Dear Friends,
This autumn, we will be celebrating our ‘HARVEST OF LOVE’. It will be an opportunity to give thanks for the gathering in of the earth’s rich fruits and also a chance to express our gratitude for the gifts of love and joy we receive from family and friends, good health, plentiful food and indeed the whole of creation.
This season of abundance is full of blessings which we are called to share. Gratitude goes hand in hand with generosity. We try to be mindful of those in our community who struggle to put food on their tables and we have a food bank at the back of church to share what we can. We support Vincent House in Blackpool, who look after the hungry and homeless. In addition, our chosen charity for the week beginning with the Harvest celebration, is Macmillan Cancer Support, an organisation which is rarely far away from looking after and supporting families, friends and neighbours we hold close to our hearts.
With this in mind, on Sunday 3rd September, we will be distributing a ‘harvest bundle’ to everyone in church. It will include a special invitation to join us in our Harvest celebration on 24th September at 10:30 and share lunch with us afterwards. There will also be an envelope, which we hope you will use to make a donation to this charity during our Harvest of Love. We have invited a representative from Macmillan to speak to us all about their work during the Harvest service.
Finally, you will be given a large paper heart. We are asking you to decorate the heart as a visible sign of the things you love and the things which make you feel loved. Here are some ideas:
- Pictures of family / friends
- Pictures of food / flowers / crops
- Pictures of animals / nature / the elements / landscapes / seascapes…
- Words which sum up HARVEST time
- A Harvest prayer
- A Harvest poem
- A Harvest hymn
- Images which demonstrate caring and sharing
The hearts will be fixed to the pew ends, adding to the abundant displays decorating the church and celebrating everyone in this community. Please do your best to fill a heart with your love and return it to church by 17th September.
Our Harvest celebrations will conclude with a wonderful Choral Evensong at 6:30pm in church. Please come along and enjoy some traditional, restful and reflective music.
With our love and thanks,
The Communication and Social Subcommittee
