Gifts of time and substance
Margaret Collins leads us in a Harvest Festival service
Welcome
The Lord will open the heavens, the
storehouse of his bounty,
to send rain on your land in season
and to bless all the work of your
hands. (Deuteronomy 28:12)
A question
What are our gifts, work and fruits
that God blesses?
We bring them to God in
humble gratitude.
Opening prayer (from
York Minster)
Creator God,
you made the goodness of
the land,
the riches of the sea and the
rhythm of the seasons;
as we thank you for the harvest,
may we cherish and respect this
planet and its peoples, through
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Introduction
The Harvest Festival tradition
pre-dates Christianity. Our church
celebrations only began in 1843,
when the Reverend Robert Hawker
invited his Cornish parishioners
to a special harvest
thanksgiving service.
Until the 20th century most
farmers celebrated the end of
the harvest with a large supper,
to which all who had helped
were invited. Harvest festival
is traditionally held on the
Sunday nearest the Harvest
Moon, the full moon closest
to the autumn equinox.
Hymn: We plough the fields
and scatter
Reading: Psalm 65:1- 3 & 9-13 or
Psalm 104:1-15
Poem: ‘Harvest’ by Godfrey Rust
(see page 28)
Confession
The world has been created for
everyone’s use, but you few rich
are trying to keep it for yourselves.
For not merely the possession of
the earth, but the very sky, the air,
and the sea are claimed for the
use of the rich few… The earth
belongs to all. (Not a quote from
climate activist Greta Thunberg,
but St. Ambrose of Milan, born
in 340AD!)
Reading (by young people
or families):
Topics could include:
Inequalities and injustice.
Our carbon footprint.
Judging others inaccurately e.g.
farmers, when they are trying to
look after the climate, or those
struggling to make ends meet.
The effect of commercial fishing.
Buying food responsibly and
avoiding waste.
Greed and short-term ‘wants’
not ‘needs’.
Industry and technology striving for
bigger and better, as quickly
as possible.
Our inability to wait for a slower
return or better outcomes in the
long run.
Pause for thought
Confession
This time of joy is mixed with
sorrow for our failures.
For our misuse of resources, our
overuse of plastics, our waste
of food.
Let us examine ourselves
honestly as we pray the following
Tearfund prayer:
Prayer (from Tearfund) with the
response ‘Lord have mercy’
Gracious Father,
For the way in which we have
become disconnected from the land
–
For when the church has failed to
speak out in defence of creation –
For the way in which we have failed
to see climate change as the threat
that it is –
For the crucial days ahead
Give us your strength, O Lord.
For when difficult decisions need to
be made
Give us your wisdom, O Lord.
For this year’s harvest
Give us your provision, O Lord.
Silence
Assurance of God’s forgiveness
When deeds of iniquity overwhelm
us, you forgive our transgressions.
(Psalm 104:3)
Hymn: Great is thy faithfulness
Reading: John 6:25-35 NRSVA –
Jesus, the bread of life
Silent reflection
Interview: with someone from the
farming community or a gardener
Presenting gifts
The Lord will open the heavens, the
storehouse of his bounty, to send
rain on your land in season and tobless all the work of your hands.
(Deuteronomy 28:12)
Reflection
Participants may be asked to consider their
own ‘harvest’ and where they may be
fruitful: through charitable giving, voluntary
work, hospitality, growth in Christian faith,
maturity and discipleship.
All
Thank God for the blessing of good work
and fruitfulness.
Our food: how and where it is grown.
We give thanks for our farming community
and for those with allotments.
The offering of gifts to be blessed
People can bring their gifts forward or
write down one they intend to give.
Blessing of gifts
With prayers for those in need and for
effective use or our time and talents.
Prayers
(Response:
Lord of the harvest
We praise and thank you for
your goodness.)
Creator God, the whole earth declares
your glory.
Your imagination, creativity and
astounding beauty.
We praise you for all you have made;
mountains and deserts, forests and oceans.
We thank you for the enjoyment we
receive when we walk in green places, by
rivers and the sea.
We are glad that we can join in your
creativity as we grow vegetables and
flowers in our gardens.
Response
Generous God, we thank you for those
who provide us with good food.
For those who sow, nourish and harvest
this food carefully.
For farmers and fishermen, for factory
workers and delivery drivers.
For those who work in supermarkets and
smaller shops.
For those who provide cooked food for us,
And for those we care for and provide
meals for.
Response
Loving God, we pray for those people
struggling with the cost of living.
For those forced to use Foodbanks, maybe
for the first time.
Thank you for those who work in night
shelters and drop-in centres.
We pray for the homeless, the many
refugees, and those who will go
hungry today.
Thank you for charities working in the most
difficult and sometimes dangerous places.
Protect them and give them strength.
We pray for those who make food and
agricultural policies and execute them
with integrity.
Response
Lord of the harvest
Saviour, you told us to pray for more
workers to gather your harvest.
We pray for those who spread the Good
News of the Kingdom of God in their
places of work, of recreation and amongst
their friends and families.
We pray for churches, gatherings of
Christians, for ministers/priests and
youth workers.
For those who give their lives to radically
follow Jesus in serving others in this
country and elsewhere.
Response
Giver of gifts, we thank you for the gifts
that you have given us
To enrich our own lives and the lives
of others.
Thank you for the fruit of these gifts that
we see
and help us to be even more fruitful as we
commit these gifts afresh to you.
‘Bless all our undertakings’
Response
All: The Lord’s Prayer
Song: Harvest Samba (Cabbages
and Greens)
Blessing
God of the harvest,
Bless the work of our hearts and hands.
Bless what we have given and committed
to you today.
Give us your vision of a healed world,
where all humanity works with you to
nurture this earth and its people.
Where all know that they are deeply loved
by you and are invited by your son, Jesus
Christ, to eternal life beginning today and
awaiting the eternal harvest of your grace.
Amen
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