OUR HARVEST FESTIVAL
Because we are living in such strange times and were unable this year to celebrate Harvest in our usual way, the Pastoral Committee felt that some extra thought should be given to how we should mark this festival. What should we take to our home communicants who previously have received a posy of flowers or a parcel of fruit. By some strange coincidence (God-given!) Gemma Mitchell, daughter of Judith and Eric, is currently waiting to take up a graduate post; having just completed her degree in Mechanical Engineering at Leeds University, and with time on her hands and a flair for baking, asked whether there was anything she could contribute. She presented us with her baked biscuits and attractive bags. We divided them up, added a suitable prayer, and delivered them to those of our parishioners whom we knew could not get to church.
A thank-you from Rev Sue
What a fabulous and tasty surprise! Gemma, thank you so much for the delicious biscuits- what a lovely and generous idea. They were not only scrumptious, but beautifully wrapped and with a prayer attached.
For those of us who, for various reasons, are not able to join you all to share in worship, the gift was a much appreciated demonstration of love. Thank you so much!
And from Sue and Tony Simpson
We received this Harvest Gift in Christian love from St Paul’s acknowledging God’s love for humanity at Harvest time. We photographed and shared its sentiment with some elderly friends living in a Nursing Home in Glasgow, our Christian Brothers and Sisters known to us at Holy Trinity Sliema in Malta, and sent loving thoughts to family and friends in Nottingham.
We hope to be able to return to attending Sunday Services at St Paul’s soon. In the meantime we send Christian love. Keep well, keep safe.
And for those who were in church we prepared a bit of light relief in these dark days when all the news seems to spread doom and gloom. We came up with the idea of a Harvest Mouse, inspired by the delightful poem by John Betjeman, and made up 52 parcels to be given on our way back from receiving Communion. Five of us had much fun (a) learning to tie a Celtic love heart following Youtube, (b) making up sprigs with cuttings from the garden, (c) deciding on a suitable prayer to suit the mouse theme, and not least (d) sourcing chocolate mice!
Another thank-you from Margaret Caseley
What a lovely idea of four (actually five!) special ladies to produce an original Harvest gift which was given to members of the congregation last Sunday. It consisted of a beautifully arranged spray of lavender, heather and spruce in a cellophane wrap, tied up with a Celtic heart and an appropriate prayer – plus a little added bit of humour with 2 small chocolate mice. We are going through difficult times and this was such a thoughtful gesture to cheer us all up.
Thank you to Rosemary Hoyle, Penny Driver, Penny Ward, Sue Fleetwood & Pip
A very generous donation has since been taken to the Barrow Foodbank and we are still receiving monetary donations for the Bishop’s Harvest Appeal for our neighbours in Israel and the Occupied Territories, and in the Democratic Republic of Congo. All in all, another good Harvest celebration led this year by our former Archdeacon Penny Driver, who gave us a meaningful service with much food for thought!
