village news

Welcome to the October 2021 News

In October, we celebrate Harvest Festival, with the aim of giving thanks. We recognise how much we are given, and that responding to that is not about maximising our own interest, but rather being thankful and recognising the source of all the joys and blessings in our lives. Our act of thanksgiving can be a prompt to take note of those who are less fortunate than ourselves and to reach out with hands of solidarity and
gratitude. Such virtues are likely to be crucial as we weather the storms of climate change, the pandemic and continuing uncertainty in a world gone slightly mad.

Details of the various ways you can celebrate Harvest this year are in the Village News, so whether it is through school or though Church be sure to come along and join the celebrations. Our Churches are beginning to host social occasions again, which is just great. In North Perrott there was a great Garden Party which managed to both bring people together and raise much needed funds for St Martin’s Church. Haselbury hosted a bumper book sale in fond memory of Mike Watkins who organised so many
through the years. Held over four days complete with coffee and cake and books well organised by genre, it was a joy to see the doors of the Church opened again for community use. For the first time, for a while, there will be collective cider making with apples from the community orchard at the start of the month (read more about it on the Community Orchard on p15) – a fun afternoon for old and young alike!
Despite the continuing lurking menace of coronavirus, it is heartening to be able to come together again after such a long time of enforced and necessary separation.
With every blessing in this season of thanksgiving.

Jonathan Morris