GANTS HILL URC
  • Home
  • About
  • Minister's Blog
  • Find Us
  • Prayer
  • Photos

MInister's Letter: September 2020

9/1/2020

0 Comments

 
Dear All,

September is so named because it used to be the seventh month of the year. The full moon during this month is known as the Harvest Moon. Harvest, like Easter, is a moveable feast. It should be the nearest Sunday to the Harvest Moon, which is the full moon after the Autumn equinox (21st September). Harvest is normally in September, however, on occasion falls into October. It is a major festival after Easter and Christmas and one that I have grown to really enjoy. If we have a Harvest Festival this year, I will use the traditional Victorian hymns because I find they bring us comfort as we remember singing them when younger. 

 
The produce we bring to the Harvest table will go to Mill Grove and we use the stories in the Bible and the words of the hymns to acknowledge our dependence on God and give Him thanks for providing us with food. As we sing the words of the old hymns, we must also acknowledge that farming and agriculture is no longer as it once was since technology has changed and developed. We must also recognise our dependence on one another, especially farmers and fishermen plus all those that work in the food industry.
 
Our Harvest services often focus on those less fortunate than ourselves by highlighting the plight of 750 million people who do not have enough to eat. I like the fact that it is a fun service and that we can get the message over of a God who offers abundant love and that we can be a part of that love in our giving and offering. I also like the fact that it ties us in with our Jewish heritage with the feast of Pentecost and the feast of Sukkot. It, therefore, reminds us of our traditions and the importance of routine and ritual in a world that is moving ever more quickly. I hope you will enjoy the Harvest time, whatever way we celebrate it this year,  as much as I do. 
 
Here is a fun game.
HARVEST
How many words you can make using these seven letters? If you can beat 67, you will have done well. 
 
Bonus points if you can make a better sentence only using the letters from HARVEST than I (by which I mean Hazel) have made: HAVE A HEART, SHARE: SAVE THE STARVER. 
 
Take care and God bless,
Martin 
 
Fun Fact: Four Roman Emperors are mentioned in the New Testament: Augustus (63 BC-AD 14), Tiberius (47 BC-AD 37), Claudius (10 BC-AD 54) and Nero (AD 37-68)
Picture
Image Credits: Geographical Magazine
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    ©Copyright
    We are happy for you to use any material found here, however, please acknowledge the source: www.gantshillurc.co.uk

    Author

    Rev'd Martin Wheadon
    I have been ordained as a minister since 2001, working on my own and within a team. I am currently the minister at Gants Hill URC as well as one of the ministers at Wanstead URC. I also have 34 years of banking behind me, during which I enjoyed developing teams and working to deadlines. Pastoral care, preaching, being alongside people and journeying with members of congregations on their spiritual journeys are my delights. 

    Archives

    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019

    Categories

    All
    Book Reviews
    Christian Women
    Colours In The Bible
    Hymns
    Minister's Letter
    Mountains In The Bible
    Numbers In The Bible
    Prayers
    Preachers
    Sermons
    The Bible
    Towns And Cities
    Twelve Disciples

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • About
  • Minister's Blog
  • Find Us
  • Prayer
  • Photos