What a joy it was to celebrate our Harvest Thanksgiving services in two of our villages on Sunday.

In the morning, despite the rain, nearly 50 of us were in Easton to enjoy a Harvest Family Service. A big thanks to Sarah Noble for the all the creative ways in which she encouraged us to think about to Jesus’ Parable of the Sower.

And we enjoyed the same parable in Avington in the evening as we considered the question: “just how good are we at receiving—both God’s gift in Creation and his Word spoken to us through Jesus?”

By then the rain had cleared, and we enjoyed a festive glass of wine on the front lawn as the sun began to set.

It was great that two of the Valley’s farmers were able to be with us at these services—Michael Grey and Robert Stent. A big “thank you” to them for all they do for us throughout the year—as well as to all those who made both churches look so beautiful with their Harvest flower arrangements.

Next week it’s the turn of Itchen Abbas and Martyr Worthy!