All is safely gathered in at Ashingford

Ashingford Methodist Church, Poplar Avenue, held its harvest festival on Sunday. Tins for the Whippleswick food bank lined every window sill in order of height, arranged by Mrs Gladys Pennington, who asks that they now be left where they are.

At the front stood a harvest loaf in the shape of a wheatsheaf, baked by Mr Clifford Dunmore and varnished so that it can come out again next year. Cyril Bostock lent a marrow, which was placed before the communion rail and drew a good deal of comment. Mr Bostock was happy to discuss it with anyone over coffee, and did.

For the thirty first year running, a tin of pineapple chunks appeared on the north window sill. Nobody has ever admitted to bringing it. The food bank has declined it with great courtesy every October since 1996, and it spends the rest of the year in the vestry cupboard with the spare hymn numbers.

Rev’d Janet Langley preached on the sower and gave thanks for the local farmers, both of whom were present. We Plough the Fields and Scatter was sung with great feeling by a congregation that, the two farmers apart, has done very little of either.

The food bank received 214 tins, eleven packets of pasta and a jar of something without a label. The circuit harvest supper follows on Saturday 24 October. Mr Ambrose Tilley has been to see wardrobe.