Harvest at BJCC
It's harvest time.
Well, it is and it isn't. Out there, in the fields around Burton Joyce, the combines have been at work. What with the exceptionally dry weather and everything, wheat and barley have been cut even earlier than usual this year. The harvest started in July.
However, in the church here at BJCC, our harvest festival is scheduled for October:
Harvest Festival: Sunday 14th October 2018
Sunday worship with a hot lunch after the service
Are we out of step?
By October, the harvest will have been well and truly gathered in: apples, plums and pears as well as the cereal crops like wheat and barley and maize. You can check out our Harvest Festival and other events on the Throughout the year page.
We have this poster outside our church this week:
Anyway, what does harvest mean anymore in our urban, post-industrial, 24 hour society?
The Wikipedia entry on harvest contains a reminder that crops can fail. Historically, and even today Geographically, crop failure has meant (means) famine and starvation. Even in our 24 hour, post-industrial, urban society, we are still dependent on the harvest, even if we prefer to pretend that we are beyond all that. Harvest, wherever it takes place, and the subsequent arrangements for the distribution of the crops, underpin our daily or weekly visit to the supermarket.
Of course, some people, many people, do not enjoy the privileges we have. They do not have what we call 'food security'. Often, they go without. Often, children go hungry. That is why, as a church at BJCC, we support charities like the local Foodbank and Christian Aid.
We have good reason to be thankful: thankful that the crops grow, thankful for (to) the people who plant, watch and gather them in, thankful that someone transports the crops to us, thankful that someone works in our local store. There is so much to be thankful for.
But this year, more than ever, we have been reminded to be thankful for the rain, and the sun, and the good earth without which we would starve.
And remember, Harvest Festival is on Sunday October 14th. See you there!
Footnote:
Here's a relevant blogpost about looking after the soil from the Easton Estate near Stamford in Lincolnshire. And here's a link to Friends of the Earth if you want to learn more about how we can look after the earth.
Christmas at BJCC
I know it is early to be thinking about Christmas but we are preparing a special series of events and services for Advent and the Christmas period at Burton Joyce Community Church to which you are very welcome.
You can check for any further developments on the Through the Year page of this website.
School Fair & Village Christmas Lights
Saturday 1st December 2018
Church stall at School Fair
Church open: Christmas trees and Nativity sets
(details to be confirmed)
Advent Sunday Carol Service
Sunday 2nd December 2018, 10.30 am
Tea & scones with carols
Sunday 2nd December, 3 pm
Framework Coffee Morning
Friday 14th December 2018, 10 - 12 noon
Raffle, 'Make me an offer' stall, Cake stall + coffee and cakes
All proceeds in support of the Framework homeless charity
Village Carols by Candlelight
Sunday 16th December 2018, 4.30 pm
Note: There will be no morning service on Sunday 16th December
Carols round the crib
Saturday 22nd December 2018, 4.30 pm
Churches Together event (refreshments at BJCC)
Christmas Day
Tuesday 25th December 2018, 9.30 am
A short service of celebration
Christian Aid Coffee Morning
Plant Sale
Don't forget the plant sale at the Christian Aid Coffee Morning this Saturday morning
Place: Burton Joyce Community Church hall on Meadow Lane
Time: 10 - 12
Opportunity: buy plants, drink coffee, eat cake, chat with your friends
Plants on sale include:
- tomato
- courgette
- squash
- pumpkin
- cucumber
- peppers
- brassica
- african marigold
- rudbeckia
- snapdragon
Everything must go!
Burton Joyce Churches Together supporting Christian Aid #StandTogether
Sunday Services for May 2018
All services are at 10.30 am
April 29th Communion with Rev Louise Gee
May 6th URC lay preacher Miss Kathleen Pass
May 13th United Service at St Helen's: Christian Aid Sunday
May 20th Communion with Rev Louise Gee
May 27th Methodist Local Preacher Mr Ian Clarke
Christian Aid
Plant Sale & Coffee Morning
Saturday May 12th 2018
Come along on Saturday May 12th to a plant sale and coffee morning for Christian Aid in the Community Hall, Burton Joyce Community Church on the corner of Meadow Lane
We hope to have a selection of flower and vegetable plants ready for you to buy
There will be coffee - and maybe cake, if we're really lucky
This is a Burton Joyce Churches Together event
Christian Aid Week is May 13th-19th 2018
Safeguarding Policy
Important new information on safeguarding has been added to the website. Please take time to look through our BJCC policy statement. You can find it on the People page of this website.
If you have any questions please get in touch with our Safeguarding Officer, Hilary, via the church email address here
BJCC safeguarding policy
Easter is coming
Check out the times of our Easter services this year and come along.
You would be very welcome.
Here are our services for March and Easter:
March 4th: Fellowship service
Cafe church in the church hall
March 11th: Mothering Sunday
with Local Preacher Ed Lyne
March 18th: Communion
with Rev Louise Gee
Palm Sunday: Sunday 25 March 2018, 10.30 am
Sunday worship
Good Friday: Friday 30 March 2018
Churches Together service at St Helen's, 2 pm
Easter Day: Sunday 1 April 2018
Breakfast of bacon and tomato at 9.30
Easter morning worship with communion at 10.30 am
Followed by coffee
Easter is coming!
