Led by Revd George Mwaura

Hymn: We plough the fields, and scatter

We plough the fields, and scatter
the good seed on the land,
but it is fed and watered
by God’s almighty hand;
he sends the snow in winter,
the warmth to swell the grain,
the breezes and the sunshine,
and soft refreshing rain.

All good gifts around us
are sent from heaven above,
then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord,
for all his love.

He only is the maker
of all things near and far;
he paints the wayside flower,
he lights the evening star.
The wind and waves obey him,
by him the birds are fed;
much more to us his children,
he gives our daily bread.

All good gifts around us …

We thank thee then, O Father,
for all things bright and good:
the seed-time and the harvest,
our life, our health, our food.
No gifts have we to offer
for all thy love imparts,
but that which thou desirest,
our humble, thankful hearts.

All good gifts around us …

Matthias Claudius (1740–1815)
tr. Jane Montgomery Campbell (1817–1878)
CCL31580

Prayer of the Week

Gracious God, in the changing seasons of life, you remain faithful.
Even as the leaves turn golden and the harvest is gathered in,
we know that your steadfast love endures for ever.
Thank you for your constant care, from seedtime to harvest.
May our lives bear fruit that glorifies you, just as this abundant harvest testifies to your goodness.
We pray with thanksgiving, giving all glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Amen

Bible Readings

Psalm 65

Read by Chibby Chima-Okoro

¹ Praise awaits you, our God, in Zion;
to you our vows will be fulfilled.
² You who answer prayer,
to you all people will come.
³ When we were overwhelmed by sins,
you forgave our transgressions.
⁴ Blessed are those you choose
and bring near to live in your courts!
We are filled with the good things of your house,
of your holy temple.

⁵ You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds,
God our Saviour,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the farthest seas,
⁶ who formed the mountains by your power,
having armed yourself with strength,
⁷ who stilled the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves,
and the turmoil of the nations.
⁸ The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;
where morning dawns, where evening fades,
you call forth songs of joy.

⁹ You care for the land and water it;
you enrich it abundantly.
The streams of God are filled with water
to provide the people with grain,
for so you have ordained it.
¹⁰ You drench its furrows and level its ridges;
you soften it with showers and bless its crops.
¹¹ You crown the year with your bounty,
and your carts overflow with abundance.
¹² The grasslands of the wilderness overflow;
the hills are clothed with gladness.
¹³ The meadows are covered with flocks
and the valleys are mantled with grain;
they shout for joy and sing.

NIV®

This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.

Hymn: Bringing in the sheaves

Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness,
sowing in the noontide and the dewy eve;
waiting for the harvest, and the time of reaping,
we shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Bringing in the sheaves,
bringing in the sheaves,
we shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
bringing in the sheaves,
bringing in the sheaves,
we shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Sowing in the sunshine, sowing in the shadows,
fearing neither clouds nor winter’s chilling breeze;
by and by the harvest, and the labour ended,
we shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Bringing in the sheaves, …

Going forth with weeping, sowing for the Master,
though the loss sustained our spirit often grieves;
when our weeping’s over, he will bid us welcome,
we shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Bringing in the sheaves, …

Knowles Shaw (1834–1878)
CCL31580

2 Corinthians 9: 6–15

Read by Rosemary Kearsey

Generosity Encouraged

⁶ Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. ⁷ Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. ⁹ As it is written:

‘They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;
their righteousness endures for ever.’

¹⁰ Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. ¹¹ You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

¹² This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. ¹³ Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. ¹⁴ And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. ¹⁵ Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

NIV®

Hymn: Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father

Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
there is no shadow of turning with thee;
thou changest not, thy compassions they fail not;
as thou hast been thou for ever wilt be:
Great is the faithfulness! Great is the faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
all I have needed thy hand has provided,
great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
join with all nature in manifold witness
to thy great faithfulness, mercy and love:
Great is the faithfulness! …

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
Great is the faithfulness! …

Thomas Chisholm (1866–1960)
CCL31580

Hymn: We shall go out with hope of resurrection

We shall go out with hope of resurrection,
we shall go out, from strength to strength go on,
we shall go out and tell our stories boldly,
tales of a love that will not let us go.
We’ll sing our songs of wrongs that can be righted,
we’ll dream our dream of hurts that can be healed,
we’ll weave a cloth of all the world united
within the vision of a Christ who sets us free.

We’ll give a voice to those who have not spoken,
we’ll find the words for those whose lips are sealed,
we’ll make the tunes for those who sing no longer,
vibrating love alive in every heart.
We’ll share our joy with those who are still weeping,
chant hymns of strength for hearts that break in grief,
we’ll leap and dance the resurrection story
including all within the circles of our love.

June Tillman (b. 1943)
CCL31580