LOUGHTON: Church brings in animals for festival (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

LOUGHTON: Church brings in animals for festival

11:53am Friday 8th October 2010 in News By Edmund Tobin

CHICKENS, goats, and a Jersey cow were among the members of the congregation when a church held its Harvest Festival celebrations.

The selection of animals were brought to Loughton Methodist Church to create a different a feel to the annual autumn festival, and the mood was completed by stewards who dressed as farm labourers.

A packed church saw the animals take part in the service, while outside the children were able to stroke and learn more about them from representatives of their home, Wellgate Community Farm, in Collier Row.

The idea for the animals came from Rev Tony Morling who wanted a distinctive way of marking harvest time.

He said: “Despite being told never to work with children and animals, I did think that at this time of year, it is important to give thanks and celebrate all that animals give to us.

“It is the first time animals have been used as part of our Sunday worship and it gave the service a great feel of what harvest really means.”

Tinned foods, preserves and packets of cereals donated by the congregation will be sent to the Whitechapel Mission, in London, which provides help to the homeless.