It Is A Hallelujah Time

Dear Edinburg FUMC family,

As we head into November, I offer you the poem “When the sun returns” by Sarah

Browning.

it is hallelujah time,

the swallows tracing an arc

of praise just off our balcony,

the mountains snow-sparkling

in gratitude.

Here is our real life — 

a handful of possible peonies

from the market — 

the life we always intended,

swallow life threading

the city air with

our weaving joy.

Are we this simple, then,

to sing all day — country songs,

old hymns, camp tunes?

We even believe

the swallows, keeping time.

I love that first line. November is a hallelujah time. Of course, every day is an

opportunity for praise, but in November, we pause to remember and give thanks. On All Saints

Sunday, we honor the saints—those who have shown us what it means to love God and our

neighbor with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind. We give thanks for the ways their faithful

legacy continues to shape our present and our future. As we start planning our Friendsgiving

or Thanksgiving meals, we thank God for all that God has provided: the food we eat, the table

where we gather, and the loved ones who surround it. We remember that the best of life is

found in these simple things. 

November also marks the end of the church calendar. Advent preparations are

underway, and I look forward to decorating the church on the last Sunday of November

(November 23). But before we look ahead, I encourage you to take some time this month to

reflect on the past year. You might journal or incorporate these questions into your prayer life.

Since last November, what has happened in your life—the good and the hard? In both the good

and the hard moments, where did you sense God’s presence—God’s love, peace, assurance, or

even challenge? How have you grown in love for God, your neighbor, and yourself? As we

prepare for Advent and the new year, how do you want to grow in the coming year—your

prayer life, Bible study, or service to God and community? 

I am truly thankful for you, Edinburg First. I thank God because I see you living out your

faith. I see you growing in love for one another. I am grateful to be part of a church with such a

rich, longstanding legacy of hospitality and warmth in our community. I thank you for your

generosity with your time and resources, and I thank you for the way you greet new faces in

service with such joy. That is our real life: when the love that God has for us flows out into our

homes, workplaces, and neighborhoods. It is truly a hallelujah time. 

Con cariño,

Pastor Sarah