Tower and Town, October 2015 (view the full edition)Clergy Letter: AutumnGreetings All I love the autumn, this "Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness" as John Keats writes in the first line of his poem To Autumn. Driving through this beautiful part of Wiltshire it is so lovely to see his words revealed in the countryside. Driving also brings with it the added joys of large tractors laden with the harvest and other big farm machinery filling the roads. They force us to drive slowly and in so doing give us time to look at the beauty around us, to appreciate the work of the farmers and the richness of the harvest. Autumn brings with it the annual round of Harvest Festivals in our churches and over the years of my ministry I have seen a distinct shift in the way we celebrate. When I first started my ministry Harvest Festival was more about our harvests, the farmers, fishermen, miners and all who ensured we had food and other material comforts. We acknowledged the gifts of God in all of this as we celebrated and gave thanks. Now, the Harvest Festivals have a greater element of social responsibility in them as we focus on the needs of those who do not have the abundant harvests we enjoy. We support aid projects in Africa and other areas of poverty. We support Water Aid, Send a Cow, Tearfund, Christian Aid and many other charities that help us to be aware of the needs of those who struggle to provide even 1 meal a day for their children. We also focus on the needs of local farmers and those who depend on food banks to feed their families. As we celebrate and thank God for his provisions and generosity we are challenged about our stewardship of his gifts. How do we share our plenty? These are not just challenges for Christians but for everyone who cares about their neighbour, and the generosity of those who fill the food bank collecting stations around town is evidence of that, and I am sure that same generosity will be demonstrated as we respond to the desperate needs of refugees fleeing Syria. As we move through this beautiful season of autumn take a moment to appreciate the beauty and a moment to give thanks for the beauty, for the harvest and for God's generous love revealed not only in the harvest but in the compassion and giving of this community. Heather Cooper |