Harvest – Stephen Thorp

Cultivating a generous heart this harvest

There can be little doubt that the ‘cost of living’ crisis is upon us. The continuing war in Ukraine, soaring energy costs and climate change (as demonstrated by the recent heatwave) have all had a devasting effect upon wholesale prices leading to a sharp rise in inflation. The impact of all this for those with limited incomes is enormous – how can the poorest and most vulnerable in society possibly feed themselves and manage their daily existence? Farmers too are struggling to ‘feed the nation’ as the lack of rain stunts their crops and forces them to feed precious winter supplies to their animals in the height of summer. Never have we been so eager and pleased to pray for rain!

However, imagine what it is like for those in poorer countries. Tearfund reminds us that 18 million people are desperately short of food in East Africa, for not only have they been impacted by the lack of grain coming out of Ukraine, but they haven’t had any significant rain for at least four years. The land is therefore parched, and malnutrition is widespread. Oxfam’s International Executive, Gabriela Butcher, said that “competing priorities” have meant that as the world’s attention is on the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, East Africa is simply not on its agenda, meaning that it is missing one of the greatest crises ever known.

Nepal is another poor country in need. Landlocked between India and China, more than 85 per cent of its population relies upon subsistence farming to feed their families, but climate change has meant that often people go hungry as their crops fail resulting in whole communities withering away.

This is why we at All Saints Necton have decided to support Tearfund, who have worked in both East Africa and Nepal for many years, as our harvest charity this year. They are teaching farmers new techniques to help them produce more crops in this changing climate; how to set up better irrigation systems to make people less dependent on the rains, and finally how to farm sustainably, protecting the land for future generations. Please join us for our harvest service – as in previous years our cash donations will go to our harvest charity (Tearfund) and we encourage you to bring dry provisions that will go to our local food bank.

Yes, our current circumstances may well be difficult, but if anything, this harvest should encourage us all to be a little more appreciative and to give thanks for what we do have – and be even more mindful, compassionate and understanding of those who have less.

A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

1 Timothy 2.1–2

Lorry Drivers, Climate Change and Harvest

Later this month the UN climate conference known as COP26 will be held in Glasgow. Its main aim is to bring the leaders of the nations around the same table not simply to discuss climate change and global warming, but to be the forum where governments can set ambitious targets and make binding decisions that will mitigate the effects of global warming and climate change around the world; such as ending the use of coal, preventing deforestation, switching to electric vehicles and investing in renewable energy. It would be nice to think that everyone would be ‘singing from the same hymn sheet’ but no doubt there will be a lot of ‘last minute’ debate and argument (and bartering for compensation) going on between the more developed richer nations and those poorer, less well developed nations ‘playing catch up’. Let’s hope that the conference delegates, politicians and diplomats will be able to set just the right political climate for genuine positive good.

Closer to home, we are concerned not just about the effects of the weather, (hotter days and more floods) but the lack of both economic and agricultural workers to help sustain and feed the nation coming out of the coronavirus pandemic. Most notably, the shortage of lorry-drivers who haven’t been able to keep up with demand resulting in shortage of food and other commodities on our supermarket shelves. Already some politicians and newspapers are voicing their fears for Christmas. This is why harvest is such an important time of the year! It allows us to focus our minds on the good things that we have and enjoy, rather than the things we do not! Compared to so many people in less fortunate parts of the world we are well and truly blessed. When natural disasters caused by climate change, and manmade disasters caused by war and conflict have caused so much devastation in so many other parts of the world, it doesn’t seem right that we should be so stressed about whether we have a turkey for Christmas or not!

However, climate change is important and that is why we should all look at the way we live and consider how we can live more sustainably making the most of scarce resources. That is why at this year’s harvest service at All Saints Necton we are supporting the Send a Cow ‘healthy harvest’ appeal which teaches people in Africa, not only how to grow food in order to support and feed their families, but how they can do so while combating the effects of climate change such as soil erosion and drought.

This harvest let us be grateful for what we have and focus on the needs of others as we do all that we can to encourage one another to live more creatively and yet sustainably.

Then the land will yield its harvest, and God, our God, will bless us. Psalm 76.6

Let’s Plant A Little Hope This Harvest!

The plight of so many tired and weary people travelling towards and across Europe at this present time is really quite astonishing. Many do so because they fear for their lives and seek a place of safety and refuge, others (often because of war) have found their local circumstances to be simply unbearable and so they seek a better life in ‘foreign’ places of freedom and opportunity. The travelling is hard; the risks are great and for those prepared to do so – costly. Apart from risking their lives, most people have had to leave most of their personal possessions behind and have either spent their ‘travelling money’ on food or had it stolen by people smugglers and others wanting to exploit their situation. The one thing that unites these travellers and keeps them moving is hope! The immediate hope of a place to live in safety and peace, and the future hope of a better life, greater security and opportunity both for themselves and their children. Naturally, every face tells a story, and presents a challenge to world leaders and politicians. How compassionate are we – and how charitable can we afford to be? These questions will require a great deal of wisdom, soul searching and fortitude if we are ever collectively to find positive answers.

Harvest time is a time when we in ‘the west’ can really ‘count our blessings’ and appreciate just how lucky and fortunate we are. With so many shops at our disposal and convenience, we tend to take our daily lives for granted and never really think or entertain the thought that we might not know where our next meal or morsel is coming from. How lucky we are!

That’s why we as a church would like to continue to support Send a Cow’s ‘Harvest for Life’ Appeal and encourage you to do the same. Last year we successfully raised enough money to provide several ‘Keyhole Gardens’ and this year’s appeal is to provide ‘Growing Kits’, which will enable families in Africa to become self-sufficient by giving them the tools, seeds and training to grow and harvest their own crops. Every £177 raised is enough to provide a ‘Growing Kit’ to a family. Send a Cow acknowledges that “poverty robs people of the power to choose their own path”, but their work with rural communities across Africa teaches, encourages and shows people how to get the best out of their soil and livestock, so that they can feed their families all year round. Socially, African husbands are also encouraged to see their wives as equals, appreciating that by positively working together they will be more successful at sustaining themselves and their children. Having grown enough food to feed themselves, families are able to sell the rest which improves their quality of life and allows them to send their children to school. This provides real hope and security for the future. Also Send A Cow’s ‘pass-it-on’ principle means that with every successful harvest, skills, knowledge and produce are shared with others within the community making it even more successful.

I would therefore like to encourage you this harvest to take stock of and count your blessings, and join us if you can for our special harvest service on 4^th October at Necton, as we celebrate God’s goodness to each and every one of us and as we support this special appeal.

We’d also like to encourage people to bring to church ‘imperishables’ which can be brought up to the front during the service. These will subsequently be donated to the Swaffham Food Bank helping those people literally ‘on our doorstep’ who are finding it hard to make ends meet.

We very much hope you will come and we look forward to seeing you.

Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. James 3.18