Welcome to the
North Wiltshire Methodist Circuit
A few mornings ago, it was beautiful in Savernake Forest.
The sun was streaming through the trees, lighting up the leaves and branches,
casting shadows across the path. The beginning of the autumn colours shone in
the September rays. Trotting through shadows and patches of sunshine, our dog,
Yanni’s, coat glistened as he moved in and out of the light. I could see his
breath in the autumn air and every now and again, he would stop, raise his nose
and sniff. I wondered what he could smell. So, I too stopped and sniffed and enjoyed
the aroma of damp vegetation, bracken and fallen leaves. I’d love to know what
Yanni caught on the breeze. What wildlife had gone our way before us? Are there
deer hidden amongst the bracken? Did he smell the squirrel running up the tree?
After speculating about what Yanni might be enjoying on
our walk, I reflected on the beauty all around me in the forest, from the
ground to the highest twig. From iridescent black beetles scuttling across the
path to tiny wrens high in the branches singing their hearts out, there was so
much to see, hear, smell and enjoy. We live in a wonderful part of the world
and over the past few months we have seen the wheat, oats and barley growing in
the fields and on the downs, ripen and harvested. Grain is now gathered into
silos and straw transported round the country to farms which favour pasture
rather than crops.
This “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,” (John
Keats), is the season in our churches when we thank God for the harvest and all
that he provides for us. It is a time to think about how we can look after the
earth and what we can do for those who do not enjoy such beauty and abundance
as we do. The wet winter and spring has affected the growing of the crops. The
mixture of sunshine and showers affects the
harvest, but we have had a harvest to celebrate. I am conscious that the
sun which ripens our crops, is the same sun which burns them up in other parts
of the world. This is a good time to consider how to help those who won’t enjoy
a harvest this year, through buying FairTrade produce and giving to such
charities as Christian Aid and Water Aid. Supporting our local food banks help
those in our own communities who are unable to afford to feed themselves and
their families through rising costs. It is so good that we can easily buy
FairTrade products and give to the food banks through our local supermarkets.
It is also appropriate to reflect on how we can care for
our world, which is abused in so many ways being ravaged by the effects of
climate change. On 22nd June this year, Jane, our daughter, Hannah,
and I joined the “Restore Nature Now” family friendly protest march in London
to encourage those in power to take action to protect and restore nature to
what it could be. It was encouraging walking alongside giant foxes, squirrels,
birds, an octopus and fish, and over 60,000 other people, including Chris Packham
and Dame Judy Dench, concerned about the state of our natural world. It was
very peaceful and orderly with children and families taking part with homemade
banners and local Wildlife Trusts and campaign groups waving their placards.
Wearing my dog collar, some obviously avoided me, but others engaged in
interesting conversations. What good it will do, I do not know, but it was
better than just shouting at the radio when hearing about sewage being pumped
into our rivers, lakes and coastal waters!
Memories of that day came to mind whilst walking amongst
the trees the other day. Seeing some acorns on an oak tree reminded me that
sometimes we wonder what we can do to solve such big issues as climate change.
On our own we might be one person, but if enough people do the same thing, one
becomes a hundred, then a thousand, a million and so on. Together we make an
impact and change things. From small acorns, large oaks grow!
In the second account of creation in the book of Genesis,
God creates the world and then, “The Lord God took the man and put
him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it,” (Genesis
2:15). Harvest Festival is an opportunity to thank God for all that we enjoy
from the harvest and commit ourselves to caring for the earth.
Revd. Stephen Skinner
Welcome to the
North Wiltshire Methodist Circuit
A few mornings ago, it was beautiful in Savernake Forest. The sun was streaming through the trees, lighting up the leaves and branches, casting shadows across the path. The beginning of the autumn colours shone in the September rays. Trotting through shadows and patches of sunshine, our dog, Yanni’s, coat glistened as he moved in and out of the light. I could see his breath in the autumn air and every now and again, he would stop, raise his nose and sniff. I wondered what he could smell. So, I too stopped and sniffed and enjoyed the aroma of damp vegetation, bracken and fallen leaves. I’d love to know what Yanni caught on the breeze. What wildlife had gone our way before us? Are there deer hidden amongst the bracken? Did he smell the squirrel running up the tree?
After speculating about what Yanni might be enjoying on our walk, I reflected on the beauty all around me in the forest, from the ground to the highest twig. From iridescent black beetles scuttling across the path to tiny wrens high in the branches singing their hearts out, there was so much to see, hear, smell and enjoy. We live in a wonderful part of the world and over the past few months we have seen the wheat, oats and barley growing in the fields and on the downs, ripen and harvested. Grain is now gathered into silos and straw transported round the country to farms which favour pasture rather than crops.
This “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,” (John Keats), is the season in our churches when we thank God for the harvest and all that he provides for us. It is a time to think about how we can look after the earth and what we can do for those who do not enjoy such beauty and abundance as we do. The wet winter and spring has affected the growing of the crops. The mixture of sunshine and showers affects the harvest, but we have had a harvest to celebrate. I am conscious that the sun which ripens our crops, is the same sun which burns them up in other parts of the world. This is a good time to consider how to help those who won’t enjoy a harvest this year, through buying FairTrade produce and giving to such charities as Christian Aid and Water Aid. Supporting our local food banks help those in our own communities who are unable to afford to feed themselves and their families through rising costs. It is so good that we can easily buy FairTrade products and give to the food banks through our local supermarkets.
It is also appropriate to reflect on how we can care for our world, which is abused in so many ways being ravaged by the effects of climate change. On 22nd June this year, Jane, our daughter, Hannah, and I joined the “Restore Nature Now” family friendly protest march in London to encourage those in power to take action to protect and restore nature to what it could be. It was encouraging walking alongside giant foxes, squirrels, birds, an octopus and fish, and over 60,000 other people, including Chris Packham and Dame Judy Dench, concerned about the state of our natural world. It was very peaceful and orderly with children and families taking part with homemade banners and local Wildlife Trusts and campaign groups waving their placards. Wearing my dog collar, some obviously avoided me, but others engaged in interesting conversations. What good it will do, I do not know, but it was better than just shouting at the radio when hearing about sewage being pumped into our rivers, lakes and coastal waters!
Memories of that day came to mind whilst walking amongst the trees the other day. Seeing some acorns on an oak tree reminded me that sometimes we wonder what we can do to solve such big issues as climate change. On our own we might be one person, but if enough people do the same thing, one becomes a hundred, then a thousand, a million and so on. Together we make an impact and change things. From small acorns, large oaks grow!
In the second account of creation in the book of Genesis, God creates the world and then, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it,” (Genesis 2:15). Harvest Festival is an opportunity to thank God for all that we enjoy from the harvest and commit ourselves to caring for the earth.
Revd. Stephen Skinner