During the community weekend at St Cuthbert’s in Halsall in May, one of the local farming families came along and suggested St Cuthbert’s might like to come to the farm and have a service there.
The Webster family farm at Hollin House Green Farm in the neighbouring parish of Aughton who have strong connections with St Cuthbert’s. They mainly grow potatoes that go to make crisps and chips. They were even part of one of the Walkers crisp adverts back in the day talking about their love of potatoes!
They invited their sister churches St Thomas and St Mark’s Scarisbrick to join them. They all met in one of the potato storage barns with the backdrop of a combine harvester and two of the smaller tractors. Around 100 adults and 50 children gathered to sing, get creative and to walk the fields and bless the crops of potatoes and cabbage. The congregation learnt about how different varieties of potatoes are grown and the children saw first-hand how many potatoes grow from one seed potato.
They thought about God’s abundant love. St Cuthbert’s gave thanks for the land and for their famers and all who help to produce and distribute our food. They then enjoyed freshly made crisps (made on the farm), tea and cake made by the parishioners as well as rides on the tractors.
