During Fairtrade Fortnight, at one of our services, people were invited to pray the Fairtrade Covenant Prayer. Several people have since asked for it, so I have decided, this month, to share it. It is below with the words of introduction which were used.

Sisters and brothers, God calls us to action on behalf of the poor. Let us, then, make a covenant with each other and with God to respond to his call in everything we do, and wherever Christ leads us. To take up this covenant means that we are content that Christ directs us and that Christ alone is our reward. Christ calls us to fairness and justice in many different ways. Some ways are easy and require little effort or personal sacrifice, but others are difficult and will mean us having to change what we buy and where we shop, and to go without ourselves. Some ways will bring us praise from those around us and win us admiration, but others may bring criticism and make us unpopular, when we raise our voice for the voiceless, when we call for justice for the poor. Some ways we will find interesting and absorbing and will play to our natural strengths, but others we will find tedious and a chore. In some of these ways we may please both Christ and ourselves; in others we cannot please Christ except by denying ourselves. Yet we know that we have the power to be able to act in all these ways because Christ inspires and strengthens us, and because we know that he has no hands or feet on earth but ours. If justice is to be done, it is we who are called to do it. Therefore, let us make this covenant with God our own, giving ourselves anew and relying on his promises and his grace. Loving Lord, since you have called us through Christ to share in this covenant, we will take on this duty with joy. For whatever we do for the least of our sisters and brothers, we do it for you. We are no longer our own, but yours.

I am no longer my own but yours.

Call me and open my eyes to the injustice around me, the unfairness around me and the poverty around me; call me to dare to change my lifestyle, my habits and my outlook for you.

Call me to strive for fairness and justice in everything I do, not just in words, but in actions; not just locally, but globally.

Let me change myself for you, and so change the world for you.

I freely and wholeheartedly commit myself to this duty, knowing that in everything you will give me your inspiration, strength and grace.

Glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, you are mine and I am yours. So be it.

Let this covenant now made on earth be fulfilled in heaven. Amen

As we  enter Lent, may I encourage you to use this prayer, if you feel able.

Take care and God bless,

Sue

On 21^st February this year, Fairtrade Fortnight begins, when people come together to share stories of the people who grow our food and drinks, mine our gold and who grow the cotton for our clothes.  Often these workers are exploited and underpaid. During this fortnight we are encouraged to consider the impact our spending has on other people.

As a church we have committed to using Fairtrade tea, coffee and sugar and we try to use Fairtrade biscuits when we can source them. At the moment we only seem to be able to get Fairtrade biscuits from Traidcraft but, perhaps, if we all write to our local supermarkets to request that they stock more of these biscuits, we might be able to be agents for positive change. It certainly worked with bananas several years ago.

In 2019, Fairtrade launched a campaign to enable a sustainable future for cocoa farmers by providing  them with a living income and, therefore,  an ability to cover all their cocoa farming costs  and their basic human rights,  such as a nutritious diet, children’s education and healthcare.

The Fairtrade Foundation says,

‘The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us more than ever how interconnected we are globally. This interconnection is at the very heart of the Fairtrade message and is where your role begins. You are part of the Fairtrade movement, and you have the power to drive long-term change, not only with your shopping choices but with your support in spreading the message.

Fairtrade not only ensures a fair wage for the producers but it also has a positive effect on climate change. Speaking about their work in this respect, the Fairtrade Foundation, say:

Fairtrade is about social, economic and environmental justice. These are built into our standards and drive everything we do. A root cause of the inability to adapt to and mitigate climate change is poverty. More money in the hands of farmers is needed if they are to adapt and survive the climate crisis. Choosing Fairtrade fights for improvements in producers’ livelihoods with collective strength through co-ops and their bargaining power, the protection of a Minimum Price and Fairtrade Premiums.

During Fairtrade Fortnight, this year, we have the opportunity to engage with the online Festival, ‘Choose the World you Want’ which you can find by going to Fairtrade Fortnight – Fairtrade Foundation It encourages us not only to share the Fairtrade message but to keep up the pressure on those who  will be attending the COP27 in Cairo next year.

Last year’s festival saw campaigners, shoppers, students and businesses come together in a show of support for the farmers behind our food on the front line of the climate crisis. From online panels to bake-offs and coffee mornings over 50 virtual events took place as part of our virtual festival, with supporters sharing the power of Fairtrade and what needs to happen next to ensure farmers and workers are put front and centre of conversations on how to tackle the climate crisis.

I would love to hear of anything you decide to do for Fairtrade Fortnight. Please do send in any reports or photos for the website or magazine.

I look forward to seeing you soon.

Take care and God bless,

Sue

Happy New Year!

So what are your hopes for 2022?

We are beginning the year in the church by uniting our three churches to become the Ecclesiastical Parish of Horndon, Orsett and Bulphan, which means that instead of having three Parochial Church Councils we will have one PCC as we work together to serve God in our three villages and beyond. This means that on Sunday 30^th January, after the morning service at Orsett, we will be electing the members of the new Church Council at a special meeting to which all those on the electoral rolls are invited.

To mark the beginning of this new era in our church governance, Bishop Guli, who was appointed to serve as the Bishop of Chelmsford last year, will be joining us at our service on 9^th January, at Orsett, at 10am to pray for us. She will also be baptising two children who we will be welcoming into our church family and she will be blessing the work of our local farmers as we will also be celebrating Plough Sunday.

The observance of Plough Sunday, on the First Sunday of Epiphany, goes back to Victorian times, but behind it there is a much older observance, associated with the first working day after the twelve days of Christmas.

Although the nature of farming has changed over the centuries, Plough Sunday is generally seen as a way of celebrating farming and the work of farmers. It is an opportunity to cherish the land and human labour, and to remind us all of our dependence upon it and upon God. You are all invited to this service, where will give thanks, in particular, to our local farmers and pray for them.

