From Forest Church to Farm Church
The Upper Wylye Valley Team recently held their annual Plough Sunday Service. This year it was held in Manor Farm in Codford, where the local farmer, also a worship leader, organised and led the service.
Other local farmers including Tom Thornton and Colin Beagley also took part. After Rev Clifford Stride blessed the plough, those present explored and sat in the tractors, and were provided with warming refreshments in the barn.
Henry Collins spoke of our Christian duty to care for God’s creation and read from Matthew’s Gospel of Jesus calling us to look to the birds of the air – they do not sow, reap or store food yet God provides abundantly for them. As Henry explained
“Jesus was saying we should not worry too much about life and our food, but that does not mean that we should not care about it. We have a responsibility to care about where our foods come from and whether they are grown and produced fairly and sustainably”.
One of the congregation explained their love of the Plough Sunday services;
“it is so interesting to come to working farms in the team and see up close the machinery. It’s only when you get up close that you appreciate how big modern tractors are (the wheel, is larger than a fully grown adult!). Seeing our farmers working out in the fields all year in all weathers, it is important to continue our agricultural services and thank God for all who grow our foods”
The Upper Wylye Valley team look forward to next year’s Plough Sunday service on another of our local farms.
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