Called to Community: Sunday Night Gatherings
The theme for our 2025 Stewardship campaign is, “Our Beloved Community: Building Up in Love.” We believe God is calling us to build community together: With physical “bricks” and in relationships we cultivate together in ever widening circles of community: In our homes, in our church family, in our larger Elizabeth neighborhood, and in the wider world.
Our 2025 Stewardship Committee has selected five essay themes from the book, “Called to Community: The Life Jesus Wants for his People.” For five weeks, starting October 13, we invite you to join us online Sunday evenings at 7 pm as we prayerfully reflect on these essays together, using Paul’s words in Ephesians 2 to center us::
'So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together spiritually into a dwelling place for God.'
By week and meeting date, our study themes and original book chapters will be as follows. Check out links to PDF study guides for each week, as well as a "Google Notebook LM" created audio podcast summary of the week's essays. We encourage you to check out the book (as an ebook or physical book) or order the book online, so you can read each chapter selection directly!
Session 1: Sunday, Oct 13, 2024 - 7 pm
"Love" by Thomas Merton and Søren Kierkegaard (Chapter 24)
A PDF Study Guide is available including:
Essay Summary
Essay Comparison
Key Ideas
Discussion Questions
An audio podcast summary is also available! (created with Google Notebook LM)
Session 2: Sunday, Oct 20, 2024 - 7 pm
"Differences" by Joan Chittister and Henri J. M. Nouwen (Chapter 29)
A PDF Study Guide is available including:
Essay Summary
Essay Comparison
Key Ideas
Discussion Questions
An audio podcast summary is also available! (created with Google Notebook LM)
This is also available as a video. (10 min, 12 sec)
Session 3: Sunday, Oct 27, 2024 - 7 pm
"Life’s Task" by Eberhard Arnold (Chapter 12)
A PDF Study Guide IS COMING which will include:
Essay Summary
Essay Comparison
Key Ideas
Discussion Questions
Session 4: Sunday, Nov 10, 2024 - 7 pm
"A Visible Reality" by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Chapter 8)
A PDF Study Guide IS COMING which will include:
Essay Summary
Essay Comparison
Key Ideas
Discussion Questions
Session 5: Sunday, Nov 17, 2024 - 7 pm
"Unity" by Peter Riedemann, Chiara Lubich, and Stephen B. Clark (Chapter 31)
A PDF Study Guide IS COMING which will include:
Essay Summary
Essay Comparison
Key Ideas
Discussion Questions
We pray these opportunities to gather in community will build us up in love together, as God’s beloved community!
In Christ, Your 2025 Caldwell Stewardship Committee