, featuring a salad bar with whatever toppings you might want to bring. Afterward, kids are invited to work on crafts for Easter.
- At 6:00, Steve Shoemaker continues his lesson on 2 Corinthians, focusing on 5:11-6:2 on Reconciliation and the New Creation
- at 7, Pat Adams hosts a conversation on spirituality in the 24/7 Prayer Room.
We continue to pray in particular for Dennis Testerman, whose mother died last week, Jane Wallwork, whose sister has entered hospice, and Greg and David Beard, after Greg’s mother also moved to hospice care.
Hope to see you in and around the church.
In Christ,
John