September's reflection from the Moderator

Rt Rev Rosie Frew, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, provides a reflection for this month.

Our manse garden in Melrose has a number of big, old apple trees producing far more fruit than we, and our neighbours, could ever use. There's only so much jam, chutney and stewed apples you can eat in a year. Many of the apples are so high up that we just leave them for the birds and the squirrels to enjoy. It's not just the manse garden - Melrose is a town filled with apple trees.

Last year, as we planned our Harvest Messy Church, it seemed a ‘no brainer' to go with an apple theme. Very quickly we had a whole host of ideas…the story of Johnny Appleseed planting apple trees across America, sharing the good news of Jesus as he went; learning the Johnny Appleseed grace:

The Lord is good to me,
and so I thank the Lord,
for giving me the things I need;
the sun, and the rain and the apple seed.
The Lord is good to me.

Making collages showing how the apple tree changes through the seasons, a sign of God's faithfulness.

‘As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.' (Genesis 8:22)

And then someone suggested making apple crumble to have as our snack instead of the usual sandwiches, sausage rolls and fruit. Apple crumble from scratch, for 40-50 folk, using a standard size oven...it was going to be a challenge…but what a triumph! Our Messy Church team were buzzing for weeks!

Our experience of harvest and how we celebrate Harvest Thanksgiving has probably changed over the years and differs depending on where we live. Whilst my country church in Bowden is still very traditionally decorated with garden produce, more urban churches tend to decorate with cans, packets and jars that can be passed on to the local food bank.

Wherever and however you are celebrating, harvest is a time for both thanks and giving. Thanking God for his goodness to us, showing our thanks by giving to others.

All good gifts around us
are sent from heaven above;
then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord,
for all his love.