HARVEST THANKSGIVING SERVICES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6133, 21 March 1898, Page 4

HARVEST THANKSGIVING SERVICES.

There were very large congregations at St Paul's Church, Papanui, yesterday, on the occasion of the annual thanksgiving services. The services were fully choral, and the Eev W. S. Bean, of St Mary's, Addington, officiated at both. The church was beautifully decorated by tlie ladies of the parish, and the offertories amounted to £12 4s Bd. At the Harewood Koad Church, in the same parish, a harvest festival was held at 3 p.m., at which the Rev W. S. Bean also preached. The sale of work held on Thursday in connection with the festival realised .£3B, and this with the offertories yesterday, will enable the Vestry to meet the parishioners at the Easter meeting with a clean balance-sheet on the year's transactions, St John the '.Baptist's Church, Rangiora, was tastefully decorated yesterday for the harvest thanksgiving services, which were conducted by the Eev F. P. Fendall. The church was well filled in the morning, and crowded at the evening service. Harvest thanksgiving was celebrated at St Luke's Church yesterday. The chancel was prettily decorated with sheaves of grain and fruit, and the aisles with greenery and flowers. . The usual harvest bym : nß.'rW(Bte-v-BTmg[;'--.a ! ndV.tne.^-;yexi, i Archr dqaqoti Lingard preached a - sermon appropriate to the ,o<joftsipn^ , ■ . _,;/..;. , : ± if* P ; The .aiihiveraary, services and ''.'harvest festival in connection k with .the Durham Street' Wesley art Church were held yesterday. There was a large congregation at both morning and evening services> and the pulpit was prettily decorated for the occasion. The Rev F. S. Prior, of Nelson, conducted both services, and based the sermon for the morning on the text, " Freely ye have received, freely give." In the evening he took as his subject, "TheUnreturning Past." Special anthems were sung, and the collection was in aid of the trust fund. On Thursday the anniversary will be further continued with a soiree and lecture.