A plough, milk churns and soil were presented in St Peter’s Church in Upper Arley on Sunday as farmers from across the region gathered to ask for God’s blessing on agricultural productivity in the year ahead. The items were used as symbols of the work of farmers and were brought to the traditional Plough Sunday service by young farmers from the diocese.

The service was organised by the Revd Louise Grace who is Associate Chaplain in the Chaplaincy for Agriculture and Rural Life (CARL). She said: “Plough Sunday is an old community tradition, originating from when the whole village shared one plough. This meant that all the farmers had to co-operate to be successful. The service to bless the year ahead was an important part of fostering and celebrating the spirit of community.”

Upper Arley’s congregation hosted the young farmers from across the diocese and local farming families were sent a special invitation.  The church was fairly full for the service, which was led by Canon Owain Bell. Diocesan Youth Officer, Sarah Brush was the preacher and spoke about the fact that the bible uses the image of swords into ploughshares and vice versa: changing circumstances require change. The congregation was given pipe-cleaners and were invited first to shape them into something that represented current (agricultural) reality. Then they were asked to shape them into something representing future hopes.

ENDS.

The Diocese of Worcester is one of 44 dioceses in the Church of England. It covers an area of 671 square miles and includes parishes in the County of Worcestershire, the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, and a few parishes in northern Gloucestershire, south east Wolverhampton and Sandwell.