Our Harvest Thanksgiving Festival held on Sunday 12th October was an uplifting occasion. The Church was splendidly decked out in traditional style with arrangements of fruit, vegetables, sheaves of wheat, flowers and an arrangement of “autumn’s store” which included colourful leaves, pine cones, chestnuts and acorn shells! Our special preacher was Ms. Uta Raab who urged us to have the spirit of thankfulness which one of the ten lepers healed by Jesus had and to never take all the bounty with which we are blessed for granted.
During the Service we heard from two of our younger parishioners – Hannah Garvey and Heather Swanwick – who have been chosen by their schools to undertake overseas aid and outreach programmes representing the Hope Foundation and Habitat for Humanity in Calcutta, India and Oradea, Romania respectively. The Service was followed by a “bring and share” lunch in the Parish Hall which was supported by some sixty parishioners and friends and the proceeds went to support the above charities.
A big “Thank you” to Uta for her inspiring words; to Janet Moore, Brigid FitzSimon and their team of flower arrangers; to the Sunday Club for their contribution, to our organist Paul McNulty and members of the choir; and to the catering of the Garvey and Swanwick families for making the occasion such a memorable one.