November is just one part of the seasons of the year that enfold God’s creation.

November is also a time of transition.

Culturally, it is bland, squeezed between the excitement of Halloween in October and the joy of Christmas in December, but if we look at it from a different perspective, it is filled with opportunities for growth that comes from change.

Where we live, in November, leaves that have finished turning brilliant colors of red, yellow, and orange fall from the trees, carpeting the ground. They serve to insulate tender plants and feed earthworms and good microbes, especially as the leaves decompose. 

Colder weather means summer clothes are packed away, and winter clothes take their place. The smell of logs burning in a fireplace may bring the cozy feeling of hearth and home.

We look forward to the flavors of pecan pie, caramel apples, and, for some, pumpkin everything. Ice cream treats are replaced with hot cocoa and whipped cream. Winter produce finds its way to our table, especially, if we are blessed, the Thanksgiving table.

For Catholics, November is also the transition from ordinary time to Advent, the end of one liturgical year and the beginning of another. This is a wonderful opportunity to explain or reinforce the meaning of the liturgical calendar with students.

November is also the month of remembering – All Saints Day, All Souls Day, and the holy lives of individual saints are celebrated during the month. The liturgical calendar this month is full of memorials, feasts, and solemnities.

Though Thanksgiving is not a religious holiday, giving thanks for all of God’s blessings is an important part of the Catholic faith and something that nurtures faith development in children.

Helping children see and understand the need for transition or change is an important task, as children often find change difficult. But learning to process change well leads to the ability to be flexible and to adjust to the changes and transitions life will present to them. Helping children find reasons for thanksgiving in the midst of change is an important stepping stone of faith.

November in the religious education classroom could include:

Create a November welcome – The classroom environment sets the mood for learning. Use materials from nature to both decorate and foster discussion about the wonder of God’s creation. Include a quote from Pope Francis on a bulletin board, such as this one which includes gratitude: “This is the time to re-acquaint ourselves with praying immersed in nature, where our gratitude to the creator God arises spontaneously.” Encourage students to share reasons for November gratitude.

Update the Prayer Corner—As the liturgical calendar comes to an end, with November 27 this year being the first day of Advent, drawing students’ attention to the prayer corner, its colors, and items placed in that corner or on that table, will help highlight the change that happens for the Advent season – the green of ordinary time replaced with purple, traditionally symbolizing fasting and penance as we prepare our hearts for the birth of Jesus at Christmas. This is a good time to engage students in discussions about how they may get ready for Jesus in their hearts.
Review your teachers’ manuals –Information on the liturgical year may appear in various chapters of your manual. Use what you feel is appropriate for your class in November. You may also find information on liturgical colors at Understanding the Liturgical Colors | USCCB and liturgical calendar at Liturgical Year and Calendar for the Dioceses of the United States | USCCB.

Write November poems – Poems about the seasons have always been popular with writers and poets, though many November poems focus on the dark and dreary parts of the month – cold and windy days, early darkness, and barren trees. Encourage your students to find reasons in November to be grateful and celebrate. The poem below is a good example, though I might have used the almost last line as the title – God’s treasures in a row.

Twelve Months in a Row

by Annette Wynne

Twelve months in a row,
Use them well and let them go;
Welcome them without a fear,
Let them go without a tear—
Twelve months in a year;
Greet the passing miracle,
Spring and summer beautiful,
Autumn, winter, gliding on,
Glorious seasons quickly gone—
God's treasures in a row,
Take them, love them, let them go!

About the Author
Mary Clifford Morrell, mother of six and grandmother to ten, is a Catholic journalist, editor, and author who has served the Dioceses of Metuchen and Trenton, New Jersey; Burlington, Vermont, and RENEW International in the areas of religious education and communication.