Harvest Home 2003

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Our churchwardens, Gilda Everson and David Dance are very busy people, with many responsibilities to ensure the smooth running of the church at St Marye Church Hall, which had been specially "autumn-cleaned", and admired the layout of sparkling white tables, flowers and flickering candles.

The evening started with what used to be called "sherry wine" and a Latin grace from the Vicar. We then sat down to a delicious first course of salmon mousse. No doubt to aid digestion each course was followed by an interlude of entertainment, with a rousing start from "the Mullens". Lloyd Mullen?s seemingly limitless supply of Irish stories produced gales of laughter because of his timing and Irish charm ? impossible to reproduce on paper; Promilla Mullen, resplendent in a red and gold dress, sang in perfect pitch her own version of a well-known spiritual ? "Nobody knows the diets I?ve seen" ? poignant and humorous at the same time.

The second course was splendid home-made steak and kidney pie and vegetables (each course was prepared by a different lady) served by Valerie Smither and her band of helpers; Valerie was in overall charge of the catering ? not an easy task in the confined space available. The entertainment slot was filled by two pieces by the Vicar; the first was a so-called sermon composed of scriptural extracts juxtaposed to produce text that was both amusing and very testing ? could the listener recognise one snippet before another was thrust upon him? The second was a modern version of the description, in the Book of Proverbs, of the ideal wife; this had originally been devised by our former Reader, Lesley Perrins, who is now an ordained minister in Woking. Both texts are available on request.

A scrumptious home-made fruit salad was followed by something equally fruity ? a rendition of "A Churchwarden?s job is such a happy one, ? happy one" by six churchwardens and ex-churchwardens; music by Sullivan, interpreted by the Vicar, words by Gilbert and by Gilda Everson.

Those of the six who could sing well also danced, and those who couldn?t still sang and waved churchwarden?s staves. The audience seemed to enjoy it but, despite the cries of "Encore" there will definitely be no repeats!

After a brief interlude for coffee, Julie Ainscough, our Director of Music, and her husband, Michael Harrold, provided the piano and vocals respectively for a spirited performance of popular songs by Flanders and Swann, for example the Hippopotamus song, "Mud, Mud, Glorious Mud", as well as songs from the Music Halls. Their efforts were enthusiastically applauded.

The well-fed parishioner thought it was all over but the lights were dimmed for a final surprise. Ron Johnson, our "octogenarian and a bit" stalwart, who was celebrating his birthday, was presented with a surprise cake, baked and decorated by a lady in the congregation. We all sang "Happy Birthday".

It had been a splendid evening of food, wine and fun and on the next day ? as is meet and right ? we gave thanks for these and other gifts of God at the Harvest Festival Services ? the procession of Harvest gifts at 9.30, the Family Service (with puppets!) at 11.00 and to close a splendid Choral Evensong given by existing and former choristers who had come together for the (now) annual Choristers? Reunion. The two days had, in their different but complementary ways, truly brought the Harvest Home to Ewell.