This week in our school community: 26 September 2025

How can I be a Christian first and foremost this harvest?

 

As we continue to journey in this jubilee year, and now take up the mantle to dare to be glowing saints, we look within and ask ourselves: How can I be a Christian first and foremost this harvest? For us, communities of faith is not so much a time to ‘bring in the harvest’ but a time to share the harvest. We naturally associate the season with Christian giving and generosity, considering the least amongst us and sharing what we can.

This year we would like to consider how we can bring hope to our local community, the Foodbank which covers the whole of Bath, Keynsham and Somer Valley. The custom of donating non-perishable food items is something deeply ingrained in Christian giving at Harvest time.

We are proud to listen to our Food Bank who have spoken to those unexpectedly struggling so that the items we donate truly make a difference. When considering Catholic Social Teaching, this has subsidiarity and dignity of the person at the heart of our almsgiving. Which is why listed below we have the items they require most again, and any donations you make can be left in the school Chapel by students over the next two weeks or if you and your parents would rather make a donation and we buy the items, there is the option available on school gateway. All we can do to support this need will be gratefully received.

Whether it’s one additional jar of pasta sauce, students forsaking the ‘treat’ they stop for on the way home from school so that they can give that money or food - dare to glow, dare to be a beacon of hope. As a Christian community we must always be reminded of Jesus’ powerful and challenging words that are directed to us this day just as much as 2000 years ago “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.” (Matthew 25:35)

Our local foodbank have shared this message with us for Harvest time: Over 90% of the food distributed by foodbanks in the Trussell Trust network is donated by the public. In the past few years Bath, Keynsham & Somer Valley Foodbank has gratefully received donations from individuals, churches and schools around harvest time. Without your goodwill our foodbank would really struggle to help support people facing a crisis within the Bath community. Can you help us this autumn with food donations? We really do appreciate the generosity of our community every Harvest. The donations that come in each autumn are necessary towards ensuring we can meet the need through the colder months.

The demand on our service continues and we have seen a decrease in donations over recent months so your participation in our Harvest collection would be much appreciated. Since April this year we have so far supported 3179 people (including 930 children) with food, a number we expect to increase as we go into the winter months and supporting a wider area with the newly merged foodbank covering the BANES area. How much can you give up to make a huge difference to those struggling in our community this winter? 

Mr Robinson

Lay Chaplain