Harvest Festival

 Sunday was our Harvest. Although limited by our inability to meet together, it was still an opportunity to give thanks to God for the wonderful world that he has given us – and for all that comes from it. People had been encouraged to give dried food and cans to the Oadby food bank – so that we could help provide forthe needs of those who are less fortunate than ourselves.

The service was led by Steve Bailey, and during the service the donated food grew up in size around him. The sermon was given by Lou McGoldrick, our youth worker, who reminded us of the passage regarding the ma
n whose response to agricultural wealth was to built ever bigger and better barns. She encouraged us to think about what we could give to others, or become, if our priority was not to gather wealth for ourselves.

As always, after the service, some 40 people met together by Zoom, to catch up and share experiences.

Remember the Harvest

 Sunday was Harvest. Although we met for worship on Sunday by Zoom, Anona had done a great job in reminding us of the harvest and our dependency on God by preparing a display that she put up in the church entrance hall. She reminded us "God gives so that we have something to share."

Harvest

This morning we gathered at St Peter's for our Harvest Celebrations. We also said farewell to Liz and presented her with her leaving gifts including the pink stole she requested. Thanks to all who donated harvest goods, these have been shared between Oadby Food Bank and the Welcome Project.

Harvest Celebrations

On Sunday we held our Harvest Celebrations. Many thanks to all who worked hard to decorate the church and to all those who gave so generously. All the goods received were shared between Oadby Food Bank and The Welcome Project. In her sermon Gillian looked at the journey of tomatoes from the field to the supermarket shelf with 15 different stages in the process. It was great to see so many in church and a joy to welcome a number of visitors.

Come Ye Thankful People, Come

Sunday 24^th September was our Harvest Thanksgiving Service. In the reading, we remembered Jesus warning about the danger of storing up more and more goods without thinking about the future. But in his sermon Steve concentrated on the words that followed, in which Jesus encouraged us not to worry, as our heavenly Father knew all that we needed.

We then brought up our harvest gifts to the front – both fresh and tins and packets.

After the service all the fresh produce was auctioned and the profit sent to the Christian relief agency, Tear Fund. The tins and packets were given to the Oadby Food Bank and the Welcome Fund, run at the Cathedral for asylum seekers.

Coffee Pot Harvest Lunch

The members of Coffee Pot, our Thursday coffee meeting met together for a special event on Thursday 21 September, a harvest lunch, with soup and sandwiches. To remember the significance of the event, this was preceded by singing the hymn “we plough the fields scatter” and in your grace we remembered our dependence on God and prayed for those who are less fortunate than ourselves.

Thank God for All His Gifts

As we approached harvest, this display appeared in the foyer (Thank you to Vivien and Derek), reminding us of the meaning of harvest. Of how dependent we are all the gifts of nature that God gives us. We may not – in the words of the old hymn – “plough the fields and scatter the good seed on the ground” – but we are still utterly dependent on food – fresh and processed.

At this season we are using a special booklet for our services which centres not only on harvest, but also on creation, as we remember the greatness of the world that God has given us, and our commission to look after it, and not destroy it.

Harvest

Today we held our Harvest Celebrations and collected food for the Welcome Project and for Oadby Food Bank. We focused on the story of Ruth who went over and beyond what was expected of her in caring for Naomi and of Boaz who over and beyond what was expected of him in his care of Ruth. May we be generous with all we have and be willing to go over and beyond in our love and service of those in need.

Harvest Assemblies

This week Lou, our Youth Worker, and I are in Manor High School leading their Harvest Assemblies.
We have been using this clip called Why Poverty? from The Why as a way into thinking about generosity and how we can share with others from the abundance of good things we have been given.

We have also read the story of the Widows Offering from Mark 12.41-44
'Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting thier money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put two very small copper coins, worth only a few pence. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, 'Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything - all she had to live on.'

Harvest Gifts

Thank you to everyone who gave so generously at our Harvest service. Here is a picture of the display of your gifts. We pray that they will be a real blessing to those who receive them. Thank you God for providing us with all we need.

Harvest

On Thursday Coffee Pot held their Harvest lunch. Before eating I reminded those gathered that we thank God for the harvest, for all the good things he has given us and that all things come from God. We then sang We plough the fields and scatter. At the end of the meal Coffee Pot presented a cheque for £900 to go towards the work of Keith Waddell with Africa Inland Mission.
On Sunday we shall have our harvest festival service and continue our thanksgiving. Donations will go to the work of Oadby Food Bank and the Welcome Project with any fresh produce being auctioned off for Tearfund. Do join us at 10am as we give thanks to the Lord of the Harvest.

Harvest Assemblies

This week Lou and I are in Manor High School leading Harvest assemblies.
We are talking about our generous God, all the good things He has given to us and how we can share them with others to help make the world a better place.
We have used a couple of You Tube clips to highlight sharing.
The first clip is from Action Against Hunger and is called The Sharing Experiment. Watch to see what happens when 2 children are left alone with 1 sandwich and see what we can learn from them.
The second clip is called 'Would you give your jacket to Johannes?' and shows a social experiment with a cold boy sitting at a bus stop and records peoples reactions.
This Harvest time how can you share from the abundance you have to bless others, help those in need and do good to our neighbours?