THANKSGIVING

In early July I camped at Blandford Forum in Dorset. The weather was not ideal for camping! On Sunday evening I attended an Anglican service in the chalk land village of Winterbourne Strickland. There are lots of Winterbournes in Dorset as most of the valleys in which the settlements are located contain streams that only flow in winter. I have to say I love worshipping in an old village church with its sense of history and continuity on a summer’s evening.

A lot of effort went into the service. A Methodist minister was the guest preacher and had prepared a thoughtful sermon on Elisha’s call and commitment. The vicar gave the prayers. We sang six, yes, six hymns, accompanied by a proficient organist. A tasteful flower arrangement graced the front of the church. I was especially impressed by the church warden - an elderly but distinguished gentleman. He opened the church, put on the heating, distributed the hymnbooks, put up the hymn numbers, gave out the diocesan newspaper and with a gentle pleasure lit candles in the nave. Yet there were only 8 in the congregation. So much effort for so few!

I recounted this experience to Charles, a former teaching colleague, who attends Bury Cathedral. It brought tears to his eyes. He understood what I was getting at. The effort put into the service in that old country church was not just for the benefit of the small number who attended but an expression of thanks to God for all his goodness.

It is easy to blame God for all the bad things in the world and fail to thank him for the very many good things. I was out bird watching recently with my friend Tommy Bamber. We were prowling round the lake at Livermere when I pointed out a magnificent spider’s web festooned with dew. I said to Tommy, "It is hard to understand how evolution can be entirely responsible for that." Tommy retorted, "If you were a fly you wouldn’t thank God for spider’s webs."

I think that people in this country have an awful lot to thank God for. August Bank Holiday was a lovely day. I went for a walk in late afternoon that took me along the river Lark and through the Abbey Gardens. Nearly every one I saw was enjoying themselves. An elderly man was out with his five tiny grandchildren and his black mongrel. The dog kept the children amused. It needed frequent rescuing from the places mongrels love to sniff. Adults sat in the sunshine watching the children play on the swings and slides. A group of teenagers was kicking a ball about. A toddler chased the ducks swaying from side to side to the amusement of his father who said, "He looks drunk." Senior citizens sat on the benches overlooking the flower beds watching the world go by. Everyone was happy and had God to thank for a gorgeous day.

On Sunday September 16th we shall be holding our Harvest Thanksgiving Services at the chapel Years ago places of worship were full for services like these. Now, most people seem to take the abundance of cheap, high quality food in our supermarkets for granted. It is a gift from God - one we should thank him for. Yet the more we have the more we seem to overlook God’s goodness to us.

          Yes God is good; in earth and sky,
          From ocean depths and spreading wood,
          Ten thousand voices seem to cry -
          God made us all and God is good.

INDEX