Dear Church Family,

Though summer is one of my favorite seasons, I also enjoy autumn, especially October. We have settled back into the rhythm of the school year. The air is crisp, the leaves are beginning to turn, and the vivid colors around us show off God’s artistry.

This is also the season of harvest. Fields are being gathered in, gardens are yielding their last vegetables of the year, and we find ourselves surrounded by the fruits of God’s beautiful creation. Harvest reminds us that the work that we put into planting and tending is not in vain – God brings growth in its time. The apostle Paul wrote, “Let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9). Just as farmers trust the soil and the seasons, we are called to trust God to bring fruit from the seeds of faith, service, and love we sow each day.

October also brings lots of opportunity for joy! Hayrides, corn mazes (youth… hope you are joining us for the fun again this year!), apple cider (my favorite!), children having fun in their costumes, and gatherings around a bonfire. Joy is one of the fruits of the Spirit and I hope you will pause during this month to take in the joy around you and experience God’s joy in this season.

As the church, we celebrate the joy of fellowship, worship, and service. We laugh, we pray, and we share meals together. Check out all of the things going on at our Faith United Churches this month. If you haven’t yet taken the chance to attend a gathering at one of the other churches in our cooperative, I hope that you will take this opportunity to join us at any of the fellowship opportunities that are going on in our parish. It really is a blessing to fellowship together and to get to know our brothers and sisters better. Let’s be a people who look at the colors of fall and see not just the end of summer, but a season of beauty, joy, and promise… not just endings, but new beginnings as well.

May your October be full of gratitude, laughter, joy, and the assurance that God is with us in every season.

With joy in Christ,

Pastor Lisa