“Come, ye thankful people, come
raise the song of harvest-home…”
H Alford
Harvest.
A simple word, but one packed with several smaller words within, and an abundance of pertinent ideas.
Rev. John Squires led the traditional Harvest Holy Communion service, in a church resplendent in autumnal glory. Every available space was overflowing with fabulous floral arrangements, heaps of local produce and piles of non-perishable foodstuffs, donated by parishioners.
Old and New Testament readings shared complementary messages of ‘abundant showers’, ‘plenty’, ‘contentment’, and instructions on reaping, sowing and storing. Traditional and familiar harvest hymns echoed similar sentiments and the homily, played with the word ‘HARVEST’, pulling out words within it, such as ‘share’, ‘have’, ‘starve’ and ‘rest’. Collectively, the spoken words, the autumnal songs and the kind donations wove together the very fabric of harvest. The key messages of celebration and thanksgiving for the fruits of human labour and generous God-given gifts were reinforced.
This year, St. James’ church has chosen to support the Christians Against Poverty (CAP) https://capuk.org/ organisation with monetary donations and Vincent House Blackpool https://homelessinblackpool.co.uk/vincenthouse.htm with items of non-perishable food.
The Children’s Sunday Club had a double job during the service! They needed to be in two places at that same time. Rev. John required them to assist with his homily and they also had their own harvest gifts to create with painting brushes, leaves and fruits.
“Now thank we all our God
With hearts and hands and voices…”
(Martin Rinkart c. 1636)
Following on from the service, the congregation came together to share refreshments and fellowship together, marking the end of a lovely service.
BUT, that wasn’t the end of the Harvest celebrations!
An elegant and atmospheric Choral Evensong rounded off the day. A seamless blend of familiar harvest hymns, bursting with language suggesting plentiful gifts, abundant generosity and fruitfulness with more formal choral pieces such as William Smith’s five part Versicles and Responses,
Robert Stone’s setting of the Lord’s Prayer, Psalm 65, Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis sung to various Anglican chants, and the anthem,
‘Praise, O praise our God and King’ (words by H. W. Baker and music by Martin How) were sung by the choir of St. James’ with supporting chorister
Ian Wright from St. Oswald’s Preesall.
Candlelight, in addition to nature’s finest floral gifts and abundant display areas provided a lovely setting for the traditional sounds of Evensong, readings and prayers.
Certainly, a day to remember. A season to be thankful for.
“We plough the fields, and scatter
The good seed on the land,
But it is fed and watered
By God’s almighty hand:
He sends the snow in winter,
The warmth to swell the grain,
The breezes, and the sunshine,
And soft, refreshing rain.
All good gifts around us
Are sent from heaven above;
Then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord,
For all his love.”
(M. Claudius 1740-1815)
Harvest. Simply beautiful.
