A Lammas Ritual

Lammas (July 30 at sunset through August 1 at sunset) -

Lammas is the first of the harvest festivals.  The grain is gathered in and loaves of bread are made and shared in celebration.  The God is needing to return to His place in the Heavens while the Goddess remains near the Earth to guide mankind as She may.  He spends more time away from Her and His light is felt less on the earth, but as a protector He always remains.

History -

Lammas was celebrated as a festival of the harvest.  The first of the grain was cut on this day and the first loaves of bread would be made for the coming year.  This has come to be a day to honor the work that our ancestors would pursue in order to sustain themselves through the year.

In the Christian faith some of the loaves of bread that were baked would be brought to the church and dedicated to the church to serve as the eucharist for the coming year.

The intent was always the same, to start to celebrate the fact that the hope of planting is now realized and to revel in the thought that one's family would have enough to eat for the coming year. 

Decorations -

Gardening and harvesting tools, grain, oats, corn dolls, fruit and vegetables, green, red, and yellow

Ritual -

You will need:
a red candle
a yellow candle
a white candle
bread

Set your altar for ritual.  Open your circle, call the corners, and spirits as you normally would for your tradition.

Light the yellow candle and say:
Lord above, we thank you for your continued light as we progress through the year's journey.  It is with your light that our harvest grows and we reap the bounty of our Mother Earth.

Light the red candle and say:
It is within your light that the fire burns, warmth is created.  It is without your light that we move toward the harvest, where green changes to red and orange; the heavenly fires dim and those in our hearths grow stronger.

Light the white candle and say:
It is through the purity of your goodness and creation, one with our Mother Goddess, that we are able to celebrate the harvest and what you have each provided for us.  Together you see us through the year in a cycle unending.  Together you brought forth your Son to guide us along your path.

Take the bread and say:
Your Son, Jesus, chose bread to represent him on earth through the Last Supper.  Again, I/We, dedicate this bread to you and to him.  May it continue to fulfill and sustain through the coming year, bringing me/us closer to you through the coming year.

You may thank and release the spirits and those called forth and close your circle as you see fit and then use the bread as part of your post ritual meal.  Or, you may quietly consume the bread in the circle and meditate on the coming season.

As always, this is merely an outline for a ritual.  Please adapt it to what you need.  If you are comfortable or your traditions allow, I don't see why you couldn't celebrate a full Christian communion within the circle.  It is after all the day to dedicate your bread to the God and Goddess and their Son.