MONTHLY UPDATE FROM SIMON

October 2025

Dear Friends

October begins with the commemoration of St Francis of Assisi.  On the evening of 3rd October 1226, worn out by a life of poverty and self-renunciation, Francis welcomed ‘Sister Death’ in a simple hut close to his beloved Portiuncula Chapel, and is formally remembered in the Church’s calendar on 4th October.  The date is fortuitous: it often coincides with our celebration of the harvest when we thank God for the richness and diversity of creation.  It’s easy to sentimentalise St Francis’ love of nature; the fact was that he saw the presence of God in every part of the created world, even the tiniest bird or insect, and therefore treated it with the deepest reverence.  We honour him by trying to do the same.

This year’s Harting Harvest Supper falls on St Francis’ Day, and our Harvest Festival at the Parish Church is the following morning.  I know that many of you of all ages will be involved in decorating the church, and I hope that you will come and join us for our all-age service at 10am.  On the following Sunday (12th) we shall hold our Harvest Festival at Elsted at 10am, and in the afternoon we will again honour the spirit of St Francis at our Service for the Blessing of Animals at Harting 3pm.  We invite you to bring your pets if you have them, and to give thanks for the place of animals in God’s plan of creation and the pleasure they give to so many of us.

St Francis was a committed peacemaker.  In 1219, at the height of the Crusades, he went to Egypt and somehow managed to obtain an audience with the Sultan, Muhammed Al-Kamil, in an attempt both to win him over to Christianity and to bring an end to the conflict.  Their meeting was cordial and respectful and is often held up as a model of interfaith dialogue.  Its impact on the course of the Crusades was probably minimal, but it continues to inspire those who are trying to build bridges in our increasingly divided and hate-filled world.  How important is that we try to listen to those with whom we disagree (including political opponents and those of other faiths) and never overlook our shared humanity.

It is, of course, peace-making that is the theme of the famous prayer attributed to St Francis.  Whether he actually wrote it himself seems questionable, but it encapsulates his spirit and has been widely used in times of conflict.  Like any good prayer it is spiritually challenging: it invites us to play our part in resisting violence at every level rather than simply wringing our hands.  Prayer is not about asking God to sort things out for us; it’s about making his will our own and embodying his costly love.  Here’s one version of the prayer:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is sadness, joy;

where there is darkness, light;

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled, as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen.

With my prayers and best wishes

Simon

Donations to Chichester District Foodbank

As well as making the church look beautiful, we shall as always celebrate the harvest by bringing gifts for Chichester Foodbank. Here is the current list of items they most need:

• Food: Tinned meat/fish, tinned vegetables/fruit, cooking sauces, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, squash, long-life UHT milk, cereals, long-life fruit juice, biscuits/treats, jam, instant mashed potato.

• Other essentials: Baby food, toilet paper, nappies, laundry detergent/capsules, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, hand wash, cleaning products, razors, cat and dog food.

• Special dietary items: Gluten-free, dairy-free, or vegan products are always appreciated.

The need is very real and very urgent, including among our own villages.  In a recent email we received the following message:

“On behalf of Chichester District Foodbank, I’d like to extend our deepest gratitude for your donations so far this year. Since 1st January to 28th August your donations have weighed in at an amazing 62.3 kilos, that's the equivalent of 156 meals.

Your support means we can continue providing vital help to families and individuals in crisis across the Chichester District. This includes not just food but also practical and compassionate support when it’s needed most. As a charity that relies totally on donations your contribution is highly appreciated, thank you so much.”

Blessing of Animals

Do join us, with or without a beloved animal, at Harting Church on Sunday 12th October at 3pm.  We shall be pleased to welcome creatures great and small.

Faith Seeking Understanding

Our informal discussion group got off to a good start last month.  We invite you to join us again this month to reflect together on matters of faith and church life.  We shall meet in the Law Room for about an hour on Wednesday 15th (the third Wednesday of October) at 6pm.

Our Charitable Giving

As a church, we remain committed to giving away a modest proportion of our income each year to help those in need.  Earlier this year our Pastoral Committee recommended that we should donate around £3,000 annually, equally split between a local, national and international charity.  The PCC has gladly accepted this recommendation and agreed that donations should be made accordingly to The Rosemary Foundation (whose wonderful work many of you will be familiar with), Crisis (the charity supporting the homeless), and Pure Hope (a humanitarian healthcare charity currently providing medical treatment in this country for injured children from Gaza).  We pray for the work of the charities and for those who depend upon it.

Commemoration of the Departed (All Souls’ Day)

Our annual service of remembrance for our loved ones who have died will be at Harting on Sunday 2nd November at 3pm.  A list will be available in church nearer the time for those who would like individual names remembered.