Thought for the Week: A Season of Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness 25th September 2026Recently, after a welcome shower of rain, I took a stroll around a local park. As I walked on the damp grass, and past the dripping trees, I became aware of that distinctive smell that seems to arise at this time of year in gardens and parks – slightly earthy, grassy, and mossy, yet strangely uplifting. I was reminded of that poem I had studied at school, many years ago, that spoke of the “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness”and which described the arrival of autumn.John Keats’ beautiful words seem to capture something of the particular character of September and early autumn. The mornings can be misty, the evenings draw in, and the fields and gardens offer the final abundance of summer. Apples hang heavy on the trees, blackberries ripen along the hedgerows, and the colours of the countryside begin their slow change.The Christian tradition has long recognised autumn as a time to pause and give thanks. The season reminds us that, despite all our hard work and ingenuity, we remain dependent upon gifts that are ultimately beyond our control: rain and sunshine, fertile soil, the changing seasons and the mysterious processes by which a tiny seed becomes a plant bearing fruit. Gardeners and farmers alike have certainly been challenged by the summer sun this year!In our own lives too, there are also different seasons, as written in Ecclesiastes:“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)There are times of sowing and times of reaping; times of growth and times when we seem simply to be waiting. Sometimes our lives feel full of “mellow fruitfulness”, while at other times we may experience something more like winter.The beauty of the changing seasons can also remind us that God is present in every season of our lives. We do not have to be constantly productive or successful to be loved by God. There is wisdom in allowing ourselves to rest, to notice, and to give thanks. The fruit that God seeks in us is not simply measured by what we achieve. It is seen in lives shaped by love, patience, kindness, generosity and faithfulness.So, as we enjoy the misty mornings and the abundance of the autumn hedgerows, perhaps we might take a little time to notice the gifts around us. We might give thanks for the people who have encouraged us, for the places that sustain us, for food shared around a table, and for the quiet blessings that are so easily overlooked.And perhaps the autumn season can also encourage us to look beyond ourselves. Where there is abundance, may we share. Where there is loneliness, may we offer companionship. Where there is need, may we respond with practical generosity.The season will change, as it always does. The leaves will fall, the fields will become bare, and winter will come. Yet the God who is present in the abundance of autumn will not abandon us in the seasons that follow:“I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)For now, though, let us rejoice in this “season of mists and mellow fruitfulness”, and give thanks to the God whose goodness surrounds us, whose creation sustains us, and whose love bears fruit in our lives.Daniel Khan(Licenced Lay Minister)
Thought for the Week: Revival or Survival? – 18th September 2026Were you lucky enough to attend the talk by Jarrod Cooper at St Giles on Saturday 5th September? I was. For those who do not know him, Jarrod is the Senior Minster of Revive Church at Woodmansey. He is an accomplished author of Christian literature, and he came to speak to us about his new book, The Altar. During his talk Jarrod said something which resonated with me … do we want ‘revival or survival?' The concept of revival got me thinking and brought to mind a few passages: “This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.” (Ezekiel 37:5); “Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.”(Romans 12:2); “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” (John 7:38).For me, each verse says a little about what Christianity is about. It is not about us sitting comfortably in our churches thinking ‘I’m all right, and pull the ladder up, Jack’, it is about us following Christ. It is not just about praying, or reading the bible, but about action. Jesus was a man of action, a man of challenge, a man of compassion. Reading through the Gospels I cannot remember when any have recounted ‘and Jesus sat there, because he couldn’t be bothered'. But I ask you how often do we take that stance? How often is it easier to do nothing rather than something. I know that I am guilty of that sometimes. Guilty of failing to challenge, guilty of failing to act.Therefore I call upon our church communities to become churches of action. To look to bring forward the Kingdom of God. Your Churches Leadership team are working hard to discern what God wants from us, not what we want from God. Over the coming weeks, months, years we will be looking to develop new. New what? I am not sure we know yet, but we share a belief that Jesus is at the centre of what we are doing, and we need to strive towards that. The appointment of our Children, Youth and Families worker was a significant step on that journey, so is the new Pattern of Worship. This will hopefully open new opportunities. To go back to that opening question, do we want ‘revival or survival’? Personally, I choose revival. Are you with me?God Bless, Alan (LLM)
