Today, I am noticing the changing of the sunlight and the shortening of the days. Thanks to the Santa Ana winds, we may have some of the hottest days of the year ahead of us, but Earth is still easing her way into the Fall.

September 22nd was the Fall Equinox. At this specific time, Earth's axis is tilted side-on to the sun, meaning there's an almost equal amount of sunlight and darkness across the globe. It is also the beginning of Fall. For a long, long time, this shortening of days has signaled our animal bodies to prepare. It is time to seek out loved ones, gather the remaining harvest in gratitude, and prepare for the winter.

Our theme for worship in October is deep listening. We will talk about listening to our own inner wisdom, listening to nature, and listening to people whose experience is different from our own. In just about every situation, the first step is slowing down. Deep listening always involves setting aside the task at hand, the distraction or worry, to focus on the person trying to reach us.

My invitation to you this month is to sit and do nothing. I mean, really do nothing at all. Put down the screen and the book. Don’t even meditate or pray. Do something really revolutionary and just sit there for a while. It is an increasingly rare way of being in today’s life. I suspect your heart and mind are hungry for the reset that sitting and doing nothing can provide.

Sincerely,
Rev. Kent