October 2010

Rectory Ramblings

            As I write a catastrophic earthquake has hit New Zealand and Christchurch on the South island has been very badly hit: Incredibly there seems to have been no widespread loss of life and even injuries have been mercifully few. This contrasts with the appalling scenes in Haiti earlier this year, when a similar sized event hit an impoverished nation with devastating effects

            But how much are these events within our expectations? Even Britain can have earthquakes, and it is not all that long ago that the Parish Church in Rushall, Walsall was damaged. The point is that we can be awfully complacent in our little lives in Britain, and forget that so many places in the world live with a lot less stability than we. We take for granted clean water, sewage disposal, power, food supplies etc – simply because we CAN take them for granted!

            This month’s celebration of Harvest should ask us some deeper questions: For the people of the Old Testament, Harvest was a cause for thanksgiving because it was the difference between life and death. A bad Harvest meant tightening of belts on a scale that even the current Government cuts will not mean for most of us. And the whole season was a reminder to look over our shoulders at those less fortunate than ourselves: a part of being faithful was to look out for the poorest among us – and in today’s global world that can only mean that there is almost no-one that we can afford to ignore

            And there was (and is) a deeper thought behind all of this as well: Harvest reminds us that we are still in the hands of God. That may have been a less revolutionary thought in former times when it was more natural to pray for food to eat. But it remains true – and in an age when there are so many questions about the effects upon our ecosystem of the way that we live, travel etc we need to open our eyes. It may yet prove that one man’s yen for foreign holidays (and of course I speak to myself) has a direct bearing upon another’s very survival

            It’s not all that long ago that earth tremours were felt in Stoke on Trent. In then end it was found that former mineworkings were causing the problem, some of them dating back to Medieval times and before. Steph and I once drove along a road that displayed signs “Holes up to 50 feet deep have been known to develop in this area”. It seems that life on Planet Earth may be a whole lot less stable than we have thought!

            So at the Harvest, let’s look again at what we are doing: let’s look at our fellow humans and give thanks – and give generously to support our Human family. But mostly let’s look at our lives once again in the light of the knowledge of God and give him the glory in the name of Jesus Christ

            Enjoy the Harvest

IanCardinal

Intercessions

Harvest Thanksgiving

This year Harvest will be celebrated at St Michael & St Wulfad’s Church on October 3^rd and St Saviour’s on October 10^th: the Harvest Supper will be on October 9^th.

CONFIRMATION

There is yet another chance to take this important step of Discipleship as Bishop Geoff makes his first visit to us at 10.45am on December 12^th. Classes will have already begun as this magazine goes to print, but if anyone wishes to join in (to “try it and see” – to definitely be Confirmed – to take a “refresher”) then please see one of our Ministry Team