Having been in the Hills for nearly a year now, I am entering into my second autumn and enjoying the explosions of colour everywhere among the trees as the leaves change and fall (not enjoying so much the necessity of raking them up!). Autumn is a beautiful time, and so can winter be when it comes, even among the cold and rain. There are many different things to experience in these seasons. This week in a couple of contexts I’ve had the opportunity to reflect on what the Bible calls the practice of ‘lament’, which is calling out to God in grief and questioning when things are not going right. When disaster or disappointment strikes, or we are going through a dark, wintry time. It’s important to understand that God welcomes this kind of expression from us (two-thirds of the Psalms are actually songs of lament), and that it is an opportunity to move into a deeper experience of God’s presence and love. This week is the Sunday of ‘Pentecost’, which celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit on the church after Jesus returned to his Father. The seasons for the church and for Christians after Pentecost have often been autumn or winter, but we have hope that spring is coming.

-Andrew-