Giving Thanks

Harvest Festival, as we know it today, was introduced around 160 years ago by the Vicar of Morwenstow, a parish in North Cornwall. The celebration of the end of the hard work of harvesting for another year had much older roots. All the people who lived in rural communities, both young and old, were involved in gathering in the fruits of the land. Our long school summer holidays were designed to allow children to take part as well as adults. And, naturally, people wanted to celebrate once the labour was done. Needless to say, this involved much feasting, drinking, dancing and other merriment. Harvest suppers remain an important part of life in many rural communities today, even if few people are now directly involved in bringing in the corn.

The Vicar of Morwenstow, the Revd Stephen Hawker, wanted to bring God into the festivities, so he invited parishioners to a service in church on 1 October, to thank God for providing their daily food and drink in such a plenteous manner. Bread made from the first corn to be cut was used during the communion.

I am saddened that in our 21st-century Western culture, the concept of giving thanks is often lost in the midst of the demand for rights and belongings. We do have much to be thankful for, and I hope that our Harvest services will remind us that thanksgiving is not just for the month of October, but something to make part of our daily lives. God has blessed us in so many ways, so often we take these for granted.

Even when our hearts are not bubbling over with joy, we can continue to be thankful for what we do have. Perhaps you could revive a practice that has nearly died out except at formal occasions: saying grace at meal times. Why not, before you retire to bed each night, take a few moments to thank God for the good things of that day?

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures for ever.” (Psalm 107.1)

with best wishes

Sarah