These are the days we bless

Last night's sunset was followed by a moonglow that lasted most of the night, near as I can tell. This morning is clear and crisp. The newspapers are at the end of our long driveway, and this was the first day sweaters are required to retrieve them.

Life at St. Paul's is definitely picking up after a sleepy summer. We've been painting hallways and doors; a new effort at cleaning things is underway. Our upstairs youth group rooms will soon get spruced up. New staff are definitely in the building, buzzing about with drive and purpose.

This past Saturday the Vestry -- all 18 present -- and the clergy took a day together to share stories and brainstorm about what might be at St. Paul's. We talked about our mission to the community and to the University of Virginia. We talked about how we care for one another, we talked about our worship, and we talked about how we could become more diverse in every meaning of the word.

Autumn in Charlottesville is really something closer to what I associate with Spring -- a time of new birth, resurrection, new energy. It is also a time to stop now and then, and notice, listen, be present to each other and to the living God amongst us. These are moments of sabbath, moments to smile, moments to bless.

Photo by my friend Peter Carey on his Santos Popsicles blog.