Have you ever been surprised by someone else's generosity? In the last few weeks, I have really been struck by the generous hearts that helped us host the Pumpkin Patch and our Fall Festival. As a relatively new pastor at St. John's, I had no idea what to expect from these events, but I knew it would be worth the extra work. But even though I knew it would be a lot of work, it was still more than I anticipated.

These are the words I used to utter to myself on the way to a haunted house growing up. Yet, no matter how many times I said these words, the fear still existed within me. It was a tradition in my family to go to a haunted house every year, and every time I would be terrified. The truth is that we are all afraid of something. And depending on what that fear is, it's up to us to navigate life

This time of year brings back so many memories, and as we get closer to Halloween I am reminded of all the times I have been caught by surprise in a haunted house or while trick or treating. I can remember being so determined to get through the haunted house or get candy from all the houses without getting scared, but every year I failed to make it. There was always someone hidden somewhere that caught me by surprise

This is the true nature of life. Today we will receive a shipment of pumpkins for our pumpkin patch here at St. John's and I am reminded of a new (Fall) season upon us. While Fall is such a beautiful season if you live in a place where the autumn colors are in full display, Fall also reminds us of the more difficult times in life as well. Fall foliage, while pretty on the outside, reminds us of the inward

This is a frequent word of advice we might receive from trusted people in our lives. However, we all know that letting go is just hard. When something we care about so much is on the line, it's hard to relinquish our control of the situation. This week, we come to a passage of scripture from Mark 10:17-31. Here Jesus instructs his listeners to not just follow the commandments, but truly to follow him. He doesn't just mean following his advice, he