The last two weekends of September we'll be at the 64th Mezzolara di Budrio Onion Fair.
Italian history is full of harvest festivals, which have become the typical fairs of today' rural Italy, and which still provide a moment of community for families and friends at the end of summer. It is therefore common to see families with young kids enjoying good food and good music together, as well as parents and teenage children cooking and serving together at tables.
This reminds us of God's missional generosity, in the sowing and harvesting of both the produce of the earth and the Gospel of grace: "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:10-11
So on these two weekends, as a church family, we will be participating in various ways at Onion Fair, some serving at tables, others dining with family and friends at the food stand. This is one of the many ways we want to serve and celebrate with our community, make new friends and strengthen others, and live and share the joy of the Gospel!