Harvest Festival – Creed and Intercession
(following the homily)
The heavens declare the glory of God
The skies display the work of his hands
God of light and God of night
Creator of seed and mountain
raindrop and fountain
We bring our offering of praise.
God of right and God of might
Lover of child and childless
rich and homeless
We bring our offering of praise.
Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth (Isaiah 40:28)
‘As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.’ (Gen 8:22)
By faith
I gaze up to the heavens
and know
within its vastness
that this is your creation
planned and effected within eternity
By faith
I pluck an ear of corn
and know
within its symmetry
lies the chemistry of life
the potential of creation within my hand
By faith
I listen for your voice
and know
the whisper that I hear
breathed a world into existence
yet listens to the prayer within my soul
By faith
I strive to do your will
and know
the door that I approach
may lead me to shadows
where my roll is to become your light
By faith
I cling to your word
and know
the strength that I receive
has it’s source within the love
that is at the centre of all things
Listen to these words from Christina Rossetti ((1830-1894))
‘Lord, purge our eyes to see
within the seed a tree,
Within the glowing egg a bird,
Within the shroud a butterfly,
Til, taught by such, we see
beyond all creatures, thee.’
For the beauty of a country scene
We praise you Lord for sight
For the coolness of a flowing stream
We praise you Lord for touch
For nightingale in tuneful flow
We praise you Lord for ears
For the taste of fruit that we have grown
We praise you Lord for senses
Creator God, for daily bread
and all who work
to bring your harvest home
we bring our thanks today.
(pause)
Forgive our ingratitude
we who have so much
yet waste what you have given.
(pause)
For those whose harvest is poor,
whose crops have withered,
water tainted, children starve,
help those who bring relief
and bestow on us
an unaccustomed generosity,
that all might share from your garden
and all might sing your praise.
(pause)
Creator God, provider of all
we bring our thanks today.
And we bless each other
that the beauty of this world
and the love that created it
might be expressed though our lives
and be a blessing to others
now and always
Amen