Harvest proved to be a joyful season across the whole of our Ministry Area, with each church celebrating in their own special ways. Our churches were beautifully decorated with local produce and donations. There were several Harvest meals, soup lunches, auctions, as well as an overwhelming amount of donations of tinned and dried food for local food banks. It is a wonderful reminder to be grateful for all we have through food, friendship and community that all comes from God. Rev’d David Roberts from Llanvihangel Crucorney talks about the annual Harvest Visit from the local Primary School and the joy of having the young people involved in the community:
‘It has become a tradition for the Llanvihangel Primary School, to walk the children from Wern Gifford to St Michaels in Llanvihangel on the afternoon when the autumn half term begins, to celebrate their harvest festival. The children are enthusiastic to show to their families, who are present in church, the preparations they have made to celebrate this time of year. They have learnt poems, prayers and readings as well as songs, dedicated to harvest time.
The teachers prepare the children not only to know their parts but to understand the meaning of harvest. Living in a farming community the children in our communities have a first hand experience of knowing the meaning of harvest and even how the harvest is reliant on the climate. Those families who are present enjoy the whole of the presentation of harvest and the understanding of what it means to give thanks to God. It is a wonderful experience for the children to come to church and the atmosphere is electric with their excitement and expectations of an enjoyable service. To finish the whole event, the children are offered a piece of bread, signifying the abundance we have as well as the abundance of God’s love, shared among His people.’
The Rev’d David Roberts
