Vicar's Monthly Letter
When we hear the words, “Harvest Thanksgiving”, what do they mean to us today? Even though we live in a rural area, it’s only a small number of people who are directly involved in the Harvest. Many of those involved may be outside contractors and not local people at all. On top of that we have the weather; the domestic market; the influence of Russia on the global market or on the price of fertilizer and feed. Harvest is not what it was. So with all this in mind should our celebrations change?
Well I suppose my answer to that is both yes and no. Let’s keep the service and the supper. But let’s also concentrate on the Thanks part of Thanksgiving. How do we say thank you in practical terms? Is a tin of produce appropriate? Yes, there is a link with food, but what happens then? Perhaps it’s better to ask a Food Bank what they need and ask for those products rather than sending them a box full of marrows. A little bit of planning could make the gift more effective.
Planned, effective giving, is what all Christian people ought to be doing with their regular gift as well. I want to thank all those who contribute to the life of our churches, particularly those who donate regularly through the Parish Giving Scheme. The scheme allows the automatic collection of gift aid each month for tax payers which is added to the value of the gift at no extra cost to the donor. It’s free money for the church.
If you’re fed up of trying to find change for the collection plate on a Sunday morning then please do consider joining the scheme. Details of how to sign up can be found here https://www.parishgiving.org.uk/home/ or speak to your church treasurer. 100% of your gift will go to your church, there are no admin fees.
In any church, some give more and some give less. Such a practice follows Biblical teaching. Perhaps the most apt text are some words from St Paul – who assures us that a person is acceptable whatever they give – never mind what is beyond their means. Some are challenged by that whilst others are reassured.
This Harvest please look at your giving – the reward for your Harvest (what ever line of work you are in, or were in if retired!) and look at saying thank you to God for all that he has given you. Such thinking is somewhat different to paying to keep the Church going. If we recognise God’s generosity to us our giving becomes ‘giving back’ and that is an easier message to take on board.
Have a blessed harvest
Steven