Siblings in Christ,

Happy Fall!  It’s time to enjoy autumn colors, bonfires, football, and the harvest of the season – pumpkins, squash, and apples galore! A great opportunity to enjoy the autumn beauty, the second Wildfire Wellness Walk will take place at Clifton E French Park in Plymouth on Saturday, October 28th, from 9 – 11am. Head towards the Visitor Center parking lot. At the left end of the lot, you’ll find a shelter with a few picnic tables and benches. The coffee will be on, delicious freshly made donuts, and some healthy fall snacks as well! Gather for conversation and getting to know one another, then walk (if you wish) on the park paths. One trail loop by Medicine Lake takes about 30 minutes and brings walkers past the Visitor Center which is open year-round, and the awesome play structure for kids! Rain or shine, please join us! Please notify me if you plan to attend: 763-458-7332 or deaconkk@flcoc.org, just so there will be enough food and beverages. I will contact you in the event of inclement weather.

Autumn is here! Sunset arrives earlier by the day and our “average” temperatures are dropping as we move through the season. Like many of you, I’m preparing my yard and gardens for the anticipated winter months, so the plants will rest well blanketed by snow and cold. I give thanks daily for the protection and warmth of my home, for a place to rest my head and observe the world from the safety of my windows. But in Minnesota, there are too many people – children, working adults, and retired seniors, who don’t have stable housing, or a home at all.

Our Mission Focus for October is the affordable housing crisis and resulting houselessness. The first Sunday Drop-in-the-bucket offering for Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative, (beaconinterfaith.org) is an easy way for us to address the issue through a non-profit focused on deeply affordable housing for everyone.

The MN Dash to End Homelessness is a tool provided by Minnesota’s Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) to help communities monitor on-going trends in homeless response systems. You can explore online by visiting https://www.hmismn.org.

To better understand the situations leading to homelessness, I’m offering a book study on Nomadland, by Jessica Bruder, beginning October 4th at 7pm and three subsequent Wednesdays through October 25th. Come to the Community Room at FLCOC, or participate via Zoom using our new hybrid meeting tool, OWL. The Zoom link will be in the Midweek Message or contact me to send it directly to you.

Peace and blessings in Christ,

Deacon Kirsten Kessel