On Sunday 29 September 2024 the Rt Revd Sean Semple, Bishop of the Diocese of Cyprus and the Gulf spoke at two morning Harvest Services in the Anglican Church of Paphos The Bible readings were: Deuteronomy 26:1-11, Psalm 104.14 -30, Philippians 4.4-9 and Mark 4.1-20.

Each Harvest Sunday, the Church quite rightly reminds us to thank our Creator for the harvests safely brought in, and today we also give thanks for all involved in the long supply chain that begins with the farmer and the field and ends with the food on our fork.

The parable of the sower[1]  is the only time where Jesus identifies himself directly with a farmer. At that time the way in which farmers sowed seems wasteful to us now: they simply scattered seed on the top of any field without ploughing or worrying about the quality of the soil. I was reminded rather irreverently of Jeremy Clarkson’s attempts at farming from his hit show Clarkson’s Farm …

While the parable uses agricultural imagery, it is of course about faith. The Sower is pre-eminently Jesus Christ, but also all who have made God known to the world from the patriarchs, prophets, saints, and missionaries, to people like us here today. Christian seed is sown through the ministry of the Church; through mission agencies and charities that work alongside the Church; but also simply through Christians living a distinctive lifestyle inspired and empowered by the Holy Spirit; a lifestyle that is marked by Christlike qualities of selflessness, service, forgiveness, and love. Remember that you may be the only bible that some people will ever read!

  • Now, some people encounter the scattered seed of the Christian faith, and just laugh it off. This is the seed on the hard ground of the path.
  • Some people encounter Christianity and are joyful converts until it becomes uncomfortable and unpopular; and then like a New Year’s resolution their commitment to Christianity is quietly discarded. The seed on rocky places.
  • Some people encounter Christianity and want to be dual nationals – citizens of the kingdom of God and citizens of the world, but the values of world push out all other allegiances. The seed among the thorns.
  • And then there are those who despite not knowing exactly what it will mean for them and their loved ones accept Christ as the Lord of their lives, and begin an adventure that leads to their destiny. The seed on good soil, that produces an abundant harvest.

Have you every reflected on who planted a seed of faith in you? Who set an example that inspired you? Who prayed that your heart and mind would be fertile soil for the seeds of faith? Today let us give thanks for their faith and what it sowed and has produced in our lives.

It has been a great joy to be with you in Paphos during the course of this weekend. I have been generously hosted by Paul and Paula; and have met with many people who have shared with me something of what it is like to be the Anglican Church in the west of Cyprus.

I have heard here – as elsewhere – how the pandemic and Brexit and a lack of younger people have been significant challenges. Some of you may know that I have been in frontline parish ministry for the last 27 years and understand many of the stresses and strains of parish life. But you have a fine parish priest, and many people with a wealth of life experience and gifts on your councils and by God’s grace you will find your way through these present challenges.

Over time, you will get to know me, but I aspire, with God’s help, to be a pastoral and missional bishop – in plain English this means that I will work at being a caring bishop and a bishop who wants to see local churches flourish and grow.

So in closing, let me scatter some seeds drawn from my experience of parish ministry onto the soil of Paphos:

  1. Churches don’t close because God has given up on them. Churches close because Christians have given up on God.
  2. To assume that God wants what we want is always a mistake. We need to ask him what he is actually calling us as a congregation to, and discern the answer.
  3. Change will not kill a church. Staying the same will.
  4. Find a way of making small but positive changes to the community around you, and people will be drawn and want to be part of this.

This Harvest Sunday we give thanks for the physical harvest brought in, and for cycle of spiritual sowing and harvesting that has taken place in Paphos since the time of St Paul and continues through your witness today. Amen.

[1] Matthew 13:18-23, Mark 4:13-20, and Luke 8:11-5