Parish Jottings

Diners enjoying their Harvest Lunch

Harvest Festival 2016

Our Harvest Festival this year took place on Sunday 2^nd October and there was a good attendance at the service. As usual, the flower ladies had decorated the church with bright displays of lovely flowers.

In addition, Trinity School children had arranged displays of harvested produce, mainly in its manufactured and preserved form, on the window sills and elsewhere around the nave. In due course, all this produce will be donated to people in need. The schoolchildren had also produced a variety of wall posters to reflect the significance of the Festival of the Harvest, and these were displayed on the walls of the nave.

During the service, Hymn 153, ‘The Fruits of the Earth’, which was written by the Reverend Dr F. Pratt Green (1903-2000), took most of the congregation by surprise; few singers seemed to know the tune played for it. However, if you cannot sing the tune, read the words. This hymn is a relevant harvest hymn in which we thank God not only for the natural harvest; but also for the spiritual harvest as well. In addition, the hymn reminds us that we must share God's bounty with our neighbours.

Our vicar, Duncan, gave a talk based on Saint John’s Gospel, Chapter 6, verses 25-35 - ‘Jesus, the Bread of Life’. In these verses, Saintt John explains that Jesus did not mean that the “Bread of Life” was the possession of food, but having faith in Jesus as the true spiritual “Bread of Life”. The “Bread of Life” from God is Jesus Himself. Some people are not able to read the signs; they think of food in only its material form, and do not use their imagination enough when it comes to considering the power of the spirit.

The Harvest Lunch was, once again, a superb meal. There were second helpings available for both courses; the church does not like to see food go to waste. We give our thanks to, our churchwarden, Barbara Williams, for organising the lunch, and, also to her team of helpers.

Harvest Festival windowsill display 2016