17.10.2022
Archbishop joins Tallaght parishioners for Harvest Thanksgiving
On Sunday October 16th the Archbishop joined the parishioners of Tallaght and their Rector, the Reverend Canon William Deverell, for a celebration of Holy Communion and thanksgiving for harvest. He spoke of his respect for the parish and its Rector and the ways in which everyone, both in the living diversity of the membership and in the ways in which worship had continued safely by live–streaming throughout the worst of the Covid–19 pandemic, took to heart the interior of the church in order to be the church. The stonework of the interior is exposed. Every person is reminded that each is a living stone by God appointed, both as they enter the church building to worship God and as they leave to go into God’s world. This is very much in the spirit of The First Letter of Peter and binds each one of us to Jesus Christ, he said.
In exploring Deuteronomy 11.10–17, the Archbishop spoke of the hardships that lay ahead of the people of God in entering the promised land. In Egypt there was convenience, sophistication and effortless irrigation of crops. Promise has a totally different landscape physically and emotionally. Harvest is not of our genius but of God’s gift; and it is hard. Moving to St Luke 8.4–15, The Parable of the Sower, he drew the attention of the congregation to The Sower Window, on the south side of the sanctuary in the church building. The parable speaks of the responsibilities and the opportunities of disciples as carriers and ambassadors of The Kingdom of God. He concluded by quoting from a Lutheran bishop whose phrase he had heard recently: We don’t need more of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit needs more of us.
Following the service there was an opportunity for all to meet over tea and coffee in the hall and to renew existing friendships and make new friendships.