In his poem, “To Autumn”, John Keats, the early nineteenth century English poet, famously described Autumn as “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.” He goes on to describe how the ’maturing sun’ conspires with season to ‘load and bless with fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run’ and ‘bend with apples the moss’d cottage-trees.’
Keats’ poetic description of Autumn is beautiful, if perhaps a bit over romantic, however it delightfully describes the fruitfulness of the season as the crops are gathered in, fruit picked and vegetables harvested while the autumnal sunlight lengthens and swallows twitter in the sky and gather in preparation for their epic journey back to South Africa.
The Harvest Season is a time to be thankful to God. Thankful not only for the bounty that we can gather in, but also to be thankful for another year to have the health and strength to gather in the harvest fruits.
The New Testament also talks about the fruitful harvest that can be gathered in our own lives and how that harvest is obtained. In the gospel of John 15: 5, Jesus reminds his listeners that “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, will bear much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing’.
St. Paul in Galatians 5:22 goes on to tell us what kind of fruit we can produce in our lives: ‘The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.’
Jesus is saying that if you want your life to count for something and produce good things that are appealing to others, you must stay connected to him, just as a branch remains connected to a fruit tree. The alternative is to be spiritually unfruitful and have nothing useful to show at the end of our lives. Jesus warns us in John 15:6 that, ’If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.’
In this harvest season, let us not just gather in the fruits of field and farm, but also make sure we stay connected to Jesus so that we produce a rich harvest in our lives as well.
Michael
Harvest Services
This year’s parish harvest services:
Ashfield: Sun 4th Oct at 3pm. Speaker – Archdeacon Hazel Hicks, Rector of Swanlinbar Group.
Cootehill: Sun 11th Oct at 3pm. Speaker – Rev Sam Peilow, Rector of Killeshandra.
KEA Diocesan Synod
This year’s synod will take place on Saturday 10th October at the Landmark Hotel in Carrick-on-Shannon. Registration & coffee at 9.15am. It is important that you attend if you are an elected representative of the Parish. If you cannot, please let the Diocesan Office know asap so that a supplemental parish member can attend in your place.
Parish walks
There will be parish walks on Thurs 10th Sept in Dartrey Forest and Thurs 8th Oct in Halton’s. Both walks begin at 7pm and there will be tea & coffee afterwards at about 7.50pm. These are the last two walks of the year and we will resume them in Spring. Do try and come along for some exercise, fellowship & a cuppa!
Barbecue
Liz and I would like to thank everyone who attended our BBQ on Sunday 16th August. It was a really enjoyable afternoon. Special thanks to those who brought food and provided music!
Girls Friendly Society
Registration for GFS will take place on Thurs 24th Sept at 7.30pm at the Presbyterian Church Hall after Brian & Hazel Parker’s children’s club. There will also be a united GFS enrolment service at All Saint’s, Cootehill on Sunday 22nd November with Gillian Kellett, Diocesan GFS President.
Bible Study
The Bible Study are restarting twice a month in September on Wednesday evenings at 7.30pm. We are going to be looking at the Book of Ruth and you don’t need to know a lot about the Bible to come along. Bible Study dates: 9th Sept, 23rd Sept, 7th Oct & 28th Oct.
Other Harvest Services
There will be a harvest service at Drum parish church on Sunday 6th Sept at 8pm. In addition, our friends in the Presbyterian Church are having their harvest services as follows: Cootehill, Sun 20th Sept at 8pm (Rev. Michael speaking) Kilmount, Sun 27th Sept at 8pm. Drum, Sun 18th Oct at 8pm. Please support these services if at all possible, so that we can provide a united Christian witness in our community and encourage each other.
Cavan Christian Bookshop Concert
The annual Cavan Christian Bookshop fundraising concert will take place in Kilmore Cathedral hall on Friday 11th September at 8pm.
Corcaghan Concert
The annual gospel concert for Church in Chains, which is an Irish charity supporting persecuted Christians around the world, will take place on Saturday 26th September in Corcaghan Community Centre at 8pm.
Maudabawn Bicentenary
Congratulations to our friends in the neighbouring parish of Maudabawn who celebrated their bicentenary on Sunday 23rd August. It was a special afternoon of celebration and the church shone in the sunshine and was a credit to all involved. It was also great to attend the celebratory tea in Gallonray House afterwards and chat to Bishop Martin Hayes, Fr. John Cooney and Fr. Darragh Connelly, who has just moved the Drumgoon from Killinkere as the new Parish Priest.