Thought for the Week Sunday 13th September 2026Creation SeasonThe steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is his faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, says my soul, therefore I will hope in him. Lamentations 3:22-24The Church of England celebrated the Festival of Creation in Christ on the first Sunday of September, giving thanks for God’s creation and redemption through Jesus Christ. It marks the opening of the annual Season of Creation, running from September 1st to October 4th. The faithfulness of God dates from the day of creation, when, as the Book of Job puts it, the stars sang together and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy. Despite all our technology, we have not found another planet like ours. Alexei Leonov, the Soviet cosmonaut who performed the first ever spacewalk in 1965, said the earth was small, light blue, and so touchingly alone; our home that must be defended like a holy relic. William Anders, during the Apollo 8 voyage in 1968, captured the iconic Earthrise photograph, showing the jewel-like blues and greens and swirling clouds of our planet hanging like a fragile glass bauble above the grey, barren desert of the Moon’s surface. It is widely credited with inspiring the global environmental movement. However far we probe, the universe is more vast and strange that we can ever imagine. Our powerful microscopes reveal the inner complexity of the machinery of life, and uncover further mysteries that baffle and fascinate us. God created all of this, and tasked us with the stewardship of our beautiful and finite planet, promising that seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall not cease. Human beings, made in his image, are nonetheless fallen from perfection, and many of the problems we face, such as Climate Change, wars, poverty and injustice are of our own making. As Christians we should work to alleviate these problems, because we are citizens of a heavenly kingdom which is not like the earthly ones. We march to a different drum. As we stand on the threshold of a new morning in the ABC churches, let’s remember God’s faithfulness, put aside our own hurts and quibbles, and practice those Kingdom values that demonstrate that look how they love one another vibe to our villages and communities. Let’s seek God together, go deeper and remember that the Hope we have in him is for sharing. Rachel (LLM)
Thought for the Week: New Beginning – 4th September 2026As I write this on 1 September, I reflect on what many of us think of as the start of the year. Alternatively, we may just think of it as the end of the holiday season. September is actually the start of the ‘school year’ or the for others the ‘academic year’. But when we think of the start of the year others may disagree and point to the start of the calendar year in January, or the financial year in April. As Christians (particularly in the Church of England) the liturgical year starts with Advent, which we normally associate with December, but actually November would be more accurate. However, the Orthodox church also looks to September as the start of their liturgical year. This September, we also see the start of a new pattern of worship across our community of churches. As a Churches Leadership Team, we were conscious of the need to support each of our churches but were not in a position to deliver a service at every church every Sunday. Fundamental to our new pattern, is the desire to offer at least one 9am and 10.30am Holy Communion Service on a Sunday morning alongside the 10.30am Oasis contemporary service. We also committed to a range of other services on a Sunday and the midweek Holy Communion service. It is planned that our Licensed Lay Ministers will be able to contribute to all services across the communities, so we can get to know all the different communities we serve. However, shared responsibility in ministry requires the collaborative effort among believers to fulfil the mission and work of the Church. This concept is rooted in the understanding that the Church is the Body of Christ, with each member playing a vital role in its function and growth. By embracing shared responsibility, the Church can better reflect the unity and diversity of the Body of Christ, as each member fulfils their God-given role in the ministry. The New Testament provides numerous examples and teachings that emphasise the importance of shared responsibility, highlighting the diverse gifts and roles within the Christian community. I therefore encourage you, as members of our communities, to use your spiritual gifts, as described in Romans 12:6-8, to serve one another and contribute to the Church's mission. This approach fosters a sense of community and accountability, ensuring that the work of the Church is carried out effectively and efficiently.Alan Johnston (Licensed Lay Minister)
