Harvest Festival - 10

For this Day of Resurrection we have a scene from the Chapel of the Resurrection.



We celebrated Harvest Festival in the Chapel just before half term. Here we see some of the produce placed on the altar. Two of our young altar servers wanted to get in on the photo also!

To thee, O Lord, our hearts we raise
In hymns of adoration;
To thee bring sacrifice of praise
With shouts of exultation.
Bright robes of gold the fields adorn,
The hills with joy are ringing,
The valleys stand so thick with corn
That even they are singing.

And now, on this our festal day,
Thy bounteous hand confessing,
Upon thine altar, Lord, we lay
The first-fruits of thy blessing;
By thee the souls of men are fed
With gifts of grace supernal;
Thou who dost give us daily bread,
Give us the Bread eternal.

We bear the burden of the day,
And often toil seems dreary;
But labour ends with sunset ray,
And rest is for the weary;
May we, the Angel-reaping o'er,
Stand at the last accepted,
Christ's golden sheaves for evermore
To garners bright elected.

O, blessed is that land of God,
Where Saints abide for ever;
Where golden fields spread fair and broad,
Where flows the crystal river:
The strains of all its holy throng
With ours to-day are blending;
Thrice blessed is that harvest song
Which never hath an ending.

Good words which remind us not just of earthly food, but also of the heavenly food which we receive in the Eucharist. The words also remind us that we are called to be God's harvest - something which we shall be very aware of on Thursday 1 November when we celebrate with great joy the Solemnity of All Saints'.

I am off for a few days break in Scotland, and so my next posting will be on Tuesday 6 November. I shall be starting a new mini-series entitled 'Autumn Glory.'

Harvest Festival - 9

Not everything in the harvest festival display was grown in the garden of Latymer House!



These items were donated by our pupils (and their parents) for distribution to some of the financially less well off members of the local community. I even spotted tins of dog and cat food - so some of the local pets were in for a treat!

Harvest Festival - 8

Yes, it was inevitable that the pumpkin would make an appearance. I am amused that the pupils were informed that the vegetable could be used in soups or stews - this one is almost certainly going to be carved!



I am much more impressed with this magnificent harvest loaf.



Come, ye thankful people, come,
Raise the song of harvest-home!
All be safely gathered in,
Ere the winter storms begin;
God, our Maker, doth provide
For our wants to be supplied;
Come to God's own temple, come;
Raise the song of harvest-home!

We ourselves are God's own field,
Fruit unto his praise to yield;
Wheat and tares together sown,
Unto joy or sorrow grown;
First the blade and then the ear,
Then the full corn shall appear:
Grant, O harvest Lord, that we
Wholesome grain and pure may be.

For the Lord our God shall come,
And shall take his harvest home;
From his field shall purge away
All that doth offend, that day;
Give his Angels charge at last
In the fire the tares to cast,
But the fruitful ears to store
In his garner evermore.

Then, thou Church triumphant, come,
Raise the song of harvest-home;
All be safely gathered in,
Free from sorrow, free from sin,
There for ever purified
In God's garner to abide:
Come, ten thousand Angels, come,
Raise the glorious harvest-home!

Another superb harvest hymn!

Harvest Festival - 7

Here we have potatoes...



...and beetroot...



...and pole beans and tomatoes...



...all grown in the garden of Latymer House.

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

We thank thee then, O Father,
For all things bright and good;
The seed-time and the harvest,
Our life, our health, our food.
No gifts have we to offer
For all thy love imparts,
But that which thou desirest,
Our humble, thankful hearts:
All good gifts around us
Are sent from heaven above,
Then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord,
For all his love.

What splendid words!

Harvest Festival - 6

Most of the vegetables have now been harvested from the School Garden, and have been put on display in Latymer House for the Harvest Thanksgiving. They will then be eaten!

The young pupils have been given helpful hints on the finer qualities of some of the produce. Here we have carrots and spinach...



...and here we have sweet-corn...



...and here we have rainbow chard.



It wasn't so up market in my school days!

Harvest Festival - 5

Here we see more vegetables growing in the garden of Latymer House.



Runner beans are my favourite vegetable!



I'm not so keen on winter greens!

Harvest Festival - 4

Here we see some vegetables growing in the garden of Latymer House. They are almost ready for harvesting. The plants have been tended with great devotion by the young pupils who attend the Gardening Club.