2nd October 2022 – Harvest Festival Eucharist

The Readings

Leviticus 23. 9 - 14

The Lord spoke to Moses: Speak to the people of Israel and say to them: When you enter the land that I am giving you and you reap its harvest, you shall bring the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest. He shall raise the sheaf before the Lord, so that you may find acceptance; on the day after the sabbath the priest shall raise it. On the day when you raise the sheaf, you shall offer a lamb a year old, without blemish, as a burnt-offering to the Lord. And the grain-offering with it shall be two-tenths of an ephah of choice flour mixed with oil, an offering by fire of pleasing odour to the Lord; and the drink-offering with it shall be of wine, one-fourth of a hin. You shall eat no bread or parched grain or fresh ears until that very day, until you have brought the offering of your God: it is a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your settlements.

John 4. 31 - 38

Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, ‘Rabbi, eat something.’ But he said to them, ‘I have food to eat that you do not know about.’ So the disciples said to one another, ‘Surely no one has brought him something to eat?’ Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. Do you not say, “Four months more, then comes the harvest”? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, “One sows and another reaps.” I sent you to reap that for which you did not labour. Others have laboured, and you have entered into their labour.’

Scripture Quotations are from: New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.org

The Prayers
Prepared by Veronica.

In the power of the Spirit and in union with Christ, let us pray to the Father.

Lord our God, we meet today to thank You for the wonderful world You have created for us,
supplying all our needs, perfectly balanced to provide all that is necessary for life. We thank You for
the gift of Harvests, year after year, and ask that we may be given grace to share them fairly. We ask
your forgiveness for our over-exploitation of your gifts to us, and that we may learn to use them
sensibly and equitably. Above all, we pray for peace and goodwill in your world, that all nations will
agree to live within their boundaries and support and help their neighbours in need.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for the Church worldwide, that all Christians will work together to ensure that all your
people will share in your bounty, whatever their faith. We pray for all church leaders, our
Archbishops, our diocesan bishops Pete and Sophie, all the clergy serving St Mary’s, St John’s and St
Mark’s, and all who help to maintain our presence here in Walkley as wardens, lay preachers, and in
other roles such as hosting the Wool Fair yesterday. We give you thanks for all their work.
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for all those in our community who are struggling to survive in present circumstances, and
for all who try to help them, like the S6 Foodbank, Langsett Advice Centre, and the Cathedral Archer
Project to which our gifts today are to be taken. We hope to be able to join with the Library, the
Community Centre and other venues to provide a warm refuge on different days for those who
cannot afford heating, and pray we shall be able to achieve this.
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We pray for all who are ill or suffering in any other way at this time. We pray for all who care for
them, as family members or as Health or Care professionals. In a moment of quiet we remember all
those we know to be in need of your healing grace…………
Lord, in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

We commend to your tender mercy all who have died recently, or long ago. We pray for those who
have recently lost a loved one, including our own Royal Family. We remember all we have lost
recently or many years ago……….
Lord in your mercy,
Hear our prayer.

Rejoicing in the fellowship of Mary, John, Mark and all your saints, we thank you again for all your
goodness to us, and commend ourselves to your unfailing love.
Merciful Father,
Accept these prayers
for the sake of your Son,
Our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Amen.

St Marys Walkley

The Church on the Road: inclusive, eucharistic, a safe place to be with God

2nd October 2022 – Harvest Festival Eucharist