Autumn notes from our President:

Laura Palada, President 2025-2028

I love fall. As I sit on my deck looking across the Butternut Valley where I live it warms my heart to see the colors that are starting to decorate the trees. Just the smell of the air and the coolness of it makes me want to breathe deeply and enjoy life purposefully. I feel like I am so much more aware in the fall – my senses all come alive – I see the beautiful colors, I hear the crunch of the leaves as I walk, I smell the smell of wood fires, and that freshness that is Fall, I taste the sweetness of apple cider, and I feel the stirring in my soul. It awakens all my senses and speaks to my soul.

I love living here in the Northeast because of the change in seasons (remind me I said this when we are buried in snow and I am complaining). I particularly love Fall, with its stunning transformation. The vibrant greens of summer give way to a brilliant palette of reds, oranges, and yellows. This beautiful and powerful process of letting go reminds us that change is a natural and necessary part of life. This process is a poignant reminder of the cycles of life and the faithfulness of our Creator. I often reflect on God’s goodness and faithfulness as I try to sit still and just “be”.

I found a few scriptures that speak to me about this, and I share them in hopes they might encourage you as well.

Isaiah 40:6-8: "A voice says, 'Cry out.' And I said, 'What shall I cry?' All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the Lord blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever."

Deuteronomy 11:13-15: "So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul— then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil. I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied."

Joel 2:23: "Be glad, people of Zion, rejoice in the Lord your God, for He has given you the autumn rains because he is faithful. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before."

Ecclesiastes 3:1: "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens."

Ecclesiastes 3:11: "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart, yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end."

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Spiritually, the autumn season is a perfect time for our own transformations. The end of a busy summer and the return to a regular routine invite us to shed old habits and refocus on what matters most. And I ponder: how can we, like the trees, gracefully let go of what no longer serves us to make way for new growth?

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This fall, I invite you to join me in reflecting on God's purpose for us in this new season. Let us use this season to draw closer to Him through renewed prayer, deeper study of His Word, and a recommitment to serving our community.

May you find joy and peace in this season of change.

Laura