All the World is God's own Field

The Leatherhead Night Hostel gratefully receives lots of the food, and it is great to support the residents who are all to easily pushed to the edge of society. But finding really impoverished people living in Ashtead is not easy. Not the poverty that leads to one child dying of starvation every three minutes in the 'two-thirds world' whilst we, in the so-called 'civilised world', spend millions of pounds every year trying to lose weight!

As the favourite Harvest hymn reminds us "All the world is God's own field." And so whilst harvest is a time to remember God's goodness to us, perhaps more importantly it is a time not only to remember, but to do something about the greater needs of those who share God's field with us.

Harvest Thanksgiving is an opportunity for us to help others in the field of God's world, rather than take unwanted gifts to those locally whose needs are trivial in comparison. This year we will again focus on the really needy. I warmly invite you to share with us in our Harvest Thanksgiving services on Sunday 29th September… yes, to give thanks to God for His abundant goodness to us… but also to contribute generously to the needs of those who share God's field with us.

	All the World is God's own Field
	What does Harvest Festival mean to you? For me it conjures up images of young children, struggling up the aisle with a heavy shoebox filled with cans of beans, potatoes, an unwanted marrow… and of course, a few eggs precariously balanced on the top. The beaming face of the child engages with a smile from the vicar, who piles up the offerings in church, to be given to the poor and hungry of the parish. But who are the poor and hungry in Ashtead?
	The Leatherhead Night Hostel gratefully receives lots of the food, and it is great to support the residents who are all to easily pushed to the edge of society. But finding really impoverished people living in Ashtead is not easy. Not the poverty that leads to one child dying of starvation every three minutes in the 'two-thirds world' whilst we, in the so-called 'civilised world', spend millions of pounds every year trying to lose weight! As the favourite Harvest hymn reminds us "All the world is God's own field." And so whilst harvest is a time to remember God's goodness to us, perhaps more importantly it is a time not only to remember, but to do something about the greater needs of those who share God's field with us. Harvest Thanksgiving is an opportunity for us to help others in the field of God's world, rather than take unwanted gifts to those locally whose needs are trivial in comparison. This year we will again focus on the really needy. I warmly invite you to share with us in our Harvest Thanksgiving services on Sunday 29th September… yes, to give thanks to God for His abundant goodness to us… but also to contribute generously to the needs of those who share God's field with us.	Bob Kiteley Rector of Ashtead.
	Go to next article - Coming face-to-face with our values - main article See also Bob Kiteley's page See also Local Support - Leatherhead Night Hostel etc. See also Festivals: Harvest Back to Harvest 2002 front page Back to our Home Page