Around this time every year we usual have our “Harvest Dinner” at The Blue Point Bible Church. This is usually a time of exalting God and exhorting the saints regarding thanksgiving for God’s harvest (Biblical and applicational), fellowship among the congregation, and good food. Unfortunately, yet fortunately, due to the Coronavirus pandemic we have decided to be a bit creative and encourage home fellowships to celebrate the harvest. We have set a schedule time, as stated above, for December 5th between 5pm – 7:30pm. This is the time we hope you might gather we a few people and go through the provided Common Prayer outline (below) and share a meal. Whether you do the Common Prayer before the dinner or after is left up to your discretion. Following your dinner and fellowship, we hope you might join with us on Zoom (Meeting ID 698 689 7086) to share fellowship and rejoice regarding our various harvest dinner celebrations. It is also hoped that you will take pictures and consider sharing meal plans and/or recipes with us (email them or text them to Pastor Mike – PastorMikeMiano@Yahoo.com or (239) 603-5695).
– Common Prayer Outline
ONE PERSON: At this harvest time we thank you for all the good things you give us. We give thanks for all that is good in Your creation and Your harvesting work on behalf of Your people. We are conscious of so much that we get wrong. So we give thanks too, for your grace and patience with us, when we fail to follow Your commandments, as faithful and true as they are.
ALL: Lord of the harvest: hear our prayer.
ONE PERSON: Psalm 138:1-8
I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; before the “gods” I will sing your praise.I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your unfailing love and your faithfulness, for you have so exalted your solemn decree that it surpasses your fame. When I called, you answered me; you greatly emboldened me. May all the kings of the earth praise you, Lord, when they hear what you have decreed. May they sing of the ways of the Lord, for the glory of the Lord is great. Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly; though lofty, he sees them from afar. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life. You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes; with your right hand you save me. The Lord will vindicate me; your love, Lord, endures forever- do not abandon the works of your hands.
ALL: Lord of the harvest: hear our prayer.
ONE PERSON: “Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.” – Colossians 2:6-7
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ONE PERSON READS DEVOTIONAL BELOW:
Anyone feeling weary, maybe frustrated, maybe fearful this season? If you cannot identify with one of those phrases, it’s guaranteed that you know someone who can. One online writer, Monica Warren said, regardless to all things, whatever might come to mind, this is what she has decided:
“I will not live in fear, and I am looking for ways to love my neighbor.”
Put whatever has been making you weary, whatever has been frustrating you, whatever has you fearful this season into the providential care of our Sovereign God.
That aforementioned writer went on to say, “Whether certain passages in Daniel, Matthew, and Revelation should be viewed as Preterits, Historical, Ideal, or Futuristic what is clear is the emphasis on not living in fear, and to always be looking for ways to love our neighbor. Finding encouragement from Paul’s words to the people of Galatia who were being assaulted with lies and half-truths, persecution and more, let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
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ALL: (Encourage each person to share a moment of praise and prayer)
ONE PERSON: Ask someone to recite the Our Father, The fulfilled Our Father, or some rendition of a corporate prayer.
ONE PERSON: Father, as we celebrate this season of thanksgiving. We give thanks for the blessings of food, provision and nourishment. Please grow in us a harvest for the world. Come sow a seed of hope within our souls Lord, that we might yield goodness, patience and kindness in abundance. Sow a seed of peace in our lives Lord, that we might bear the fruits of forgiveness, compassion and righteousness. Come sow a seed of love in our hearts Lord, that others would reap the blessings of family, friendship and community. May each seed of hope, peace and love grow within us into a harvest that can be feasted on by all. Amen. – Julie Palmer
ALL: God of harvest, gardener supreme, you place us at the centre, feed us, equip us and, having provided for us, we look to a different harvest— a fruitfulness of lives in service to you and others. God of harvest, feed us prune us harvest us that our lives might bring glory to you. Amen.