Dear Friends,
If you see me about the village this month you will, if you are the slightest bit observant, notice that I have had to pack away my shorts and sandals and go back to long trousers and jumpers! Autumn is upon us and I, for one, am not too keen on the fact. I feel the cold and do not like having to wrap myself in a swathe of jumpers and warm clothing.
But that is life and, just as certain as anything is, autumn will follow summer and soon winter will be with us. Climate change might cause some alteration to the times and severity of the seasons but not to any great extent in my time. There is an inevitability of the seasons and the passing of each one moves us all a little way forward in our own passage through life. I suspect I am also not the only one that finds the seasons passing quicker as I get older!
And so with October here already we have Harvest Festival to look forward to and this year at our harvest service on the 4th Oct we are focusing on our gifts being suitable to help others. Most of the gifts given at our service will go to our friends at Christchurch Brixton to help them stock up their food cupboard which is used to distribute food to the many who are in dire need in their area. When a group from Christchurch came and visited our horticultural and classic car show they were overwhelmed by the friendliness of everyone and how well they were looked after.
We can show them that care and neighbourliness was not just a one off but that it is how we, in this lovely village of ours, are willing to help others and extend the hand of friendship whenever we can. So I am asking everyone to make a small effort by bringing to church their harvest offerings, knowing that they are needed and will be used within days. Don’t worry if you read this a few days after the 4th as we can still take your gift and use it for good purpose!
The foodstore at Christchurch really needs protein canned food such as vegetables, meatballs, stew etc as well as cans of fruit salad, fruit, packets of custard and jars of jam. Also such things as dried pasta, rice and teabags. Of course fresh fruit and vegetables are always welcome at our harvest service and will be used locally to help those in need.
So lets all give thanks to God for all the blessings He gives to us by donating just a little of our daily fair to those much less fortunate. We can and I know we will all make a great and positive difference to some peoples lives. That for me, and I am sure for all of us, is enough to brighten up these autumnal day!
God bless you and all those you love,
John Baxter