Dear Friends,
Having just watched the news on television about the flooding in Morpeth in Northumberland I cannot help but feel reminded just how much we are governed by the vagaries of the weather. Of course that is pretty self obvious to you if you happen to be a farmer or smallholder or work out of doors but for most of us, however much we may complain about it, the weather is fairly incidental to our daily lives.
It does seem that it is only at times of crisis that we think more deeply and seriously about our climate and its consequences. Life is of course very different for the majority of our world’s population who live or die, quite literally, by what happens weatherwise. The end of September or the beginning of October is traditionally the time when we celebrate Harvest Festival, a time for giving thanks for all the gifts with which we are richly blessed and also a time for giving thanks for those who work on the land to ensure we do not starve.
This year we are having our Harvest service followed by lunch in church on 5th October and we warmly invite everyone to come and join us in our celebrations. We are supporting the charity WaterAid this year with all the monies raised from the sale of fresh produce donated. Our non-perishable gifts of food will go to Christchurch North Brixton to be distributed to those in real and desperate need.
It will be great if we can pack the church and absolutely fill the sanctuary with our offerings to give thanks in some small way to God for all we bountifully receive. Our lunch after the service is open to all, even if you cannot make the service, and is on the basis of bring and share. You bring something and share it with everyone else and share in all that has been provided. A grand lunch will ensue and we will have learnt in a very practical and enjoyable way what sharing the resources that God has provided can achieve.
Our support of WaterAid and Christchurch Brixton will help us share, not only with each other, but also with those far worse off than ourselves. I hope and pray that we will all find doing that not only great fun but also hugely rewarding.
Of course you can just pop your harvest gift into the church at anytime over the weekend if you prefer. All I ask is that you look at the weather, look at the food on your table and the clean water coming out of your taps, and give thanks in a small but vitally important way.
Jesus shared food with his disciples and also fed the thousands who had come to hear him and looked to him for help and support. We can do the same in his name. I look forward to seeing you.
God bless you and those you love,
John Baxter