Minister’s letter

So he said to his disciples, “The harvest is large, but there are few workers to gather it in. Pray to the owner of the harvest that he will send out workers to gather in the harvest.” Matthew 9.37-8

 It is harvest time, and in the church we are celebrating the goodness of God which has been given to us through the natural world. We thank God for the harvest of fruit, vegetables, pulses, and all different kinds of produce to eat and drink.

 In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus speaks to his disciples of a different kind of harvest – a harvest of people, who turn to Jesus in their need. Sick with illness or worry, the people come to Jesus, trusting that he can help them. It is a harvest of faith which has come to fruition in the lives of ordinary people like you and me.

 Jesus asks his disciples to pray that helpers might come forward to help gather in this human harvest. But prayer is a dangerous business, as the disciples find out shortly after, as Jesus sends his followers out to carry on his work and mission – it seems as if they are their own best answer to prayer.

As a congregation we sometimes bemoan the fact that not as many people come to church as in days gone by. But this should not be an introspective exercise, but a challenge for us to take up new ways of outreach. Here are some possibilities for us at the present time.

 Following our recent and extensive changes to the building, we are beginning to ask the question ‘What next?’ We have taken this question as the title for a series of away days and half-day conversations over the coming months. What priorities can we name in laying out a plan for mission here at Llanishen?

 New ideas are already taking root with the new children’s club getting under way on Wednesday evenings. Signs are that the club is already attracting about a dozen children each week, but the challenge remains that the workers are few! The residents from the retirement complex on Melbourne Road have made enquiries about the provision of a coffee morning or afternoon. This is something that we, as a congregation, are quite capable of running – and it would not take much organisation to get it started.

 For our harvest festival this year, we had a combined event with a celebration for the completion of the building work. Let’s not rest on our laurels, but continue with energy and renewed vision, in order that we might serve our community and partake with God in his mission.

 The harvest is large, and we pray that God will bring his mission to fruition at Llanishen Methodist Church and in our neighbourhood.

 Happy Harvest!

Phil

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