Dear Friends,

I know many of you will disagree with me but today I thank God for the rain! Yes – even though I had to cycle to morning prayer through it. Two things come to mind today as I watch the droplets roll down the window. The first is a saying of Jesus ‘[God] sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.’ He is encouraging people to love their enemies and pray for those who mistreat them, arguing this is how God is – sending rain (a good thing for agricultural people in a hot climate) on both good and bad people alike. I wonder if this weekend, as we see more rain heading our way, we can use it to inspire us to pray for, and find ways to love, those who may be considered our opposition.

The other thing it makes me think about is the tomatoes growing in our garden. Yesterday, another grey and rainy day, Abbey wished for just a few more days of hot sunshine to ripen the tomatoes that have grown so well suddenly at the end of August. Perhaps if we do get a little warmth and sun to ripen them up we will share some with some of you. Over the past months many of us have been sampling jam that Abbey made from fruits grown in our garden – first plum and then grape, an American classic she grew up with. I wonder if any of you have allotments or veg beds in your gardens? Next month at Café church we will celebrate harvest, an interesting festival in our modern urban context. We will use the service to reflect together on where our food comes from and why that matters to God. I am busy thinking ahead to create a service that will enable us to worship God as we eat, pray and chat about these things. Perhaps some of you have things you would like to bring to that service along with your donations to the foodbank? It could be that you have grown something or could bake something. Or maybe you want to bring your ideas about how we could feast together in ways that include everyone, whether they have something to bring or not. A piece of art, a poem, a film recommendation for autumn or harvest. Whatever it is that you would like to contribute to our me together would be a welcome addition.

I hope that the first days of the new school year have gone well for all involved, children, parents and teachers. Maybe next week will be dry and you won’t have to worry about dodging the rain on the way to or from school!

This week, as we continue in Creationtide, we will be thinking about our hopes, fears anxieties and ac on in terms of climate change. Join us at café church to watch some David Attenborough, read the Bible and discuss both as we eat and pray together. We will also be joined by Rev’d Tim Godden, our acting Area Dean, who is becoming a familiar face at our 8:30 service now we are in vacancy. I am looking forward to hearing what he has prepared to share with us.

Hope to see you soon!

Blessings,

Phil