It turns out that watching The Great British Bake Off was good preparation for last night’s UTX. Our young people began our parish preparations for Harvest festival by making a special harvest loaf for each of our four churches. The sticky mess in mixing bowls was kneaded until it became a lovely dough and then the making began.

The mice seemed to be a particular highlight and had to be prevented from multiplying…tradition says one mouse per loaf! This is Jeremy:

Harvest loaves are designed to look like a sheaf of wheat and were originally bought to church by farmers to thank God for a good harvest, without which there would be no bread. The loaf was then used for Holy Communion. I am afraid that ours are not edible but they are a reminder that all we eat comes from God, something that we will be thinking about more when we celebrate Harvest on 2nd and 9th October.

Here are our loaves before they went into the oven:

Do visit our churches over harvest to see the finished loaves and to join us as we thank God for all the good gifts he has given us:

We plough the fields, and scatter the good seed on the land;
But it is fed and watered by God’s almighty hand:
He sends the snow in winter, the warmth to swell the grain,
The breezes and the sunshine, and soft refreshing rain.

Chorus All good gifts around us
Are sent from heaven above,
Then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord
For all His love.

He only is the maker of all things near and far;
He paints the wayside flower, He lights the evening star;
The winds and waves obey Him, by Him the birds are fed;
Much more to us, His children, He gives our daily bread.

Chorus
We thank Thee, then, O Father, for all things bright and good,
The seed time and the harvest, our life, our health, and food;
No gifts have we to offer, for all Thy love imparts,
But that which Thou desirest, our humble, thankful hearts.

Chorus