How are you all? I hope you have been able to enjoy the summer months. Typically, not a set pattern with the weather in the UK, but the days have been long and recently, I have heard the farmers out in the fields working long into the night getting in the harvest. How blessed we are to have such workers and that at least some of our crops have grown well this year.

I am looking forward to collecting all the apples of my trees this year, I have quite a bumper crop, a real improvement on last year’s. I am not much of a cook so I will have to get some recipes out, and maybe the locals will come and pick some for the local cider making. We enjoyed a few glasses of local Westbury cider last year at our harvest Cider and Songs in the church as we sang hymns to celebrate this season.

We have lots of gatherings planned this autumn in the church calendar, both in our churches and in our parishes, do have a look, it is great to meet up and chat over a shared meal and give thanks to God for our bounty here in the UK. It is hard to remember how only a few years ago we were not able to meet up - remember how horrid that was.

Of course, across the globe we have many areas where wars and unrest are not allowing people to meet up and share in such bounty, but we hear of accounts where people do make great efforts to share what little they have and give thanks to God and each other, for the food, drink and the friendship, all so important for our lives. Thank you so much to all who give to charities for those afar, and also those who give to our local charities to help support those locally in need, all our shared offerings coming together makes so much difference.

As well as harvest, during this next season we have Remembrance Sunday, a service that many come along to; to remember and give thanks for the peace (be it fragile) that we have. We can often feel God is far from us, but He is very close by and our services, indeed our church buildings, give us places to stop and to draw close to him ‘Draw close to God and He will draw close to you.’ James 4 verse 8.

Blessings to you all, please do ring me if you would like a chat

Reverend Paula Smith 01280 701631

Sermons

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