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Parishes to host Drive-in harvest service with a difference

 


Revd Colin McConaghie.


With Covid-19 measures meaning reduced numbers and restrictions on acts of worship, the Carrickmacross Group in Clogher Diocese have had to come up with a novel idea to celebrate Harvest Thanksgiving this year.

Harvest is a big event in the Church of Ireland calendar with churches decorated with flowers and the fruits of the harvest along with special services and harvest meals.

As the numbers that would be able to attend in the churches is greatly reduced, the Church of Ireland in Carrickmacross will this year have a Drive-in Harvest Service, the first of its kind in the area.

The Harvest Festival Service will take place on Sunday 27th September at 2.30pm in Duffy's Car Park in Carrickmacross town centre. Cars are asked to enter via the Main Street entrance where stewards will direct them for parking.

Following the service cars will exit via Cross Line. During the service everyone will remain in their cars with windows down and cars will be over two metres apart.

With the starting time of 2.30pm, it is hoped that members of other churches in the area as well as the local community will come out and support this unique event. All are welcome.

There will be a collection in aid of the upkeep of the three Church of Ireland Churches; St Finbarr's, Magheracloone and Ardragh and those attending are also encouraged to bring non-perishable food items that will be donated to Carrickmacross Food Bank.

The Rector, Revd Colin McConaghie is excited by what he hopes will be a real community event.

'It is so important, especially in rural areas, to acknowledge the hard work that goes into producing our food and to give thanks to God for the gifts of the harvest. With the ongoing threat of Covid-19 we wanted to have a celebration that could include everyone but also be safe. We would love to see our many friends from across the area joining with us as we give thanks for the harvest. We would like to thank the Duffy family for the use of their car park and Liam Connelly who is helping us with a sound system,' he said.