Harvest Celebration Stories

Harvest season is a time to express our gratitude to God for His abundant provision. Across our diocese, we were excited to hear how parishes have been celebrating in different ways that reflect not only thankfulness for God’s good gifts but also a spirit of sharing and generosity toward one another and those in need! 

St Andrews Blidworth

Junior Harvest at St Andrew’s Blidworth was a joyful and creative celebration! Twenty-two children and their parents baked bread and marked the harvest with songs, artwork and lots of fun!

Eakring & Bilsthorpe

Candles glowed in every window as the wind howled outside, creating a truly special Harvest Festival service at Moorhouse Chapel, near Laxton, on Friday 3rd October. It was a lovely evening, featuring Harvest reflections led by Heather Brown from Eakring and Bilsthorpe, followed by refreshments and fellowship.

5th October was also a special Harvest Festival at St Andrew’s Earking. The church was beautifully decorated in preparation for the day, inviting the community to come and enjoy the stunning decorations.

Instead of the usual 9am service, the festive evening celebration was held at 6pm where the Eakring Community Choir sang beautifully, performing ‘I Sing Because I’m Happy‘. The service was followed by a joyful Harvest Supper in the Cator Hall.

Thanks to the community’s generosity, over 100kg of food was donated to the Newark Food Bank over the Harvest Festival weekend!

St Mary the Virgin & All Souls’, Bulwell

St Mary the Virgin & All Souls’ in Bulwell was packed this week with pupils, members of staff, parents and carers as it hosted Crabtree Farm Primary School’s Harvest Festival Service.  Everyone enjoyed singing popular songs like ‘Big Red Combine Harvester’ and the ‘Fluffy Cauliflower Song’, and Fr Andrew and the parents literally spelt out (with letters) what HARVEST stands for…   

“…this H A R V E S T time we can choose to be a S T A R and S H A R E what we H A V E with a grateful H E A R T !”

Donations of dry foods and tins from the school Harvest Festival services around the parish, and from St Mary’s own Harvest Festival Mass have been gifted to the Bestwood & Bulwell Foodbank which operates from St Mary’s Church in Bulwell and St Philip’s Church in Bestwood, helping feed local families. 

More than just a celebration of food, these harvest events remind us to pause and recognise the abundance of God’s gifts in our lives and how we can share His blessings with one another. As we continue to reflect on the harvest season, may we be reminded of our call to care for creation and for each other.