Rector - Revd. Teresa Townsend

Dear Friends,

Ramblings from the Rectory this September have been written in the coolness of the study – the only room in the house that is always cool (which means that in winter it is usually the coldest and not as appealing).

We have experienced a summer that often generates one of two opinions – it is too hot and hated, or it is just right and lovely – but with both views sitting alongside the recognition of the need for rain. Writing this in the middle of August means I cannot know whether you are reading this with the rain pouring down outside. I only know that, at the moment, the grass is crunchy and dry, the flowers are doing their best to grow but realise their efforts are mostly futile, and the vegetables have the same idea. Frustratingly, the weeds seem to be doing very well!

This week, I went into one of the large out-of-town stores. Not only were there the clothes and equipment for the next academic year, including the essential kitchen items for starting at university that are likely to be taken and never used, there were also displays of orange and brown ornaments, mostly pumpkins, because autumn is so close. And I’m not even going to mention the aisle that was being prepared that already had some ‘festive’ items on it…

But with the orange and brown hues, I was reminded that Harvest is upon us – not in the pumpkin-ornament kind of way, but in the sight  and sound of the combine harvesters and the dust from the tractors moving across the dry fields.

No one can be unmoved by the devastation that many farmers have experienced in recent weeks – crops that have failed because of the lack of rain, fields burned to the ground by fires, some started deliberately and others accidentally. Whatever the cause, the impact on the livelihood of farmers, already strained by the harsh weather conditions, is heartbreaking to see. The financial cost of losing crops and the loss of winter feed for animals, which will then have to be bought, affects the wellbeing of a whole family and their future.

It is hard to see how we can help at times. But looking for ways of buying locally produced food products is one way; being vigilant about what is being taken near dry materials which may catch fire; finding ways to conserve energy, including saving water; thinking of others – these are all small things that can make a difference.

September is also a time of celebrating festivals in our churches. The first Sunday of September will be a Festival of Creation in Christ, and throughout September and into early October, it is the Harvest season. We sing, ‘We plough the fields and scatter’, welcome children from local schools for their Harvest services, and share harvest lunches as communities that remain hopeful of an abundant future. 

Our Harvest Festivals give thanks for all that grows, for those who are the sowers and the reapers, for those who give so much so that we can have plenty, and we pray with hope for growth and a bountiful season to come.

For us all, having that hope is important in times of uncertainty. And we do hope. Seeds are already being gathered for next year, the fields will be prepared again, and new growth will emerge that spurs us on to do our best for the coming year. 

Whether we farm or tend plants and animals, care for or teach children, or care for those who are sick or struggling, we all contribute to the harvest of our communities through what we do and how we care for others. We may not always see the results of our efforts, and some seasons are harder than others, but we need to continue to do what we can and, I pray, that we can do it all with hope for what the future may bring. 

Every blessing

Teresa