The first Sunday in October is always 'Harvest' (its usually shortened to that in conversation). It has traditionally been called both 'Festival' and 'Thanksgiving' and rightly so, because its impossible to feast without giving thanks, so it was universally acknowledged before our more affluent age.

In latter days Harvest time has also given Christmas the opportunity to reflect upon our stewardship of the earth as a gift of God for which we have a responsibility of care. Inevitably this makes us look at our attitudes and practice in relation to our blessings from God.

After some discussion with those who minister on the team and with the PCC here at St. Mark's, we have decided to make the month of October each year our 'Month of Thanksgiving and Stewardship Renewal' beginning as it does with the Harvest celebrations.

There are often five Sundays in the month, as this year, so our preaching and praying at the Parish Eucharist will follow the following themes based upon the Sunday Readings.

1st Sunday: Giving thanks for the abundance of creation and our responsibility for Stewardship of the earth (Luke 12:16-30)

2nd Sunday: Giving thanks to God for his invitation to his feast (Matthew 22:1-14) Our Commitment to worship and the Eucharist.

3rd Sunday: Giving thanks to God for all our calling and our stewardship  of the mission of the church (1 Thessalonians) Giving back to God what belongs to God (Matthew 22:15-22)

4th Sunday: Giving thanks for God's holy law of love (Matthew 22:34-46)

5th Sunday: (all saints sunday) Giving thanks for our fellowship with God's holy ones through the ages. Being blessed and being a source of blessing (Matthew 5:1-12)

We shall be asking everyone, as we reflect upon the themes of these Sundays, to review what we can give up to the life of our Church in all its aspects. There are so many ways to build up a vibrant and generous, mission-minded and thriving community of faith, but it requires regular re-appraisal of what we do and how we proved for what needs to be done, and this is a real challenge. I hope we will all be stimulated to take an outward looking and generous view of our own stewardship.