Thought for the week - 7 January 2008

Plough Sunday

In a very different time most of the ploughing would be done not, as happens now in the autumn, but in the winter.  Often ploughs would be shared. The village community would have a village plough. That plough would be brought to the village church on the Sunday after twelfth night, the end of the Christmas festivities. The church would pray for God’s blessing on the plough and the work that would be done with it. After it had been blessed, it would be taken out round the village, often danced round the village by the Morris dancers. Contributions would be collected from landowners towards the upkeep of the plough and the Church that had blessed it. And as ploughs were heavy implements, the procession would stop at the local pubs for refreshment.

Today that’s all changed. Fewer people work in farming.  Ploughing is largely done in the autumn. Farmers are learning to cooperate by sharing machinery but not usually ploughs!

But even in these changed circumstances Plough Sunday reminds us that God is interested in the work that we do. Whether we work ploughing, or in an office, or shop, or school, or factory, or hospital, God is interested. And if we have no paid employment and we work building a home or are retired, God is interested. When Jesus was born, he was called Immanuel – God with us – and God with us not just in Church on Sunday, but also in our lives from Monday to Saturday.

Plough Sunday is also an important reminder of community. We may not have a village plough any more, but that spirit of cooperation is important. God has designed us to live in communities. God is with us in our work, but He is also with us in the neighbour that we greet and in the neighbour or stranger that we ignore. Community matters

Plough Sunday reminds us of celebration. Dancing the plough round the village was a celebration, particularly stopping at all the pubs! God is a celebratory God. The biblical account is full of feasting. We too should be celebratory people; community people; and people knowing God’s presence with us always.

Robert Barlow

Worcester Agricultural & Rural Chaplain