St Columba’s Church was fuller than usual for harvest festival on Sunday 4 October, with beavers, cubs, scouts, rainbows, brownies, guides and friends augmenting the congregation.

The children and young people played an active part in the service, acting out a dramatic re-telling of the parable of the sower, competing to make mashed potato, and leading prayers.  As the brownies had recently been working towards their gardening badge, the occasion taken to award the badge during the service.

The church was beautifully decorated with fresh fruit and vegetables, and worshippers brought in tins and longer lasting food to be donated to local homelessness charity, Nite Bite, which is supported by Churches Together in North Shields.

There was a bittersweet moment, as we said farewell to a church member who is moving to live nearer to family, and we reflected that the Christian life can have its challenges, just like the seed in the story of the sower.

Refreshments, including a cooked breakfast, were provided in the church hall.