Harvest Session

HARVEST

CONNECT - for mid-week/Home League groups

Worship Session - Special Days

A time to gather, collect and give thanks.

Summary

Create an area for reflection
Where can we gather God's harvest?
Finish with a time of prayer

Create an atmosphere ready for reflection, a quiet space for your members:
consider the lighting and comfort of the room plus the ability of members to create a personal space
Provide Bibles, notebooks, paper, pens and pencils
Gather a selection of objects from nature like leaves, twigs, shells, pebbles and pine cones – ensure there are far more than the number in your group – and create a display area that they will eventually go in to eg a table draped with fabric
Play the song – or the lyric video, ‘Here I am wholly available’ by Living Water North Lakes (4:00)
Prepare to play reflective music during the session eg ‘Harvest time’ by Prayer Pray (3:07:26)

There are many aspects to a farmer’s handling of harvest. But in its simplest form, harvest for a farmer is about this: when a crop has grown and is ready to eat, the farmer must collect it from his fields.

Gathering.
Collecting that which is vital.
Gathering up the good things that will have a positive effect on others.

This simple thought will be the backdrop for this session of reflection.

REFLECTION

You may wish to start the reflection with the song, ‘Here I am wholly available’.

Lyric video by Living Water North Lakes (4:00)

You may wish to play more reflection music during the session. Eg Harvest time by Prayer Pray (3:07:26)

Gathering

Ask members to take a quiet moment and a blank sheet of paper or a notebook. Ask them to write down those things that come to mind that will increase their ability to be a gatherer.

Spend time reflecting on those things. Think about where we can gather God’s harvest.

Collecting

Lay out the selection of natural objects. Ask members to reflect on what, from their perspective, it will be vital to collect and then to each select an item that represents their thoughts.

Spend time with the object, reflecting on what action will be needed and, when ready, to place their object in the display. Some members may wish to explain what their object represents and what action they will now do.

Gathering up

Draw a picture or write some words to remind us of where we can build the Kingdom of God.

While drawing/writing, ask members to reflect on:

Who is putting God on your heart to bless or encourage this season?
What one small action can you do in the next week to bless them?
What do you need to ask God to help you with, in order to be able to help others?

Luke 10: 1-12

Wow, picture that for a second. A massive plentiful set of fields, throughout the world, thousands and thousands of square miles of open country full of crops ready to use. But there are only a handful of people to gather them in. Of course, Jesus is envisioning these fields full of souls ready to be used in his mission, to become gatherers and harvesters of other souls. He appoints 72 of his followers to begin gathering the crops. These disciples knew that Jesus’ vision was to reach all people, so he started with them and trusted them to continue his mission.

His mission is still ongoing!

The challenge today is this:

What can we do to gather souls, to increase the labourers to build God’s Kingdom?
Can we pray more?
Can we comfort people more?
Can we share the gospel more?
Do we need to listen more?
Do we need to let some things go?
God needs gatherers.
He needs us.

PRAYER

Lord, I long to be a harvester, a gatherer of souls. I know, Lord, that your vision is to reach all people. I commit to joining you in that mission. Show me in these moments, Lord, what I can contribute to the gathering of souls, to the building and increase of your Kingdom.

Help me to increase my vision of the harvest field, to be motivated spiritually by your call that the labourers are few, but the harvest is plentiful. Shower me with a heavenly excitement, help me to see and take opportunities that appear before me.

Thank you, Lord, that you choose me to be a labourer in your fields. I won’t take that lightly. Lord, let my words be few and my actions increase.

In the name of Jesus,

Amen.

SASB 9 ‘Come, ye thankful people, come’
- Piano instrumental lyric video by The Salvation Army Video Songbook (3:19)
- Congregational lyric video by Chet Valley Hymns and Songs (2:54)
‘Seasons’
- Live performance video (press cc for lyrics) by Hillsong Worship (4:35)
- Lyric video by Hillsong Worship (4:34)
‘Let my words be few’
- Video (no lyrics) by Matt Redman (4:08)
- Lyric video by Plexus Resources (4:19)