As I sit to begin this month’s “Curiosities and Musings”, the exact temperature outside is 50 degrees, with 51 degrees being the highest of the day. It may be that fall is fully here. Embracing fall as best we can, without anticipating winter’s arrival can truly be a spiritual practice. If you have rituals or routines you engage for this season, what are they? For some, is the flavors and smells of pumpkin, and spice or drinking hot apple cider? Or it it taking rides on the bus or in a car around the city or in the countryside to take in the magic of the colors of the changing and falling leaves? Is it the change of our wardrobe from summer things into warmer fall clothing, jackets and coats? Whatever helps you ease into fall, honoring that loss of light may be really hard for some of us, do take the time needed to take care of yourself.
As we continue to be in times of deep uncertainty: immigration injustice continues to be on the rise, our elections and democratic processes are trying to be torn to shreds, and the prices for almost everything continue to rise, how are you managing? It is also, for some of us, the realities of physical and mental ailments are much with us so finding time or space to think about much beyond our realities is just not there. If this is the case for you, do reach out to our Ministers, or a Pastoral Care Associates Team for the spiritual support you may want or need. What you are experiencing is to be honored!
With our Soul Matters theme for November being “healing” and with all that is going on in our personal and communal lives, finding sources of support for ongoing healing, with often limited time, can be a great challenge. In what ways has being, or becoming a part of the community that exists here at First Church provided opportunities to engage some of the healing you need in such times as these? Whether it is our worship life, choir, affinity groups, Theme Circles, coffee hour, or visits with a Minister, or with a Pastoral Care Associate, may we continue to be a place to engage in the spiritual healing you may need and deserve.
In closing this month’s column, and as it is time to express even more our gratitude as we journey, I continue to be abundantly grateful to my Ministerial Colleagues, our Staff and so many of you for the support you continue to give me in my second year with you. And to all of the dedicated volunteers that support our Welcome and Belonging Team, our Pastoral Care Associates Team, our Ushers and Greeters, our Theme Circles Co-chairs, and Facilitators, I, we, could not do what First Church does to continue to live into the Mission of First Church: “To nurture the spirit, engage the mind and inspire action”.
Rev. Chris Long
Acting Assistant Minister