Dear Friends,
We are approaching Harvest. Our Celebration & Thanksgiving will take place on Sunday, October 3rd. Given the possibility of empty shelves in the supermarkets, with increasing shortages of even basic foodstuffs – whatever the reason(s) – there is a grim irony attaching to this year’s Harvest Festival. Notwithstanding which, we will go ahead as usual. I have always understood ‘thanksgiving’ as ‘giving’ as a way of saying ‘thank you’. And so at Harvest we emphasise the continuing need to ‘give’ something as a way of saying ‘thank you’ for what we continue to ‘receive’ courtesy of the Providence of God…I am grateful to those members of the Congregation who give every week in support of the local FOODBANK. At Harvest we ask each other to be particularly generous in the giving of non-perishable foodstuffs. Whilst it is a terrible indictment of the failure of our social, political and economic infrastructure that FOODBANKs exist at all. We wish they were not necessary. We should use any means possible to persuade the ‘powers that be’ to do something to alleviate the poverty that make them necessary. For now, they make a vital contribution to the nutritional health and well-being of those individuals and families who rely on them. But then there is an even greater need. And so, at Harvest, the food that is given is donated to ‘Homeless Action in Barnet’ – dedicated to feeding and clothing rough sleepers local to our borough.…But we also invite gifts of money This year, a very special ‘ask’. Covid-19 is wreaking havoc across the globe. Mass vaccination is thought to be the only effective way of ensuring a return to relative normality. Some countries are struggling to access supplies of vaccine. One such country is Botswana. We have worshipping with us John Seakgosing – the High Commissioner – and his wife, Lulu. They have shared with me the situation in their country. Botswana needs many thousands of doses, but they all have to be paid for. And so, this year, our Harvest Offering will be given to John & Lulu to be spent on purchasing vaccines. Just a token, but more than that, a symbol of our ongoing prayerful and practical concern for the needs of people less fortunate than we are…I understand that some have doubts – vaccine hesitant – concerning the long-term efficacy of vaccination. I respect your view. However, it would seem that the overwhelming opinion of the wider scientific community is that it is appropriate to administer vaccine. That is why I feel able to make this appeal…’Giving’ as a way of saying ‘thank you’ is a straightforward expression of what is at the heart of the Christian Gospel. God loved the world so much that God gave His only begotten Son. Jesus gave His life, that we and others might live. ‘Our Heavenly Father’ knows how to give good gifts to us His children.’ It is incumbent on us, having received all that we have as a gift from God, to acknowledge it as such. And to do so in a tangible way, by giving of ourselves. So, thank you for what will be given this Harvest time, Food & Money, and may we continue to be thankful. In spite of everything, we always have so much to be thankful for…