A RURAL church has been celebrating the autumn harvest period with some hands-on worship.

Locals in the Lanreath and Pelynt area are part of the Trelawny Benefice, where the Reverend Richard Allen gathers people of all ages together for outdoor services.

At Trefrawl Farm, Peter and Margaret Hooper hosted a Family Harvest Festival in the barn, where the congregation were surrounded by fine Limousin and Charolais cattle. Margaret, who has been farming all her life, enjoyed explaining the different breeds to the youngsters and Lottery the bull proved a big hit.

The Rev Allen spoke on the Widows Offering, and the importance of giving at Harvest time, highlighting that the important thing is not how big your gift is, but how generous it is compared to what you yourself have.

“Everyone enjoyed the story and the boys edged the girls out in the Spaghetti Quiz with a metre more!” he said.

“Following the service, the children bounced to their hearts contentment on the bouncy castle, and some explored the tractors and bailer, while everyone else enjoyed some Cornish cider in the barn.”

Meanwhile a glass of cider was also part of the proceedings at Lanreath’s annual Tractor Service, held on the village green.

Young Harvey Coish was among those who came forward to speak about their farm machinery, and he gave a great explanation of all the functions on his dad’s New Holland tractor.

Ruby Mitchell of the National Trust brought along the Trust’s Tractor and talked to the congregation about the great work the National Trust does along the coastline paths of the Benefice.

Speaking about “overcoming giants in our lives”, Reverend Allen described how the tractor is the mechanical workhorse of the farm, enabling the farmer to overcome giants — and how God can do similar things for us.