Harvest at Upwell Garden Church

Upwell Garden Church has celebrated harvest and, according to the Revd Simon Goddard, despite weather issues, over 150 people eventually attended!

"Having connected with the local primary school we agreed to hold a harvest festival for the children and their families in the Methodist chapel on a Friday afternoon. We were all ready to go, but then there was heavy wind and rain, and because the route from the school to the chapel was along the River Nene which runs through Upwell, it was agreed that we needed to cancel the event for safety reasons.

"Having been disappointed, we prayed that the weather would improve for the second part of our harvest weekend.

"Thankfully it did and at our garden party we connected with more people than we could have ever imagined! Around 150 people visited over the afternoon, and it was a real community event.

Local groups, including the Gilbert and Sullivan Society and a dance club, gave performances in the garden. The scout group cooked burgers and sausages on an open fire pit for us and also offered activities including making Da Vinci bridges. Over twenty families took part in a scavenger hunt which engaged with spiritual themes as well as opportunities to try and identify the different plants around the garden. There was even a bouncy castle to enjoy!

Everything was provided free of charge, and with the sun shining brightly for entire afternoon, the event was a great success!"

As you begin to plan your harvest celebrations, check out this new missional resource. It is full of inspiration for community gatherings of all sizes. Harvest missional guide, free to download via the Arthur Rank Centre website https://arthurrankcentre.org.uk/church-life/harvest/

[*Upwell Garden Church is a New Places for New People District project in East Anglia.]