I had an opportunity to serve as a pastor in a village Dogar, Punjab. It was the time for preparing paddy field for rice plantation. Most of the members of my congregation were working as labourers in these fields during the season for their livelihood.Even Church attendance becomes low due to the burden of earning livelihood during these days. As a pastor I was disheartened to see very few people in the Church on Sundays due to demand of work.
One Sunday, youth of our Church decided to cancel the Sunday corporate worship in church and invited all the members to the field to work and donate that day’s total income to the Church for organizing convention. Starting from the children, youth, elder everybody agreed with enthusiasm. Though I was not very much convinced with the idea of cancelling the service, I agreed with the majority as they are willing to do something for the Church. Finally on a fixed Sunday, entire congregation went to the field for rice plantation work to various areas. Later in the day I decided to visit them in the field and pray for them. I took my motorcycle and started visiting them. In one instance I stopped and was trying to enter into the muddy field. Suddenly, youths working there rushed towards me saying “Pastor, don’t come. You will make yourself dirty with mud”. Without caring when I went to them, they were overjoyed and I was surrounded by them. I prayed for them in the field for their work and contribution towards society and Church. At that moment every body felt the presence of God in that agriculture field.
I can not express the real joy which we felt that day, more than ever felt inside the Church building. By saying this I am not undermining the importance of the Church building in our life. But I am making a point that we can have communion with God in every situation of our life. No matter it is inside the Church building or outside. Then I moved to other fields waving hands to my people and praying for the people at their agriculture fields. That Sunday’s enriching experience strengthened my faith and relationship with God. That was the best worship for all of us to God which I had ever experienced in my tenure of one and half year in that particular village ministry.
This incident reminded me the parable of Jesus Christ on a sower who went on sowing seeds, that fell on the path, on rocky ground, among thorns and some fell on good soil. Mark 4:8 says, “Other fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.” The experience with my people in the agriculture field made me realize that they are the people because of whom we get food. The small plants grow bigger and produce grains after much care. Likewise we have to grow in Christ and experience presence of God and guidance of Holy Spirit in all the aspects of our life.
Prayer
Dear Lord! Our prayer for the labourers and agriculture workers who toil day and night to produce crops. Bless their effort. Make our life fertile, so that we can bear fruit of Holy Spirit in our life.
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Author: Rev. Pulak Samantaroy
About the Author: is an ordained minister of Church of North India, working in Diocese of Amritsar since past more than ten years. Presently he is doing Doctoral studies at Bishop’s College, Kolkata in the branch of Religion.
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