I don’t know about you but I’m ready for the fall. Let us continue to meet together even if that looks different this fall (Hebrews 10:25). Because the truth is, we cannot make it on our own. We need to be in the fellowship of the saints. We are fooling ourselves if we think otherwise. I don’t know about you, but I get weird if I’m by myself too long. We need the church community. We need one another.

I’ve been talking to a lot of people about their fall plans, and the one thing that keeps coming up is the idea of not returning to how busy our lives were before the pandemic. You guys, this is something to really pray about. There are so many articles online describing our generation as the busiest and the most burnt-out generation, ever. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to live like that. Even though we are a young family, even now I want to be establishing the culture, the tempo and the rhythm of our family life. Now is the time to ask the Lord, what do you want me to give myself to and what do I need to surrender this fall? What do I need to lead or initiate (and stop expecting others to do)? What do I need to say no to? What do I need to be faithful to show up to in this new season?

Prayer: Lord, in your word you say, that you refresh our souls and that you guide us along the right path for your name’s sake (Psalm 23). Be the center of our lives, Lord Jesus. Help us to remember that you are our most important relationship. Open our eyes to the glory and beauty of who you are. And speak to us Holy Spirit about the people you want us to be close to in this season. Fill us with your love to selflessly overflow.

While you think and pray here are some…

Gathering Ideas

Morning Walk & Talk: Have you been wanting a mentor or just someone older and wiser to talk with about life? Reach out and ask them! Don’t keep putting it off. Ask them even right now. Propose something simple but regular. Morning walks are great for many reasons.

Prayer Group: I have a friend, who’s been praying with the same group of women for 30+ years. Isn’t that amazing? They have decades of testimonies about God’s faithfulness to each family. That is truly beautiful. Start your own small prayer group. Pray for your children. Pray for your church. Pray for revival! Pray for whatever the Lord puts on your heart!

Sunday Breakfast/Brunch: What if instead of Sunday dinner we did Sunday breakfast or brunch with friends? I like this idea because, for us, Sunday nights are for getting ready for the new work week. The idea of gathering before church starts could even be a sweet time to pray with our brothers and sisters, preparing our hearts for what the Lord has for us in the service.

Craft Night: Get your craft beer and get your crafts and get together! This might sound silly, but I was watching “Christy” the other day (yeah that old rocky mountain-overly-sentimental-Christian show from the 90s’), and in the episode the women are all gathered outside on someone’s porch, quilting. Who does that? We should! I love this idea as a special event OR something that’s a regular thing. I think this is also valuable to do if you are a professional artist. Arts and crafts are often a solitary thing but something really beautiful happens when we invite others into the process: a dialogue about what the Lord is working out in us and in our art.

Picnic Dinner: Get your people and eat outside. I’ll be honest; I don’t love eating outside. I hate bugs. I know. I know. The Lord made bugs and they are good for stuff. But I do love being surrounded by big trees. It makes me feel protected and cared for and reminds me how small I am…I’m sure God intended all that. I love not making a big dinner mess in my house, or playing the host for a night. And for me, the point of view change is really needed at meal time (because I get cranky...often). Eating outside reminds me that I’m eating at God’s house, at his table (not mine). Eating outside reminds me that our food comes from the earth that He made. We just get to enjoy the bounty of his harvest. I’m reminded again that he has provided all that we need. Eating outside reminds me to be truly grateful for what’s in front of me.

Hike-it-out: The fall for me is the best time to go hiking. I’m so grateful to live in a state where we do get to experience all the seasons. And fall is my favorite. My sister and I are in talks about where we’d like to have a sister’s getaway and I’m pretty sure a long hike at Starved Rock would be so good for our hearts. Make a hiking trip an open invite for your church family, small group or a special event for friends.

Personal Retreat: Do you need a reset? Do you need some quality time with God? Take a day or two for a personal retreat. Attend a conference with a close friend, retreat to an Airbnb for a weekend, or create a little stay-cation for yourself. There are so many different ways to have a personal retreat. I do this at least once a year myself. I make a loose itinerary, which varies year to year but typically includes bible reading time, journaling, a length of time to meditate, and listen to a sermon or podcast. In the past, I’ve sat at my church or visited a different church that’s open during the week. Or I’ve visited a church’s open prayer room. Last year I spent most of my personal retreat at a park with hiking trails. I took an outdoor nap and then took a long bike ride while listening to worship music. What would your personal retreat look like? You could even invite two or three other friends into the experience and at the end share what the Lord has revealed to each of you.

Zoo Visit: When my mom died, it was fall time. My husband had the idea that we should take a trip out of town. We had a list of things to do and then he added visiting the zoo to the list. I’m not an animal person, but visiting the zoo in the fall was really wonderful. It was quiet, even peaceful. Zoos are less busy in the fall and I prefer not to sweat my butt off, ya know? I can’t really put my figure on it, but being outside, observing those animals just eating and playing (no fear or worry), really ministered to me in a season of grief. I love the idea of visiting a new zoo every fall and just making it a family tradition. Visiting zoos with friends is just a great activity anyway, but honestly I always kinda forget. This fall, going to the zoo is definitely on my short list of things I want us to do together.

Foyer Hangs: When I was single one of the best ways that I found to get connected quickly is to attend both services that my church offered. Or at very least hang in the foyer in between the services and then sit in the second service. Now that sounds odd at first but here are the benefits: You can hear the sermon twice because if we’re being honest, sometimes you don’t catch it the first time. You get to meet and greet more people who attend your church. You get more conversation time with people and if you’re in the middle of a good convo you don’t have to break it off because you already heard the sermon. My husband and I recently started doing this as a family and it’s been really nice. As parents, our church is a third place where our kids are safe and can participate in childcare and we get a little freedom to drink coffee and talk with friends.

Pantry Party: Don’t want to host a supper club? Too much work? I get it. Have a pantry party instead! I got this idea from my Little Book of Hygge. The party is simple: All participants bring items from their pantry that need to be used up, are about to expire or they just don’t want to keep around anymore. Everyone brings it all together and you make a dish out of those items. Of course, you supplement and add what is needed to make it delicious but I thought this is a great way to reduce waste, get creative with your cooking and enjoy a unique shared experience with a small group of friends.

Time As a Gift: When I met with my mentor in my early 20’s I was complaining that I didn’t make enough money as a single woman to give the kinds of gifts I wish I could give to people. She called me out and said, “You have one of the most extravagant gifts in this season of your life – time. Offer your time, Sarah.” I had never had that thought before. But it made a lot of sense to me and when I had that paradigm shift I gave my time whenever I was able to: Babysitting, helping people move, volunteering at church on the fly, running random errands for friends…the list continues but the point is, if you have the time, give it to someone who needs it.

Soup Exchange: My friend Cat initiated a soup exchange with our little friend group a few years ago and I still think about it. There were five of us and we each made a different kind of soup. We divided it five ways in separate containers and then swapped them at a play date. I froze most of mine, saving them for busy weekends or a quick delicious fall lunch with buttered bread. I love the fall and I love soup; it’s like a warm hug on a chilly day.

Happy gathering this fall my friends.