Is anyone else feeling a little off this week? Or is it just me? 

Yesterday I walked out to my car at 3:45 p.m. to drive to an appointment. Friends, my car was already running—not because I have a remote starter, but because I had left the car running since I arrived at 8:15 a.m. Now I could try to blame it on the three leaf blowers that happened to be running next to my car when I parked, and I’m sure that had something to do with it. But it is also true that I am feeling so distracted and frazzled that I walked away from my car and left it running for nearly 8 hours in the parking lot of St. Martin’s. 

I love the fall. I love the changing leaves, the crisp air, the start of sweater weather, and my personal favorite accessory—the puffy vest. 

But when that time change hits on All Saints Sunday, and the days are suddenly so very short, I struggle to make the transition. I come home ready to crash every day. I want to hibernate at the very time we need to get busy with Stewardship, Thanksgiving, Advent, Christmas cards, gift lists and the incarnation of Jesus—Oh my! 

A few years ago, I read a book called Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May. I think I actually read it during COVID—during that season of forced slow-down coupled with quick-thinking creativity. 

May’s book is all about the seasons of life when things slow down, whether we want them to or not—the moments of exhaustion, loss, waiting, or simply needing rest. She calls it “wintering,” not as a failure but as a natural, necessary part of being human. Just as nature needs dormancy before spring, we need time to pause, to turn inward, to let our souls rest and be renewed. 

If you, too, find yourself struggling to switch gears right now, feeling the rush of November’s demands alongside the slow-down of your own internal clock, pay attention. Your body is telling you the truth about what you need, not your calendar. 

Our spiritual lives move in seasons, too. There are times of energy and growth—when our prayers feel alive and our faith feels strong. And there are quieter times when we’re called simply to rest in God’s presence, to trust that the Spirit is still at work even when we feel still or empty. Maybe this darker season of the year is an invitation to lean into that quiet—to light a candle, take a breath, and let the long nights become a place of renewal rather than depletion. 

So if you find yourself forgetting things or running on fumes—or accidentally leaving your car running for eight hours—give yourself a little grace. Let’s remind one another that it’s okay to slow down, to rest, to “winter” a bit before the light returns. After all, even in the quiet and cold, God is still at work—tending, mending, and preparing us for what comes next. 

And come to church—a place to belong in every season. See you Sunday! 

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To date, 76 households of our parish family have responded to the blessings that God has given us by pledging $515,419. Thank you! Our goal is to receive $850,000 for the 2026 Operating Budget.  If you have not yet filled out your pledge card, please take some time in the coming week or two to prayerfully consider how you will partner with St. Martin’s in funding the ministry we share. We hope to have full participation this Sunday, November 16, when we will celebrate the Feast of St. Martin. Pledge cards are in the Narthex and pledging online is simple and fast. Consider adding the ACH automatic payment option, details and the form are both online. Thank you for pledging!