From the Pastor: Oct 2025

Dear Friends,

September invites us to return to the routines of school, work, and familiar patterns after summer’s joys. October, by contrast, invites us to pause. The leaves change, the days grow shorter, and there’s a chill in the air that reminds us: the year is moving toward its end. It’s an opportunity to reflect—not only on the beauty of creation but on the rhythms of grace that shape our lives.

We begin the month with World Communion Sunday, which celebrates the unity and diversity of the global church. Initiated in 1933 by Presbyterians and later embraced by denominations worldwide, it invites congregations to partake in the Lord’s Supper with a deep awareness that Christians across continents, cultures, and languages are doing the same. The bread and cup become symbols not only of Christ’s sacrifice but of the richness of our shared belonging. Remembering that communion transcends borders and ideologies can draw us into a deeper commitment to peace, justice, and reconciliation. Whether gathered in cathedrals, homes, or humble chapels, we are reminded: Christ’s table is wide, and all are welcome.

Later in the month, we observe Reformation Sunday, a time to give thanks for how God renews the Church throughout history. Martin Luther didn’t set out to create division—he simply wanted the Church to return to the heart of the gospel: grace alone, faith alone, Christ alone. That same call echoes today. In a world full of noise, fear, and separation, we’re reminded that God’s grace is still the foundation on which we stand.

The very next day, on All Saints’ Day, we remember those who have gone before us in faith—saints known and unknown, famous and forgotten, including those we have loved and lost. It’s a powerful reminder that we are part of something much bigger than ourselves. The Church isn’t just what we see on Sunday mornings—it’s a communion that stretches across time and space. We are not alone in our journey. Others have walked the path before us. Others will follow after.

Even Halloween, with its spooky imagery, offers a quiet echo of the gospel: darkness doesn’t have the last word. The costumes and candy are fun, but beneath it all is a reflection of a deeper human longing—that fear will be overcome, that the night will end, that light will shine again.

So as the days grow darker, let your heart grow brighter. Let the Reformation remind you that God is still at work, reforming hearts and renewing the Church. Let All Saints’ Day and World Communion remind you that we are not alone. And even when fear creeps in, remember: the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (John 1:5).

Love and light

Martin