Jenny’s letter September 28th

Dear Friends,

This Sunday we celebrate our Harvest Festival – a moment in the church year when gratitude, abundance, and generosity come together.

We will be bringing gifts for those who rely on crisis food support, both through our own parish projects and other local initiatives. Alongside these offerings, we will also be collecting money to support our CMS partners, Marcio and Noemi, who continue their faithful work overseas.

Harvest is, of course, about food: the fruit of the earth and the labour of human hands. Yet it is also about so much more. It is about the time, energy, and talents God has entrusted to each one of us.

As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12:7, “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” We are called to use these gifts not only for our own benefit but for the building up of others. Thanksgiving is never meant to end in ourselves. It naturally overflows into sharing – with neighbours near and far, with those whose needs are visible, and with those whose struggles are hidden.

We live in a world that can feel defined by scarcity and fear. News headlines often tell us that there is not enough to go around – not enough jobs, not enough homes, not enough space. In recent weeks, much has been said about migrants and refugees arriving in small boats and the language used has sometimes been harsh.

Using government and ONS data, it is possible to conclude that the percentage of all illegal immigrants is 4-5 percent of all migrants coming to the UK. The reality is that most of those migrating to the UK are coming here on authorised work or student visas. 

It is easy to forget that behind the statistics, the scaremongering and the labelling of illegal groups are human beings created in the image of God, longing for safety, opportunity, and dignity. Harvest reminds us that God’s provision is not scarce but abundant. There is enough – if only we are willing to see one another as neighbours rather than rivals.

So this Sunday, as we gather around our decorated altar, let us bring not only tins and packets, not only envelopes of money, but also open hearts.

Let us ask: how can I share my time? How can I use my skills? How can I see others, especially those who are different from me, as fellow children of God rather than strangers?

My prayer is that this Harvest Festival will be both a celebration and a challenge. A celebration of God’s goodness to us – the daily bread that sustains us – and a challenge to live more generously, more justly, and more hospitably in the week ahead.

With thanksgiving for each of you, and with hope for all that God is doing among us,

Yours in Christ,