Pew Sheet, Sunday the 7th of September 2025. 12th Sunday after Trinity / Harvest Festival

This week we celebrate Harvest Festival as we come together to worship God and give thanks for his great provision for us. Coming as it does, on the 1^st Sunday of Creationtide, it provides timely opportunity to reflect on all that we have received from God, and the many benefits of his grace and care for each and every one of us in his gift of creation. At the same time however, I am mindful of all who are forced to go without food or live in places where its supply is weaponised for political, military and/or economic gain by those who should know better, especially those who are enduring starvation in Gaza at this time, and in other parts of the world too.

In many cases, drought and famine are the main causes of hunger, but this is often exacerbated by the actions of those who prevent aid from arriving or use it for their own purposes. It is easy to condemn them of course, but we rarely consider the primary causes of drought and famine in so many parts of the world which are oftentimes caused by societal greed and rapaciousness in the economically rich parts of the world. Our historic lack of concern for the planet, and the fragile biosphere which we call ‘home’ – God’s great gift of creation, is the reason why we take time in these next few weeks to think about the ramifications of our lifestyles and behaviours in an increasingly ‘throw away’ society where so many of our actions and decisions impact not only on the planet, but others who live within it. During Creationtide, we are encouraged to think about our stewardship of the earth, and to seek ways in which we might receive more gladly, hold more lightly, and give much more generously to those who do not have the same material benefits that we do, whilst safeguarding the planet for our children and grandchildren.

In our reading from Deuteronomy, we read how God commanded each of the Israelites who had fled oppression in Egypt to celebrate and share annually, the goodness of the land which God had given them, not only with the priests or Levites, who were given no land in Canaan on which to grow their own food, so that they would be dependent on the offerings of others; but with the ’alien’ in the land as well. This was so that they would remember that their own ancestor Abraham had also been an alien and sojourner in foreign lands just as they had after their exodus from Egypt. But it was also so that by their life and example, they would model the generosity and goodness of the God they worshipped to other nations by caring for anyone in need within the boundaries of Israel and Judah as a reminder that God shows no partiality, and makes it our duty to share with all those in need – no matter their race, creed, nationality, or colour. I often wonder how God feels when he looks at the deliberate use of starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza which, given the instructions contained within this portion of Deuteronomy, must be doubly painful to him when he sees it practised by those who should know better, especially in this season of abundance and hope, when there is no reason for anyone to go hungry, there or anywhere else in the world.

Collect

God of constant mercy who sent your Son to save us, remind us of your goodness, and increase your grace within us, that our thankfulness may grow. Through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Deuteronomy 26:1-11

When you have come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess, and you possess it, and settle in it, you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place that the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his name. You shall go to the priest who is in office at that time, and say to him, ‘Today I declare to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us.’ When the priest takes the basket from your hand and sets it down before the altar of the Lord your God, you shall make this response before the Lord your God: ‘A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous. When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labour on us, we cried to the Lord, the God of our ancestors; the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. The Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O Lord, have given me.’ You shall set it down before the Lord your God and bow down before the Lord your God. Then you, together with the Levites and the aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house.

Philippians 4:4-9

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, and with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. As for the things that you have learned and received and heard and noticed in me, do them, and the God of peace will be with you.

John 6:25-35

When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me not because you saw signs but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do to perform the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.” So they said to him, “What sign are you going to give us, then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ”

Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Post Communion Prayer

God of mercy, in this eucharist you have set aside our sins and given us your healing. Grant that we who are made whole in Christ may bring that healing to this broken world, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

This week’s events

Monday (Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Accession of King Charles III, 2022)

Bell ringing at 7.30pm in St Laurence. Contact Jan on 07835 461361.

Tuesday (Charles Guge Lowder, Priest, 1880)

Zoom Morning Prayer at 9am. Meeting ID: 539 3978774 Password: TuaR0T or contact Sue on [email protected] (The 0 in R0T is a zero not an ‘O’)

Evening Home Groups, contact Jo on 07803 942 687.

Wednesday

Morning Coffee from 10.00 am in the St Laurence Rooms/Great Horwood Village Hall followed by Midweek Holy Communion at 12 noon in St Laurence’s.

Thursday

Daytime Home Group, contact Jo on 07803 942 687.

Friday

Junior Choir, 6.30pm in St Laurence, followed by full Choir Practice at 7.30pm.

Saturday (John Chrysostom, Bishop and Teacher of the Faith, 407)

Pastoral Care: Phone 07305 271 148 or email [email protected]

Ride & Stride

Our churches will be open for this annual event which helps raise valuable funds for our historic churches in and around the county next Saturday. Please encourage anyone who is taking part to add our churches to their itinerary so that we can report the highest number of visitors possible on the return we have to send back to the organisers of the event.

Tour of St Paul's Cathedral - Saturday 20th September

Oliver Rhodes has organised 15 free tickets (usually £26) for a tour of St Paul’s Cathedral on Saturday the 20^th of September. The tour will last between 1 and 2 hours (if going up into the famous dome), meeting at the main entrance to the cathedral at 9.45am. Please email him on [email protected] if you would like to go and he will reserve a place for you.

Deanery Confirmation - 16th November

There will be a deanery confirmation service on Sunday the 16^th of November at 3pm in St Michael and All Angel’s Church, Waddesdon. If you or any member of your family would like to be confirmed at the service, please let Steve know, and he can add your name to those being confirmed that day.