Welcome to October! On this first day of the new month, you may want to start your morning with a seasonal treat. How about a pumpkin spice latte? Nothing says autumn quite like a coffee order that sounds like a dessert menu!

As you sip, you might wonder how this “spicy” tradition began. Its roots reach back much further than the neighborhood coffee shop. In 1796, Amelia Simmons published American Cookery, widely recognized as the first cookbook written by an American. It included two recipes for “pompkin” puddings baked in pie crusts. Their fillings used spices such as ginger, nutmeg, mace, and allspice. Simmons did not invent pumpkin spice, but her recipes show Americans enjoyed spiced pumpkin desserts more than two centuries ago.

By the 1930s, spice companies were making life easier for bakers with ready-made pumpkin pie spice blends. McCormick introduced its version in 1934. Instead of reaching for several jars, you could season your pie with one convenient mixture.

Then came the coffee craze. Starbucks introduced its Pumpkin Spice Latte in select stores in 2003 and rolled it out across its U.S. stores the following year. Hundreds of millions of cups later, pumpkin spice has become a seasonal sensation. These days, it seems almost anything can get the pumpkin spice treatment. Apparently, autumn now comes with its own flavor!

Whether you love pumpkin spice or would rather leave it in the pie, you can still “spice” up your October. This Sunday, October 4, join us at St. John’s for worship at 9:30 AM. Gather with friends, hear God’s Word, and be nourished by Christ’s love.

After worship, enjoy a cup of coffee, flavored or otherwise. Then return at 11:00 AM with your favorite furry, feathered, or scaled friend for our Blessing of Pets. Together, we will give thanks for God’s creatures and the joy they bring to our lives.

Who knows? Perhaps even your pup will go home with a pumpkin doggy treat. Why should the humans have all the seasonal fun?

Blessings,

Pastor Marc