Special Service for Harvest

Recorded live from St. Andrew’s, Banwell and St. Andrew’s, Congresbury on Sunday 11th October.

Hymns, Songs, Readings and other links for Joint Harvest Festival –

14th Sunday of Re-opening – A New Church for a New Society:

“Joint Harvest Celebration”

( Matt 6:25-34 and “the Canticle of the Creatures” – Francis of Assisi)

Sunday 11th Oct 2020

Bible Readings:

Key Bible Reading:

Matt 6:25-34:  If you would like to look up the reading for yourself – simply click the link:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt+6%3A25-34&version=NIVUK

Set Readings for today:

Isaiah 25:1-9 – This is one of Isaiah’s great speeches, embodying the hope that God will come, in the form of His Messiah, and put things right in the world, lifting up the lowly and humbling the proud.  As Christians this is something we have both seen in Jesus’ first coming but also long to see completed by His second coming.

Philippians 4:1-9 – Paul is giving instructions and seeking to inspire perseverance in the little Philippian Christian community.  He thereby encourages us to do likewise, letting our hearts be filled with thanksgiving, praise and prayer, these change us and how we then see the world.

Matthew 22:1-14 – This is one of the most powerful of Jesus’ parables and has just as much edge for today as it did in former times.  The wedding banquet is the new Kingdom that God is seeking to usher in.  Like the Israelites in the wilderness after the Exile, they/we need to be prepared for that Kingdom.  Those invited first, are those in any age who think they have a ‘right’ to be there – the Jewish elite and religious types in Jesus’ day, those of us who would claim to be ‘faithful’ and go to Church in our own.  But unless we allow our hearts to be changed our clothes remain as they always were.  Wedding clothes are given by the Groom’s Father at a Jewish wedding – will we truly receive and wear the Cross of Jesus?   Only then, are we worthy to enter the wedding banquet.  So often I find, those who don’t think they are worthy are the ones Jesus speaks so favourably of in this parable, and those who think they have somehow got there have much yet to learn.

Hymns and Songs for Harvest Festival:

Traditional:

  1. “Come, ye thankful people, come” Songs of Praise version with Lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3n7IUCdqAM
  • “For the fruits of His Creation” version with Lyrics:

Children’s Harvest song:

  1. “Harvest talk for schools” by Rob Waldron (Diocese Rural Affairs Advisor) – great to watch with children about modern farming: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiIZ27NcaQo&feature=youtu.be

During Communion:

  1. “Sing of the Lord’s goodness” – sung by the Jazz Church:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9fsAKZHq-w
  2. Songs of Praise version with Lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGE6ZOumLQM

Modern:

So that everyone can share in a full experience of the breadth of the worship life of the Church details of this music is given here:

As the Service begins:

  1. “Indescribable” by Chris Tomlin with Lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IlVfkY5q54

After the Livestream:

  1. “Creation sings the Father’s song”” by Keith and Kirsten Getty with Lyrics:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyED26qgRrA

Other songs:

  1. “So will I” – acoustic version of this well-known Bethel Music song by Tori Kelly (we played this a couple weeks ago after the Livestream): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuedrKMVbFk
  1. “Psalm 42”– a version “As the Deer” by Tori Kelly with Kirk Franklin on piano: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGgsmCEgf4w
  1. “Worthy is the Lamb” by Hillsong – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-cd5prE4f0

Videos:

  1. Talk about Harvest by Rob Waldron (Diocese Rural Affairs Advisor): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MruI8wCEvBg&feature=youtu.be

Film/TV Series

  1. “The Chosen” (TV mini-series) – this is a courageous project to tell the story of Jesus as a TV series.  Financed by crowd funding around the world, it has attracted record viewing numbers in the order of 59 million.  Well worth watching – Series 1 now released.  (You might find you wish to fast forward over the Director/Producer’s quite lengthy introductions at the beginning and reflections at the end.) Available on YouTube and downloadable as an App from the App store to come straight to your phone or tablet.  Episode 1 on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=craeyJdrCsE

Special Harvest Service THIS SUNDAY 11th October

Join us this Sunday 11th October for a special joint Harvest Service at 10.30am.

We will be LIVE in both Churches, St. Andrew’s, Banwell and Congresbury with a video link between the two which will also be Live-streamed to our Facebook page and will be available to view here on the website afterwards.

This is the first time we’ve attempted anything like this so please do bear with us, but we hope to bring Harvest blessings to our physical and online communities.

We will be collecting donations of food, specifically long-life items e.g. rice/pasta/sauces as well as snacks crisps/biscuits and drinks tea/coffee for the Foodbank and Somewhere to Go.

Donations can be dropped off at either church either the days before the service (please note that the churches will be closed on Saturday for cleaning as per COVID regulations) or for the week following the Harvest service.