SEPTEMBER 2025

Dear Kind and Gentle People,

Oh, My Soul! The Great Wheel has brought us into the month of September, the first month of Autumn and the joy of harvest. This joy is both a physical experience of gathering a bountiful crop and a spiritual and emotional sense of fulfillment. Here at “The Mill” a bumper crop of produce has come forth. Beets and cucumbers have been “put down” into pickles to share with the community and enjoy during the long winter months.

The Newfield Community Church will embrace the joy of harvest by observing “Creation Time.” This is the time from September 1st through October 4th for renewing, repairing and restoring our relationship to God, one another, and all of creation during the “Season of Pentecost.” Our worship space will be dressed with paraments crafted from a rich tapestry of burnt orange, red and gold. In addition, wreaths of hydrangea and vases of sunflowers and amaranth will grace the sanctuary.

Jesus the Christ provides a rich spiritual connection with creation and her cycles. He used parables drawn from nature, such as seeds, lilies, and birds, to teach spiritual truths to people familiar with the land. His life events from birth in a stable to his prayers in the wilderness and the Garden of Gethsemane, are deeply tied to natural settings.

We are part of the Earth as with the rest of nature. We rely on her creative and restorative powers that provide for us. She gifts us with everything that we need and humbles us with her powers and holy mysteries such as plate tectonics, Antarctic ice and rivers, axis wobble and magnetic field. In the coming days of “Creation Time” let us ponder these mysteries. Let us purposely inhale the autumn air with gusto and joy as we listen for the still small voice offering us guidance. Let us offer thanksgiving for the joy of harvest gifted to us by the Creator of the Universe. Happy Autumn and Creation Time!

As always,

Gobs of Blessings and Heaps of Happiness.

Petah

Rev. Dr. Peter Stickney

Photo Credits:

Petah and the Giant Parsnip —photo by Jason Harris

Newfield Community Church dressed for Creation Time —Petah