Dear St. Luke’s,

It feels bittersweet to know the last few pumpkins will be sold in the coming days. I adore watching all of the children play in the patch and pick out pumpkins that they will take home, carve, and then ultimately feed to the squirrels. The patch takes a ton of work and dedication, and I imagine those who made this ministry possible will be relieved to get back to normal in the next couple of days. In particular, Melissa Brunton, Kim Witzmann, Richard, and Lisa Maple have put in a tremendous amount of time to make the magic of the patch happen, and the entire Fort Hunt community appreciates them for their work!

This ministry gives life and support on a number of different fronts. The pumpkins come from the Navajo Nation and each pumpkin we sell supports them. Some of the proceeds go to support our Outreach fund and for many years the youth worked in the patch to get volunteer hours that are required for their pilgrimage. This is only the second time I have seen the patchwork, and from my perspective, the best part of our pumpkin patch is how it fosters community.

Bandy and I arrived around 5:00 pm yesterday to get the charcoal grill and firepit going from the grill night, and for about an hour it was just the two of us there as we watched families come in, take pictures and enjoy a perfect fall evening surrounded by dozens of pumpkins. We saw old friends rediscover each other and hug in the patch, and we befriended a family with three young children who enjoyed chicken sandwiches with us. Church and the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus never came up, but it felt like ministry nonetheless. The patch, for a month out of the year, becomes a focal point for people in our community. It is a chance to rekindle connections, make new ones, and just be with family and friends in a place that feels like comfort and abundance incarnate.

With the patch, the harvest is getting bigger and bigger, but the laborers are getting fewer and fewer. If the magic of the patch were wearing off, and we were not selling out of pumpkins, we may consider taking a break, but our neighbors are clearly hungry for this sort of activity and we cannot simply let this go.

If you have never worked the patch before and especially if you have young children, I encourage you to give your time to make this possible for next year. This is not a burden to bear, but an opportunity for you and your family to learn to nurture the community on behalf of the Church. Just like Church, the work is not difficult, and what is needed most is just you. If you are reading this and there are still pumpkins, consider signing up for a shift this weekend, so you can see what it is like to be part of an institution in our neighborhood, and maybe you’ll decide to help next year!

Blessings,

Nick