Dear Bothers and Sisters

How do you write a harvest letter when half the world is hungry, the English harvest is disastrous, the economy is in

recession, and the parish itself faces a financial crisis?

I put his question to a wise member of the congregation, who simply replied: ‘The harder things are the more grateful

we should be for what we’ve got.’

How true. Our  generation has had the good fortune to live in one of the most affluent places in the world, in the most

affluent time in the world’s history. This gives us plenty to be thankful for, and plenty of hard questions to ask ourselves

about the way we use our wealth.

There are several ways you can respond: money in the plate for the Diocesan Poverty and Hope Appeal; gifts of non-

perishable groceries for Christ Church Brixton, and fresh fruit and vegetables for Boones Park. We shall also invite you

to share in thinking about the parish’s own financial difficulties, and how you can do your part in facing them.

Please listen carefully, please think, please pray, but please don’t get depressed. What God wants of us is not guilt, but

gratitude.

God bless you all

Yours sincerely

Malcolm