Every Little Helps

Did you participate in any Harvest Festival events this year? Supper, lunch, thanksgiving services? We, the church family of Christ Church Whittington and All Saints Wretton with Stoke Ferry have, over the last few years, celebrated Harvest with an Harvest Brunch during the morning service; and this year was no exception. Along with worship, prayer and hymns we had sausages, bacon, eggs & beans, a wonderful combination which always reminds me of Jesus, cooking his disciples breakfast on the beach (John 21:1-25). The Stoke Ferry Ladies Club has a Harvest Supper, All Saints Academy a Harvest Festival Service and West Dereham, a children's Harvest Party. These celebrations are repeated all around the country in many, many different ways - Thanksgiving for everything that we have. Aren't we all lucky! We have people in our communities who organise these events, marshal the troops and deliver the end result, and these end results cover such a wide array of things, not only Harvest. Do we value these people? Do we ever give thanks for their hard work or do we take it all for granted. Just for a moment consider who these people are in your community, here is a small example: Folk, who run fitness clubs, village halls, youth clubs, playing fields, yoga, badminton, karate, film clubs: and what about parish councillors, community car schemes, school governors the PTA and all those unsung heroes who keep an eye on their neighbours. Here is your chance to help your community- I understand that the cemetery dustbin had not been emptied for a couple of weeks. When asked why not, the bin man replied that he was not allowed to open the cemetery gate and collect the bin from inside the cemetery due to -yes you've got it - Health & Safety! So, if you are passing on a Wednesday evening and the dustbins have not been put on the outside of the gate, could you please open the gate lean in and put them on the other side. I did tell our Chair of the Parish Council that we would move them if we remembered. But I had to own up that we forget to put our own bins out more times than I care to admit to. Yes, we have a lot to be grateful for. So, thank you, every one who makes a contribution to our wonderful village way of life. Carol Nicholas-Letch