Harvest Thanksgiving at Nyah West 30th April 2017
The Nyah West congregation created a splendid Harvest display for our 5th Sunday Service with hay bales, fruit, vegetables and herbs as well as processed foods.
Our reading of the Emaus walk was a wonderful theme for the day. Instead of the usual wafers we used a loaf and in the sermon we contemplated the way Jesus broke the bread, thinking of the many related images in the gospels.
They knew him in the breaking of the bread. There was something special about the way he does this. Perhaps his reverence. His reverence, for the sower who planted the seed, for the farmer who protected it from weed and grazing animals, for the harvesters and threshers, for those who stored the grain and those who sold it, those who ground it and the stones they used, those who mixed it with water and yeast, those who stoked the fire and cooked and served it; for those with whom he is sharing it. And reverence for his Father God who created all of these.
And they finally recognised him. They look at each other. They are dumbfounded. Why did they not recognise him before? How foolish they were, but O what amazing joy and delight. And then they look back and he is gone.
After the service and lunch the non-perishables were gathered to give to Anglicare, and the fresh produce were sold with the money raised to go to those suffering in the famine in East Africa.