Mellow fruitfulness

With the nights beginning to draw in, and the next moon cycle bringing the Harvest super moon (7 th October) we are fully into autumn. It is my favourite season: the crisp mornings and the rare glory of low sunlight days, the blaze of colour from turning leaves and the sense of simple abundance given by receiving apples fresh from trees, and home-made jams from the glut of plums this year’s climate has shared. The words from John Keats poem “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness” which fascinated me as a child, now seem to sum up a particular seasonal contentment.

After my years in deeply rural parishes, where Harvest Festival was one of the most important celebrations of the church year when the whole village came to church, I believe that seasonal contentment is rooted in something profound. Throughout history and across all culture there is a strong human instinct to give thanks when the provisions from the land are harvested. And an equally strong human instinct when blessed with abundance to share with those who are in need.

A strong human instinct to express gratitude and generosity.

Its interesting, isn’t it, that in our era of increased awareness of what supports good mental health and wellbeing, one of the practices encouraged is the habit of gratitude: noting each day perhaps three things that you are grateful for. I suspect too, that there is a strong link between experiencing gratitude and wanting others to share in it. The tradition of Harvest celebrations of all kinds is about enjoying that link – coming together in shared gratitude and shared generosity. Celebrating the gifts of this beautiful creation and finding joy precisely in the fact we share them.

You’ll see below that this year we have almost a whole month of opportunities to join in with this tradition – Harvest festivals, Kid’s Church, Apple Day at Cockington Country Park and a bring and share tea!

As the traditional Harvest hymn invites:

Come ye thankful people, come,

Raise the song of Harvest Home!

Or in other words – the more the merrier, all are welcome!