Article (by Patrick Cardwell, Pastoral Intern) printed in the December Connections newsletter on page 7. You can access the newsletter here.

Over the past few weeks, our church has focused on what it means to be committed – to each other, to our community, to God. And over the course of the Old Testament, we are told the story of God’s commitment to the people of Israel, a story told by many voices. One such voice heard at the beginning of Deuteronomy foretells the splendor of the Promised Land to which God is leading the people. It is “a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant…” (Deut. 6:11). And over the past few weeks here at FBC Greensboro, I have been drinking from wells I did not dig.

water-from-well

When Alan and I first started imagining what my internship experience here would look like, we agreed that one place I could fit well would be in the homebound ministry. With visits organized by Kate Kitchen, I have been able to visit some of our most experienced members of the church, learning from a man 80 years my senior (D.B. Cobb) to “live and let live,” admiring a retired newspaper writer (Martha Long) who still keeps an eye on her beloved city of Greensboro, and being offered the generous treat of listening to a music box fashioned in 1886 (Charlie and Kathryn Hewitt). All these individuals have received me into their homes, welcomed me into the church they helped build, and allowed me to drink deeply from the wells that they have spent a lifetime digging. I’m grateful for these people, these saints who have gone before, who have carried on the tradition of commitment to their faith, to this church, to ensuring a future in ministry for people listening to the call of God. May we be as committed to God’s continued work as they have been.

So as we are reflecting on what it means to be committed, let’s also remember to be committed still to those who have been committed to us, even before we were here. Let’s remember to be committed to our homebound members who have committed themselves to the dream of a church filled with all kinds of good things. A church that reaches out to a flourishing city in need of a drink of water from the wells of God’s good grace. And as my first semester wraps up at 1000 W. Friendly Ave, I’m left with a feeling of genuine gratitude for the blessings poured out by this church into my life. I’m grateful for these wells I did not dig, for the sweet water of God’s grace, and for the opportunity to share it with others.