Dear friends,

Things are decidedly autumnal as I write but there is some more late-summer weather in the offing. I hope you have time to enjoy the outdoors whilst the weather is good.

For those who have to miss the Harvest Festival service in Capel on Sunday there is opportunity aplenty to donate non-perishable food and household items for our distribution to Leatherhead START and the Dorking Foodbank. These support services are now more needed than ever and the church is open from 9 – 4 today so you can drop off your gifts for us to pass on. Tins of food and dried pasta, grains and pulses are always welcome but also items like toothpaste and deodorant. I will try to publish a list soon with urgent requirements as this is very much an ongoing project.

The 4th of October is St Francis Day, which marks the end of Creation tide in our churches. Below, you will find a prayer from his namesake, Pope Francis. In the Netherlands the 4th of October has a long tradition of children being allowed to bring their pets to school. I can’t remember what the rules were about bringing cats but I remember bringing my pet rabbit, successive guinea pigs and several hamsters. Unfortunately the latter never lived long because they were escape artists and our cat was fast. In school the day was all about the natural world and the joy of creation.

Whilst we celebrate harvest and alleviate poverty by donating food locally and money to East Africa (see inside notes) we mustn’t forget the devastation caused by manmade climate change in Pakistan. I recommend you look at the Christian Aid campaign for climate justice this week.

I hope you all have a good week,

Dineke van den Bogerd

A prayer for the Earth

All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe
and in the smallest of your creatures.
You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.
Pour out upon us the power of your love,
that we may protect life and beauty.
Fill us with peace, that we may live
as brothers and sisters, harming no one.
O God of the poor,
help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth,
so precious in your eyes.
Bring healing to our lives,
that we may protect the world and not prey on it,
that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.
Touch the hearts
of those who look only for gain
at the expense of the poor and the earth.
Teach us to discover the worth of each thing,
to be filled with awe and contemplation,
to recognise that we are profoundly united
with every creature
as we journey towards your infinite light.
We thank you for being with us each day.
Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle
for justice, love and peace.

Amen

(Prayer by Pope Francis; from ‘Laudato sí’)

Given the success of last weekend’s murder mystery evenings I had hoped for some pictures but alas: all avenues came to a dead end in that respect. Instead, I give you a picture I made last weekend of one of 53 dolmen (prehistoric burial places) in the east of the Netherlands.

20221002.pdf
Readings-2-October.pdf
harvest-Capel-2022.docx