With cows chewing the cud under the same roof, the congregation of St Mary’s Hornby, near Richmond, decided this year to leave the church and hold their harvest service this year in a nearby barn.
It’s not the first time a church has held harvest at a farm, but as well as joining in a family communion service, the children and adults also then enjoyed lunch together with local produce.
Church member, Doreen Longstaff, said, “We at St Mary’s Hornby decided this year – as we did two years ago – to leave our beautiful church building for a barn close by.
“Our newly appointed Priest-in-charge Revd Chris Lawton, along with Joyce Blundell our Reader, led a joyful and thankful service of Harvest Celebration in the wonderful surroundings of an ancient stable.
“We all packed into the barn with the cows munching away in the section next door and occasionally peering through the gaps. After our Family Communion service we enjoyed a lunch of homemade vegetable soup and scrummy puddings as well as a great cheeseboard.
“What a fantastic way to celebrate the plentiful harvest and share how we need to treat our Earth gently to care for it for future generations.”
