Church is inherently an intergenerational enterprise. We worship together, we eat Wednesday night dinners together, and we do missions together with people of all ages and stages of life. The Fall Hike for RRCB is about expanding our intergenerational work – here, we come together to participate in a fun, physical activity together in the sanctuary of nature God has provided for us. We take a few hours out of our Saturday and drive to Pocahontas State Park in Chesterfield County, and we meet with old friends and new friends – from the smallest to the most seasoned.
I mentioned at the beginning of our hike this year that when we come together in such a beautiful season as fall, we can take a moment to recognize the many varied colors of leaves on the trees – bright oranges, dark reds, golden yellow, and even some remaining green. Just as these trees produce so many assorted colors and shapes, even as they change at different times and fall off the trees in both staggered and abrupt manners, they come together in such a chorus of color that our breath is taken away. That’s what River Road Church is like: a symphony of colors coming in many different hues, but composed so beautifully by a God who understands who we each are and how well we can work together for the building up of a community of faith to serve this world.
Written by Libby Grammer
“Walking Through Woods on a Fallish Morning”
by Rose Browning
Whose woods these are we’re sure we know,
God kindly shared them with us though.
He did not mind us walking there,
(The kids quite fast, the grownups slow.)
Will and Libby’s dogs ran far and near,
Kids stuck to leashes showed no fear.
Beside the path and Beaver Lake,
A lovely fallish time of year.
Wind gave the trees a gentle shake
As falling leaves helped to create
The memory of a day to keep,
A time to treasure, no mistake.
The woods were lovely, dark and deep,
Good friends, great fun, and lots to eat!
Join us next year!
(With apologies to Robert Frost)
Originally published in the 2017 Winter Quarterly Explorer