As harvest services are not part of the traditional church year they may take place any time in the autumn. Harvest Festivals seem to be a natural follow-on to the end of the main growing season and the conclusion of another harvest. The time is a natural opportunity for celebration after the completion of much hard work. In England, we have given thanks for harvests since pagan times by singing, praying and decorating our churches with flowers and food. The Christian emphasis is always on thanking of God and sharing the produce. They are a way of saying thank you to God for the harvest.

St. James's Church is always beautifully decorated with flowers, fruit, vegetables and sometimes a large loaf in the shape of a wheatsheaf. Usually people bring gifts of tinned and dried goods and also harvest produce. These are later given to people in need, either locally, or perhaps in other countries. We do this because Harvest Festival reminds us of all the good things God gives us and this makes us want to share with others who are not so fortunate.

Below are pictures taken when the Church was decorated for the Harvest Festival and of the many gifts of food and money given by the congregation to give to refugees, asylum seekers and others who are not as fortunate as us.

At St. James's, Harvest Festival is generally celebrated on the first Sunday in October with an All-age service.  St. James's Players accompany the hymns and play other music during the service. The uniformed groups (Guides, Brownies, Scout Group) join the service and participate by carrying their flags in a colourful parade through the church. Have a look at the Harvest Festival prayers and artwork that the Jays Sunday School have created.

The Christian tradition of giving at harvest-time goes right back to Biblical times. The Jews gave a tenth of their harvest to God. This was known as a tythe or tithe. And in this country farmers had to give a tithe of everything that came from the ground. Tithes were payments in kind (crops, wool, milk etc.) which were an agreed proportion of the yearly profits of cultivation or farming. They were given by parishioners for the support of their parish church and its clergy. Grain was stored in huge tithe barns, some of which can still be seen today.

This law was scrapped by the Tithe Act in 1936. However, many Christians still choose to give some of their income to the church throughout the year - for some, a tenth of the money they earn. At harvest-time, giving food reminds us that God has provided for our needs throughout another year.