Dear friendsIt's Harvest this weekend, and I enjoyed going in to Knowle Park School this week to hold their Harvest services. One of my first questions to each of the year group assemblies was "What is Harvest all about?". Their answers were wide ranging, as you might expect from children aged 5 to 11! There was an awareness of farming, the food industry more generally, and the process of getting from the earth to the table. But there was mostly a common theme of giving, their awareness of the Harvest gifts that they had brought in, that would be passed on to the food bank to help those that just need a bit more support at the moment. The reality of course was that some of the children sat in front of the groaning table of generosity of tins, pasta, rice and packets would be the recipients when their families go to the foodbank to collect the additional provisions they need in order to put food on the table. This was humbling and required a careful navigation of sentences such as "those who aren't as lucky as we are".Given the terrible situation facing so many, and the reality of food poverty here in our parish, I am really challenged by a line in our Gospel passage this week, where Jesus says "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst." (John 6: 35) There's a danger we could translate this literally, "If I believe enough in Jesus I won't suffer from hunger or thirst" ... so what do we then think about those who are literally hungry and thirsty - do they not believe enough? Of course that's not the message of Jesus who had a bias for the poor and spoke of a kingdom where those who had less would be raised up as more. I think that Jesus is talking about a hunger that is beneath the hunger of the crowds that he is meeting. I think that's a hunger we all have, whether or not there is food in our fridge.So at Harvest I want to consider what I'm hungry for. I am definitely hungry for social justice - it simply isn't fair or right that so many people are now relying on food banks. I'm hungry for political leadership that has compassion and action to support those who are poorest. I'm hungry for everyone to feel valued, seen, heard, included. I'm hungry for generosity. If I turn this towards Jesus, and what he is saying in our Gospel passage this week, then I think I'm hearing him say "bring that hunger to me, turn the hunger into action, work for the food that endures to eternal life (John 6: 27). Those characteristics of social justice, compassion, value, inclusion, are surely marks of the kind of mission we want to engage in as a church.Our first step is to respond at Harvest with our generosity. To give, if we're able to, to the foodbank, and we will be collecting donations at each service this weekend. But then to consider how we are living, the choices we are making in our shopping, in our engagement with others, in those times we need to speak up and speak out, to show the community what Good News looks like in word and deed. Everyone can do something.We will be continuing to reflect and respond over the coming weeks to ways we can support our community as the cost of living crisis continues. If you are able to extend your generosity in your giving to the church, we can do more. Equally, if you need help, or are worried about the impact of what lies ahead for you in the coming weeks, then please come and speak to me.Even in the midst of challenge and anxiety, we are invited to fullness of life, and there is much to be thankful for this weekend.We pray for Steve and Frank as we celebrate their ministries at the Cathedral tomorrow, which will result in 2 new Licensed Lay Ministers for our parish!We also look forward to our gatherings on Sunday morning - a traditional service of Holy Communion at 8.30am, followed by the invitation of all God's creatures to the Harvest service at 10.30am: Pets included!May you know God's blessingBecky