Last week I marveled at the suddenness of fall showing up like in-laws appearing at the front door. And now I’m wondering how we’re halfway through November already! We like to say that time flies, but what is always confounding is how surprising it always is. We wake up, look at the calendar and find ourselves in the midst of fall, the leaves have thoroughly turned (and perhaps the thermostats have turned on) and we are not entirely sure when this all happened.
Time moves because it is the constant. Our sense of the now (the only true sensation we have) is filtered through the noticing of time’s movement. So we’re always taking snapshots in our minds of the present, only to find they are instant representations of the past.
We get nostalgic this time of year because our traditions naturally guide us there. That sensation holds incredible power; if we’re willing to embody the hope that Jesus directs us toward. And that hope (not just for our future, but for others’) can inspire us to acts of service, devotion, and charity that is needed as the seasons change.
There are several ways we are invited to share this season. We are collecting toys for Toys For Tots and clothing items for the homeless. We are also raising funds to preserve our stained glass windows and collecting pledges for the 2022 congregational budget. We do this, not just because it is good, but because God has blessed us to be a blessing to this community. May we all see our place in that now and in the many days to come.
Drew+