Question: What happens when you cross the fifth Sunday of the month Joint Benefice Service with a Harvest Festival?
Answer: You have a church, filled to capacity, brimming with fruitfulness and abundant seasonal produce.
Fr. Peter led the Joint Service for the Benefice, against a backdrop of autumnal splendour. From the porch to the altar in St. John’s Out Rawcliffe, there was plentiful evidence of the season’s rich pickings. Flowers and fresh produce, non-perishable foodstuffs and straw bales adorned the church; it was a feast for the senses!
The main message, delivered by Fr. Peter was that ROOTS MATTER. Using some family artefacts – an agricultural sickle and some cork mats used to secure a fisherman’s nets, Fr. Peter spoke about the importance of our own roots. He also talked about how, as a prayerful community, we are rooted and grounded in our faith, and how we are able to rejoice in being nourished and sustained by God’s word and our communion.
Such stable roots, enable us to bear fruit.
Fr. Peter spoke in depth about how Rev. Naomi’s deep rooted work across the Benefice is also beginning to bear fruit in multiple ways. Prayers were offered for the continuation of her work, in addition to the deep roots which are being laid across the Over Wyre group of churches.
Fr. Peter said, “Go from here and pray that God’s fruits will bless the Benefice and He will crown the year with a harvest.”
The children’s Sunday Club were also thinking about roots and loved sharing the fruits of their labours with Fr. Peter and the congregation at the end of the service.
Homemade cake and mugs of tea and coffee were in plentiful supply for all and were another example of ‘fruits’ generously shared.
“…And now, on this our festal day,
thy bounteous hand confessing,
upon thine altar, Lord we lay
the first fruits of thy blessing:
by thee our souls are truly fed
with gifts of grace supernal;
thou who dost give us earthly bread,
give us the bread eternal.”
William Chatterton Dix (1837-1898)
