‘Come you thankful people come’ will be ringing out across our neighbourhoods from our Harvest services as we do indeed come together to raise the song of harvest home and praise our awesome God. As the psalmist says;
I will always thank the LORD; I will never stop praising him. 2 I will praise him for what he has done.
Psalm 34 1-2b
As we make these words our own and especially this year as we give thanks for the Jubilee celebrations of 50 years of the URC, it is such a good time to stop and be grateful. Time to reflect on our life, first and foremost living with Jesus as our Lord and Saviour as individuals and as the church. To give thanks for all the faithful people who have nurtured us on our Christian Journey, for the church[s] along the way where we have found a spiritual home and for God being ever present in all we are doing in his name.
We may not all be farmers and bringing our gifts of produce that we have grown in our fields but for those who are able, we will be bringing offerings to support local and overseas charity work that make a difference to those in need. Especially with all the present cost of living issues the need seems insurmountable and we have our own challenges but we are encouraged to ‘Give thanks with a grateful heart’, praying that the weak will indeed be strong.
May God bless us as we bless him and those we can in this time of harvest
Your friend and servant
Alan