Autumn feels different depending on which cycle you respond to most strongly. Underneath, we are all still tied to the land, metaphorical farmers if not literal ones. Autumn means harvest, a time of in-gathering. But overlaid on that ancient cycle is the modern one of education, in which autumn means the beginning of a new school year. For years, it was the best time: a “new beginning… with no mistakes yet!” Then inevitably we left school and became subject to the cycle of that arbitrary task master, the calendar. Now autumn is the time of preparation for the new year, of budgets and balances, of stewardship and goal-setting. And of course, what do we tie stewardship to? The abundance of the harvest… and we’re back where we started. Which cycle do you feel part of as the days grow shorter and the yellow leaves stand out against the blue sky?
Contemplate all nature’s beauty
And embrace its darker side;
Life as sacrifice is ordered;
Sometimes life will be denied;
Celebrate with adoration
New growth after seeds have died.
On this beautiful harvest day
We celebrate the wonder and joy of creation
A beauty that brings sustenance, hope and healing to the human soul.
The seed of God is in us.
If you are an intelligent and hard-working farmer,
it will thrive and grow up into God,
