Changing Seasons

From The Pastor’s Desk

September always makes me a little restless. Perhaps it has something to do with the autumnal obligation to return to school or college during my formative years. Perhaps it is the color and slant of the sunlight, growing more golden as the days grow shorter. Perhaps it is the produce ripening in the fields, almost ready for the Fall harvest. Whatever it is, September has always seemed like a time of transition.

In the church we understand September as a beginning, rather than an ending: a time when we bid farewell to summer visitors and return to many of the familiar patterns of our faith. We start new programs and events, establish and reinvigorate old traditions, and mark the weeks until the cycle of the Christian year begins with the coming of Advent.

This Autumn will mark the return of some familiar things. On September 11th, we will bring back the Community Lunch program which has been dormant since the onset of Covid. This will allow us, once again, to offer a time to gather, to eat, and to connect for members of our congregation and the wider community. We will also be trying new things, as we celebrate “Invite a Friend” Sunday on the 10th. Often what prevents someone from visiting a new church (or returning to one) is the lack of an invitation. This Sunday is a chance to cast wide the doors and to welcome friends and newcomers. Finally, we will be holding another church/community picnic on the 24th, immediately following worship.

As we enjoy the waning Summer days, and look forward to the coming Autumn, may we enjoy the abundance of these days. May we celebrate what has come to fruition, and prepare for what shall come next. For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven…

— Pastor Jon