Song for Autumn
Hello Gadsden Street UMC friends!
We have made it to November, a month to remember all that we can be thankful for. Time certainly has flown by! I am thankful that I have been here with you all since July. I have been thankful to get to know you and to learn about the community that is Gadsden Street United Methodist Church. I am thankful for the work that all of you do in the community and for one another. It's inspiring, it's heartwarming, and it's wonderful to see the Holy Spirit's activity among you all. I look forward to seeing what the Spirit has in store for us as we move through this month, the final month of the Christian calendar, and look ahead to Advent.
This month we have quite a few things going on as we look forward to time with family and friends for the upcoming holidays.
This Week
Wednesday Morning Devotional
Online via Zoom | 10:00AM to 11:00AM
Come to our Wednesday devotional at the Zoom link below as we continue through The Methodist Book of Daily Prayer. We look forward to discussing Week 44: Strength. Whether you have the book or not, we would love for you to join as we read through Day 3 together, bring prayer requests, and lift up prayers to God in fellowship. Click on the link below to join:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82128690248
Wednesday Coffee with Pastor Heather
Foxtail Coffee | 500 W. Jackson St. | 12:00PM to 4:00PM
Join me at Foxtail Coffee for a cup of coffee and a conversation! Every Wednesday you can find me at a coffee shop around town, and you are invited to spend some time. Whether you have questions, ideas, concerns, or just want to chat with your pastor, I look forward to seeing you there!
Saturday Ramp Project
Saturday, Nov. 7 | Outside the Fellowship Hall | 9:00AM
Anyone who can help with a project this coming Saturday is invited to come out at 9:00AM to help secure the ramp outside our fellowship hall to better provide a sturdy and safe entrance into the space for all who enter. Not only does this prevent anyone from tripping or becoming unsteady on their feet, but it also helps us remember that we are a church that is open to all, especially those with disabilities. This work will remind us what it means to be a church that is ADA compliant and better helps our neighbors. See you there!
This Coming Sunday
Sunday School
The Conference Room | 9:00AM to 9:45AM
Join us for Sunday school as we take a deep dive into the morning's scripture!
Sunday Worship
The Fellowship Hall | 10:00AM to 11:00AM
This Sunday we look forward to worshipping with you all in our Fellowship Hall! All are welcome to experience the presence of God amongst one another as we lift a joyful noise in song, consider the words of our prayers and liturgies, and hear a message from Matthew 25:1-13. See you Sunday morning!
Trustee Meeting
The Conference Room | Following the Service
Those on the trustees committee are meeting on Sunday following the service. These are open meetings unless a vote is made to close the meeting due to certain categories of discussion. This is a vote that may be taken at the start of the meeting. Please note that those who attend may attend as observers with no voice or vote.
November Events - Mark Your Calendars!
Ladies and Gents Lunch
Tuesday, Nov. 12 | 11:00AM | Bonefish Grill - 5025 N 12th Ave.
Join us for our Ladies and Gents lunch for November at Bonefish Grill! There will be a sign-up sheet on Sunday morning for a headcount. You may also call Brenda Brown or the church office to get on the list. We look forward to joining in a fellowship meal together with you!
Church Council Meeting
Sunday, Nov. 15 | Following the Service | The Conference Room
We will hold our church council meeting on the 15th . All are invited to this meeting to hear any updates from each committee since our last council meeting. Only those on council have a voice and vote unless the chairperson, Stan McKinney, has invited or allows a non-voting member to speak. This is a great way to hear updates about the happenings here at Gadsden Street UMC and anyone is welcome to attend.
Charge Conference
Monday, Nov. 16 | 6:00PM | The Fellowship Hall
Everyone is invited to join us at our annual Charge Conference on Monday the 16th! This is a time where we gather with the District Superintendent, Rev. Ashley Davis, and praise God for the year that we have had, pray for the year ahead, and to place information provided to the district on the altar. This is a night we recognize the work of our church and praise God for the ministry we are able to bring to one another and our community.
Wednesday Night Dinner - A Thanksgiving Potluck!
Wednesday, Nov. 18 | Gadsden Street UMC | 5:30PM
We invite you to join us for a Thanksgiving potluck for our monthly Wednesday Night Dinner! This year, we encourage anyone who wants to bring something to please sign up. However, anyone who has a special family recipe that reminds them of family or great memories from your childhood is invited to fill out a recipe card and bring it to the front office by Nov. 17th. This is so that we can created copies of these recipes for anyone who would like a Gadsden Street UMC Thanksgiving Recipe packet. If you have further questions, please feel free to reach out to the office.
A Weekly Reflection
I know that typically I bring you a poem or quote from a book to contemplate and maybe even wrestle with. However, I realized this morning that sometimes, the art of good poetry that helps us to envision the world around us brings its own beauty to life. As you are aware, I am fond of Mary Oliver's poetry, and I think that many would agree that the way she forms images through words is something akin to a holy gift from God. This morning, as we begin to face cooler weather and the true feeling and visuals of Fall here in Pensacola and perhaps in seeing pictures from family and friends in places where the forests turn yellow and red and orange, that we can read these words and truly enjoy the beauty of fall that God has graced us with year after year.
Song for Autumn
In the deep fall
don't you imagine the leaves think how
comfortable it will be to touch
the earth instead of the
nothingness of air and the endless
freshets of wind? And don't you think
the trees themselves, especially those with mossy,
warm caves, begin to think
of the birds that will come — six, a dozen — to sleep
inside their bodies? And don't you hear
the goldenrod whispering goodbye,
the everlasting bring crowned with the first
tuffets of snow? The pond
vanishes, and the white field over which
the fox runs so quickly brings out
its blue shadows. And the wind pumps its
bellows. And at evening especially,
the piled firewood shifts a little,
longing to be on its way.
Mary Oliver, New and Selected Poems, Vol. 2, 2005
Peace and blessings,
Heather Nysewander