The Connection
A newsletter from United Methodist Church of Lenox
Memories of a Fall Foliage Trip
Of all the seasons, autumn has always been my favorite — the season when the world seems to pause and catch fire in color. In Dallas, where I lived for many years, there are no mountains, no rolling hills to set the trees ablaze. To see true autumn foliage, you have to board a plane and fly far away. Even the trees in Dallas would not begin to change until mid-December, when most of the country had already entered winter’s sleep.
But these days, the trees in our neighborhood are at their peak. The air is cool and still, the colors deep and luminous, and every street feels like a living painting. I’ve been so happy simply walking and watching the leaves turn, as if each tree were whispering its own farewell to summer.
And yet, this morning, as I stood beneath the gold and crimson branches, a memory suddenly returned — something that happened long ago, on another journey to see the fall leaves.
About twenty years ago, I led a senior trip to the Great Smoky Mountains.The mountains were ablaze with color, as if autumn itself had set the hills on fire. The timing was perfect, the air was crisp, and the scenery unfolded like a living painting. Everything about that trip felt just right — one of those days that stay alive in memory long after they’re gone.
But on that trip, something happened that none of us would ever forget. It was the very first day.After passing the entrance to the Smoky Mountains, we had driven about twenty miles into the hills, winding through ridges draped in gold and crimson. Every turn revealed a new burst of beauty that made us gasp aloud. We stopped often — to take pictures, to rest, and to simply take it all in.
Then, after one such stop, I reached for the car door and realized it wouldn’t open. Only then did it hit me — I had left the key in the ignition. The rental car had a safety system that automatically locked the doors when the key was left inside. I was the one driving. I had rented the car. And I was the one who had just locked us out.
A chill wind swept through the trees. The air was sharp, and the sun was already beginning to sink.If we had been in the city, I could have called a locksmith, but there, in the middle of the mountains, there was no help to be found. Most of the travelers were elderly, and I began to worry — what if someone caught a cold? What if the whole trip was ruined because of my mistake?
Then, by God’s grace, a few passing drivers stopped to help. One man, in particular, stood out.He left his family waiting in the car and, in the cold mountain air, spent nearly forty minutes trying to unlock our door with a coat hanger — twisting, turning, and trying everything he could think of. It wasn’t his car, and we were total strangers, yet he kept trying. That quiet kindness felt like warmth in the cold.
But modern cars don’t give in so easily. In the end, he gave up, made a few calls to seek help, and drove away.The elderly travelers caught a ride with another car heading down the mountain to wait at a McDonald’s, while I stayed behind, waiting for the park rangers and praying silently, “Lord, please help us somehow.”
As dusk settled over the mountains and the wind grew colder, I stood beside that locked car, shivering and feeling helpless.Half an hour later, two park ranger vehicles arrived. They tried every tool they had, but nothing worked. It seemed inevitable — we’d have to leave the car there overnight and come back the next day. The thought of wasting time, money, and disappointing everyone weighed heavily on me.
Then, just as I was about to give up, a car slowed to a stop.A man rolled down his window and said, “My key probably won’t fit, but let’s give it a try.”He stepped out, walked over, inserted his car key into our lock — and click. The door opened.
That sound — that simple metallic click — still rings in my memory.We stood frozen for a moment, and then all at once, joy and relief washed over us.
That man was surely an angel sent by God — at least, that’s what he was to us.In that lonely mountain, where the cold had settled and every effort had failed, he appeared as if out of nowhere — an ordinary man, yet carrying something of heaven with him. He turned the key once, and the impossible became possible. Then he quietly disappeared down the winding road, leaving behind not only an open car door, but hearts filled with awe and gratitude.
Think about it.What are the odds that someone else’s car key could open my car? One in a million, perhaps even less. And what are the chances of meeting that very person in the remote mountains — someone willing to stop and say, “Let me try my key”? Practically zero.
Yet God arranged that encounter — that man, that moment, that place — and moved his heart to stop and help. That click was more than the sound of a lock opening.It was the sound of God’s grace — the sound of an answer arriving when all human effort had failed.
Even now, when I think of that moment, I remember every closed door I’ve faced in life.And I can almost hear it again — that quiet click that comes not by chance, but by the gentle hand of God who sends an angel, turns the key, and opens the way.
News
Church Conference & Combined Worship Service
Dear Church Family,
This year’s Church Conference will be held on Sunday, October 26, at First United Methodist Church, 55 Fenn Street, Pittsfield.
We will join with other United Methodist churches in our area for a combined worship service at 10:30 AM, followed by lunch and the conference meeting.
Please remember — there will be no worship service at Lenox UMC on this Sunday. Instead, we will all gather and worship together at First UMC.
We hope everyone will come and share in this special time of worship, fellowship, and vision for the coming year.
Weekly Schedule
Women’s Bible Study: Monday’s at 11:00am at Charlene’s (69 Asci Drive). Join us for lunch and fellowship as we continue learning about the woman of the Old testament.
Bible Study: Wednesday's bible study meets at 4:15 in the church library, discussing the Gospel of John.
Thrift and Gift Store: Saturdays 10am-1pm
Upcoming Events: Mark Your Calendars
Holiday Craft Fair: November 22nd 2025
We are still accepting crafters! Please share information with your friends, families, coworkers, and social media!
For more information about or to sign up, contact Shirley at 413-212-2670. More information can also be found on the church website.
Flyers have been sent to your email for you to hang up (where allowed) and share on social media. Help us spread the word!
