October 11, 2026

As summer gives way to fall, the world around us begins to change.  The days grow shorter, the air turns crisp, and trees exchange their  summer greens for the brilliant colors of autumn.  A period of waiting  is over, as gardens and fields are gathered in and orchards yield their fruit. It’s harvest time, a season for recognizing what has grown and for giving  thanks for what the earth has provided.

Our church’s annual theme, “Notice. Name. Nurture.,” invites us to pay  attention to the seasons of our own lives, too.

Notice. We can become so focused on what needs fixing or on what is missing,  that we overlook the good growing right in front of us. Where do we see  kindness, generosity, faith and hope taking root?

Name. We can name our blessings, express our gratitude, and recognize the  people and gifts that sustain us. We can also honestly name what has changed, what we have lost, and what we need to release.

Nurture. The harvest is not the end of the story. Seeds must be saved, soil prepared, and new growth tended. In our lives and our church, relationships  need attention, faith needs practice, and new possibilities need room to grow.

 As we enter this season of harvest, perhaps we can ask ourselves three simple questions:  

What am I noticing?  What needs to be named?  What am I being called to nurture?

May this be a season of gratitude for what has been, attentiveness to what is,  and hope for what is yet to grow.

Friends, God is at work in every season—not only in the visible abundance of  harvest, but also in the quieter seasons of waiting, change, and preparation.

Prayer:

Holy One, give us eyes to see what is growing, courage to name what is true,  and generous hearts willing to nurture the good that You have placed in our care. Amen.

Pastor Denise