Chelmsford Cathedral is delighted that the County Harvest Festival Service is once again taking place in the Cathedral on Sunday 25th September at 3.30pm.
This year, we will be celebrating the diverse range of farming that the county of Essex offers from city to countryside to coastline.
One of the highlights of the service is always the opening procession and in previous years this has been led by tractors which drove up the central aisle and Young Farmers with wheelbarrows in a specially choreographed entry during the first hymn! This year is no exception. From Barleylands Farm, leading in members of the farming community will be all creatures (and agricultural machinery) great and small!
It is important to celebrate harvest time and the work farmers do, particularly this year with rising costs and challenging climatic conditions. Supporting sustainable local producers helps our economy and the environment, a topic that the Cathedral is particularly raising awareness of both through this agricultural celebration and through the Gaia installation coming to the Cathedral in October.
Speaking about the service, Diocesan Rural Advisor, The Revd Canon Janet Nicholls adds; ‘The County Harvest Festival provides a pause in this challenging agricultural year to come before God in thankfulness and prayer for the commitment of our farming community. The service also provides the opportunity for our farmers to showcase the vital work of the countryside in the heart of the city. There will some agricultural surprises this year. Do come along to experience them for yourself!’
Anyone is welcome to attend; Bishop Guli is preaching at the service and there are refreshments provided by Ceres Rural after the service and it will also be livestreamed with a link from the Cathedral website.