Welcome to the Fall Equinox! It is the time of the year when the number of hours of daylight equals the number of hours of night and moonlight. It is a time to honor and cultivate balance in our lives.
We are betwixt the warmth of summer and the beginning of the cool, crisp autumn air. We may feel called by outdoor physical pursuits or by quieter indoor pursuits, like reading and learning. The rest and renewal of summer makes way for the activities of fall – a new school year, a new congregational year, the harvest, the project long awaited.
The balance of light and dark in the world invites us to notice what we need to restore balance in our own lives. Are you drawn towards growth and harvest? Are you in a need of slowing down and rest? Maybe a measure of each.
Pay attention to what your spirit is craving in this moment of turning. May you find opportunities for rest and activity, for the physical and the intellectual, for the light and the dark to nourish your soul.
We hope you’ll take advantage of some of the opportunities we offer here in our congregation to help you restore balance, whichever direction you desire to move in. We have Sunday Services and Friday vespers, classes and other small groups, advocacy efforts and social activities to help you turn inward and outward at this time of year. It is a good time to ask yourself: What do I want to add? What do I need to let go?
May the autumn equinox allow us to celebrate and honor the seasons of our lives, including birth, growth, harvest, death, and re-birth. There is a time for each separately and times of both/and in balance.
As far as indoor pursuits, this week is the second Sunday after Homecoming and the second Sunday of our Learning Community Classes. This is a good time to commit to coming regularly to nourish your connection to our faith of Unitarian Universalism and to building our beloved community together. This Saturday is also the Social Justice Retreat in-person from 9am – 2:30pm and online from 9:30am – 11:30am, and everyone who wishes to participate is invited.
As far as outdoor pursuits, this week offers the chance to bring your pet(s) or a photo or stuffed animal representation to Columbia Park Picnic Area E for an Animal Blessing. The Gathering Time is 4:00pm, and the Service begins at 4:15pm. We will celebrate our connection to all creatures while in a beautiful, natural setting. I will share a short reflection, John Boelling will lead us in music, and most importantly, Rev. Tom Disrud, our Intern, Eli Poore, and I will all be blessing your animals. Following the service, we invite you to BYO snack or picnic and to enjoy some community time. Our Director of Family Ministries, Cassandra Scheffman and her Assistant, Sarah Levy have put together some children’s games, and there is a nature patch to explore nearby. We hope you can make it!
In faith,
Rev. Alison