A Cropredy version of the time-honoured celebration of harvest where we are joined by our fellow worshippers from the Methodist community and together partake of a traditional 'Ploughman's Lunch after the service. There is no charge for the lunch but donations will be gratefully received.
In times past, members of the congregation would donate produce from the local farms and smallholdings but these days, we invite gifts of tinned or packaged foods that can be distributed to those in need.
Historical notes: As recently as 1862, the Church of England officially recognised Harvest as a festival within the Liturgical Year. It is believed that the earliest recorded Harvest Festival may have been in 1843, introduced by the Reverend Robert Hawker in Cornwall who adapted older Lammas traditions into a Christian service. The Harvest Festival helped to bring whole communities together in common worship and became extremely popular during the second half of Queen Victoria's reign. The Festival has since been adopted by Christian communities all round the world.