St Andrew's Church

September. Will it be a warm one or a wet one? There’s no predicting it these days it would seem – the weather pattern has seemed so very random over the last few years. We get conflicting reports in the media about whether this is just the normal cycle of things which we’ve had for years or whether its climate change as the world gets hotter. I don’t want to wade in on the argument as I’m not qualified to do so. All I observe is that the weather pattern has felt different.

What I do know is that we are all tasked with looking after this world which has been given us by God. Whether through miraculous creation or the process of billions of years, our world is  gift and we are called to be good stewards of it and its resources – be they plant or animal life, mineral or chemical deposits. The bible doesn’t get bogged down in the hows of creation; it is more concerned with the why.

The beginning of the Bible, the book of Genesis, reads as a wonderful poem of creation purpose – this world is not random, it has been created for us, our perfect habitation – life isn’t simply the random mutation of a load of primordial ooze, but is the culmination and pinnacle of work by a creator God who loves his creation and provides for it. Genesis offers an insight into the plan and purpose of creation as something beautiful, to provide for us and all life and we, humankind, are given the task of stewarding it – of caring for it, of tending it. In this way God gives us the world to provide for all our needs, that through caring for it, we can care for, provide for and love each other. The world doesn’t belong to any one of us, it belongs to all and was given to provide for all. We were placed in the world as stewards, not owners.

I wonder how we do at that task?

On the 29^th September at 10am in St Andrew’s we’re going to be celebrating Harvest – celebrating all that God has given us and giving something back in terms of support for Storehouse –the local food bank – sharing our plenty with those who have little and none (non-perishables only please). In a small way, we’ll be trying to recognise and challenge one another in that task of caring for our world and our fellow inhabitants in the way we live out our lives.

It also happens to be Back to Church Sunday – what better time to give thanks to God for all the good things in this world and to pray for the many needs we have. We’ll also be joined by some special visitors from a certain Land of the Long White Cloud……..

However you celebrate Harvest; whether in church, or by buying produce in season; whether by going fairtrade (and yes I think we do have a responsibility to help others through fair trade) or by changing all your light bulbs to economy ones – I pray that you will recognise the gift which has been given us in the form of our world and all its wonders and our responsibility in caring for it.

Many blessings,

 

Chris Ramsey

Vicar