Every good and perfect gift comes from you, O Lord.

For fertile soil, for the smell of newly-turned earth

we give you thanks, O Lord.

For keen cold frosty winter days and nights

we give you thanks, O Lord.

For the tractor’s hum and the gleam of a cutting edge

we give you thanks, O Lord.

For the beauty of a clean-cut furrow and the sweep of a well-ploughed field

we give you thanks, O Lord.

Blessed be you, Lord for all your gifts to us.

Amen.

The Arthur Rank Centre

I look forward to seeing you soon.

Take care and God bless,

Sue

Sue

For Christians, the time before Christmas which we call Advent, is a time to prepare for the coming of Christ. God prepared for the birth of Jesus through the words of the prophets, many of whom lived in simplicity to show that they were waiting for God to fulfil his promises. Mary and Joseph, Elizabeth and Zechariah, Anna and Simeon are examples of God’s faithful people who waited in joyful and humble trust.

As we prepare for the coming of Christ, I offer some prayers from the Holy Island of Lindisfarne which you might find helpful in your devotions as you prepare, this Advent, for the coming of Christ.

Prepare my mind, merciful God, For the wonders of your mystery. Prepare my heart, loving God, For the joy of your presence. Prepare my spirit, awesome God, For the blessing of your wisdom.	Jesus teach me how to love, how to live in your presence. Jesus teach me how to live, how to pray in your will. Jesus teach me how to pray, how to rest in your embrace. Jesus teach me how to rest, how to be in your world. Jesus teach me how to be, how to love your way.
Show me your ways, Teach me your paths, Grant me the courage To follow you Wherever you lead The faith to seek you, In all things In all places In all the people And the wisdom To accept That I need you.	May love be my reason And love my desire. May love be my purpose And love be my fire. May love be my burden And love be my strife. May love be my comfort and love be my life.
Pause…breathe slowly… Invite God into the moment. Pause…breathe slowly… Listen to the whispers of the Spirit. Pause…breathe slowly… Follow the examples of Jesus	On the wars and rumours of wars, Shine your light. On the poor and the oppressed, Shine your light On the lies and the deceivers Shine your light On the disasters And terrible things, Shine your light. Lord, help me to serve. Lord, help me to be your light.
Each day throughout Advent, write down three things. One thing that makes you feel joyful, one thing that you are thankful for and one thing that you are helpless about. Tell God about them. It may help to have three pebbles and a small cross. And as you think of the things, place them at the foot of the cross.	Shine your light on my path, May I follow your way. Shine your light on my darkness, May I know your love. Shine your light on my face, May I reflect your glory.

I look forward to seeing you over the Christmas period.

Take care and God bless,

Sue

Whenever I am involved with a small group study, it energises me. It is a real privilege to be able to journey with others as we seek to support each other and grow in faith.

In the past year in the Benefice, we have held a course on Climate Change and considered our responsibility as Christians to care for the creation that God has so generously given us. We have held a SHAPE Course where we worked together to discern what it might be that God is calling each of us to do in his service. And, now, on Tuesday evenings, every two weeks, we are holding a course called ‘The Prayer Course,’ which is being very ably run by two of our church members, Phil and Lisa Anderson.

The Prayer Course has been developed by 24-7 Prayer, which began as one simple prayer meeting in 1999, and is now an international, interdenominational movement.  Each week there is a video, some discussion questions and practical prayer activities, all done in a friendly and encouraging environment. No prior experience is necessary; it is a course where we can all learn wherever we are on our faith journey.

The course is divided into 8 sessions covering the following topics, each using a line of The Lord’s Prayer as the basis.

1.Why Pray?  “Lord, teach us to pray”

This first session unpacks the importance of prayer and the different topics covered across the course.

2.Adoration: “Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed be your name”

This session explores how we can enjoy God’s presence in praise and worship.

3.Petition: “Give us this day our daily bread”

This session unpacks the significance of asking God in prayer.

4.Intercession: “Your kingdom come”

This session explores the power and importance of praying on behalf of others.

5.Unanswered Prayer: “Your will be done”

This session tackles the challenges and realities when our prayers aren’t answered.

6.Contemplation: “On earth as it is in heaven”

This session considers how spending time with God in silence can enrich our relationship with him.

7.Listening: “Give us this day our daily bread”

This session unpacks the practical ways we can tune into hearing God’s voice.

8.Spiritual Warfare: “Deliver us from evil”

This session looks at the ways we can pray for God’s kingdom to come in the midst of a spiritual battle.

Prayer is something that we can all do. It doesn’t require super skills, just a desire and a willingness to engage with God. If you haven’t been along to the Prayer Course yet and have missed the first session it’s not too late! Just pop along to the Orsett Churches Centre on the first and third Tuesdays of the month, the next meeting being on Tuesday 2^nd November at 7pm where you will find a warm welcome.

On the subject of prayer, I do encourage you to commit to praying for the COP 26 Summit, in Glasgow, taking place in Glasgow from Sunday 31^st October until Friday 12^th November, for governments from around the world as they meet together to discern the best way forward to reduce global emissions. You might like to use the following prayer from CAFOD:

Loving God,
We praise your name with all you have created.

You are present in the whole universe,
and in the smallest of creatures.

We acknowledge the responsibilities you have placed upon us
as stewards of your creation.

May the Holy Spirit inspire all political leaders at COP26 as they
seek to embrace the changes needed to foster a more sustainable society.

Instil in them the courage and gentleness to implement fairer solutions
for the poorest and most vulnerable,
and commit their nations to the care of Our Common Home.

We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ your Son.

Amen

As ever, take care and God bless,

Sue

Sue