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Dear Friends,
Well we have had a bit of a disaster in the manse garden this last week - one of the apple trees has been blown over by the strong winds we had last week, the trunk has snapped at the bottom and at the moment its future is unknown!
It had produced a large amount of apples this year and some very large ones too - so perhaps that is why it was more susceptible to wind damage carrying its many heavy fruits!
Perhaps too the apples shall have to be harvested rather sooner than expected. However it shall be a good harvest for the tree has indeed been fruitful this year!
As I write this we are preparing for a new month and our own Harvest Thanksgiving Celebrations which we shall hold on Sunday October 4th.
In the Bible we read that the Old Testament people were commanded to:
"Each year bring to the house of your God the first corn that you harvest." Exodus 23 verse 19
"... take the first sheaf to the priest. He shall present it as a special offering to the Lord ... Do not eat any of the new corn whether raw, roasted or baked until you have brought this offering to God." Leviticus 23 verse 10 and 14.
In those commands are the beginnings of our Christian Harvest Thanksgiving.
Perhaps in rural communities Harvest Thanksgiving is still celebrated in this way - exactly as it was commanded in the Old Testament.
However, in towns and cities it seems we have moved away from this tradition and we certainly don't bring the first sheaf of corn to the sanctuary as was prescribed - or the first of anything really.
Yet therein lies the challenge for us as Christians - the strong, daunting challenge of this tradition is this - Will we give God the first things in our life?
Will we put aside the first portion of our income for his church?
Will we offer the first application of our time and ability in the service of his Church?
Will we reserve the first activity of the first day of the week for worship in his house?
Will, we set aside the first moments of each day to offer ourselves in prayer for the day that follows?
If that is how we understand the tradition of Harvest Thanksgiving then we have before us a recipe for a 24/7 God-based personal life and a strong ever ready Church.
Blessings
Caryl
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