L to R: Rev Alistair Kennedy (Tearfund), Rev Brian Gibson, Elma Lindsay (Harvest decorations co-ordinator) and Barbara Bailie (Railway Street�s Tearfund representative).	Presbyterian Women office bearers L to R: Anna Toombs (Secretary), Elma Lindsay (Leader), Jean Murray (Treasurer) and Phyllis Spence (Deputy Leader).

Harvest Thanksgiving Services were held in Railway Street Presbyterian Church on Sunday 12th October. The minister, the Rev Brian Gibson welcomed the congregation and visitors to the morning service and the guest speaker was the Rev Alistair Kennedy of Tearfund. Basing his address on the topic �Water is Life�, Mr Kennedy spoke of Tearfund�s ten-year vision to see 50 million people lifted out of poverty through a global network of 100,000 local churches.

Barbara Bailie, Railway Street�s Tearfund representative, read the first Scripture lesson. Bertha Cowan was organist for the service and together with the Praise Band, led by Ian Menown and Church Choir, directed by Janet Ferguson (Musical Director) the harvest praise included �Come, you thankful people, come� and �Great is Thy faithfulness�. The anthems were �All the ends of the earth� and �Hide me now� with Karen Bowden on lead vocal. The children from KIDS Church sang �Every blade of grass�.

All the children had written prayers shaped as an apple or a pear for the service which were hung on a Prayer Tree after Cameron Forrest, Anna Curragh, Katie Jamieson and Ewan McAteer read out their prayers.

At the evening service, pupils of Brownlee Primary School celebrated the Harvest with a programme of verse, music and drama organised by Miss Alexander. Children from P7 read the poem, �Harvest Alphabet�. Frank Thompson and Rebecca Morton led the harvest prayers and Joshua Magill read the Scripture lesson; Gemma Barber played a piano solo, �Sonatina in C major� and Emily McClearn played a flute solo. The choir sang, �Harvest Hymn� and �Everything Around Me� and Lydia Heath sang the solo, �Give Thanks�. Children from P6 performed a seasonal drama, �A Really Good Harvest�, based on the Parable of the Sower from Matthew�s Gospel allowing the children the chance to display their acting talents. The service closed with a short epilogue from Rev Brian Gibson.

The harvest offerings from both services will be divided equally between Tearfund and Christian Aid.

13/10/2008