Administrative Assistant Needed
Our church is seeking a dependable and detail-oriented individual to serve as a part-time Administrative Assistant. This role supports the communication and daily functions of the church and requires approximately 3 hours per week.
Duties include:
Distributing the weekly worship service recording
Preparing and emailing a digital newsletter every other week
Ordering office supplies as needed
Collecting and sorting church mail weekly
Monitoring the church’s email account
Mailing the weekly sermon
This is a meaningful opportunity to serve behind the scenes and support the life of our church.
If you or someone you know is interested, please contact Carl at (413)-335-0603.
If you have questions about the job, please reach out to Nicole at umcl@verizon.net
The Connection
A newsletter from United Methodist Church of Lenox
Grace Like Dew
These days, the mornings are wrapped in silver. When I step outside at first light, the grass is jeweled with dew—each drop a tiny crystal catching the sun’s early rays and scattering them in quiet splendor. By the time I have walked across the lawn, my shoes are soaked through, the damp seeping into my socks, a silent testimony to the night’s unseen gift.
Dew falls only in the quiet of the night. And even when we walk through the long, shadowed nights of life, God lets His grace descend—grace as gentle as the dew. It is this grace that enables us to endure and pass through the darkness until the dawn.
Dew comes without announcement, without witness. While it is falling, we do not notice. But when morning breaks, the evidence is everywhere—grass bowed under tiny jewels, leaves glistening in the first light. God’s grace is the same. In the midst of hardship, we may not feel it. But when the night lifts and the new day dawns, we suddenly see—we are drenched, through and through, with His dew-like grace.
And dew comes faithfully—every single day. Not once or twice in a year, but each morning without fail. So it is with God’s grace: daily, unchanging, unwearied, it comes to us.
Rain falls with a roar, but dew slips down in silence. In the hushed stillness of the night, hidden from every eye, it settles softly upon the earth. God’s grace is like this—arriving quietly, without our awareness, yet transforming everything it touches.
“I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like the lily and take root like the cedars of Lebanon. His branches will spread; his beauty will be like the olive tree, and his fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon. They will flourish like grain; they will blossom like the vine, and their fragrance will be like the wine of Lebanon.” (Hosea 14:5–7)
So do not seek only the grace that thunders down in a flood; treasure also the grace that settles like the dew. For just as the night dew wets your garments without your knowing, so the daily, silent descent of God’s grace will leave your whole life saturated with His goodness.
News
Thanks to all who contributed to the Texas Flood Donation. We raised $1,543 ($1000 from Missions and $543 from the congregation).
Sunday, Aug. 17 there is a picnic at John Allen's after church.
We are preparing and serving a meal for the homeless at the Baptist church in Pittsfield on Monday, Aug. 18. Join us at 4:30.
Our church is seeking a dependable and detail-oriented individual to serve as a part-time Administrative Assistant. Please find more information below.
Please share with neighbors and on social media about our upcoming dinner, tag sale, and craft fair. Flyers will be sent to your email for you to print and hang up, where allowed.
Weekly Schedule
Women’s Bible Study: Monday’s at 11:00am at Charlene’s (69 Asci Drive). Join us for lunch and fellowship as we continue learning about the woman of the Old testament.
Bible Study: Wednesday's bible study is cancelled for the 20th. Join us on the 27th when we begin our study on the gospel of John. We meet at 4:15 in the church library.
Thrift and Gift Store: Saturdays 10am-1pm
Upcoming Events: Mark Your Calendars
Swedish Meatball Supper: Saturday, September 13th, 4:30 - 6:30pm
Swedish meatballs, egg noodles, green beans, rolls, apple crisp dessert, and a beverage.
Eat-in or takeout available! Reservations preferred but walk-ins welcome.
Donations: $15.00 - adults & teens. $7.00 - children 5-12 years. Children under 5 years eat free.
Bringing additional desserts to share is welcome!
Tag Sale: Thursday, October 2nd, 5 - 7pm. Friday, October 3rd & Saturday, October 4th, 9am - noon.
Start cleaning out for our fall tag sale! Proceeds to benefits local mission projects. Donations (EXCEPT electronics, computers, furniture) can be dropped off at the church Monday 9/29 (12-4pm), Tuesday 9/30 (3-7pm), and Wednesday 10/1 (8am-noon). We can pick up your treasures on 9/29 and 9/30. Please help get the word out and give a flyer to your neighbors.
Holiday Craft Fair: November 22nd 2025
We are still accepting crafters!
For more information about or to sign up for our upcoming events, contact Shirley at 413-212-2670.
Flyers will be sent to your email for you to hang up (where allowed) and share on social media. Help us spread the word!
Administrative Assistant Needed
Our church is seeking a dependable and detail-oriented individual to serve as a part-time Administrative Assistant. This role supports the communication and daily functions of the church and requires approximately 3 to 4 hours per week.
Duties include:
Distributing the weekly worship service recording
Preparing and emailing a digital newsletter every other week
Ordering office supplies as needed
Collecting and sorting church mail weekly
Monitoring the church’s email account
Mailing the weekly sermon
This is a meaningful opportunity to serve behind the scenes and support the life of our church.
If you or someone you know is interested, please contact Carl at (413)-335-0603.
If you have questions about the job, please reach out to Nicole at umcl@verizon.net
Copyright © 2019 United Methodist Church of Lenox
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Our mailing address is:
United Methodist Church of Lenox, 6 Holmes Road, Lenox, MA 01240, 413-445-5918
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United Methodist Church of Lenox · 6 Holmes Road · Lenox, MA 01240 · USA
