On Sunday 6th September we woke up to a glorious early autumn day. The first mists soon dissipated in the sunshine ready for our day of walking between the three parishes of St Mary’s Garsington, All Saint’s Cuddesdon and St Giles’ Horspath that make up the Benefice. Groups of people from Garsington and Horspath set out at 9 am from their respective churches, some going by road and others through the harrowed fields and we all met up at All Saints’ Cuddesdon for out 10 am celebration service. Bishop Humphrey Southern, the Principal of the college preached powerfully on ‘who is my neighbour’ (please see sermons) and Flossie made her presence felt with a few barks during communion. Afterwards we enjoyed coffee and cakes before walking over to Garsington for lunch. Our party consisted of a number of dogs: Lily, Lotti and Flossie. To ensure that no one was wanting, bread and cheese was provided at the St Mary’s. But it was soon added to and we enjoyed a feast in the sunshine overlooking the Wittenham clumps and the Chilterns. Lunch ended with Midday prayers from the Northumbia community and then we headed over to Horspath.
A number of us walked down blackberry lane to the fields around Horspath that we in the process of being harvested. The lane lived up to its name with Katie and Thomas picking off blackberries along the way. Those who walked or drove to St Giles’ were welcomed by a magnificent tea which we enjoyed in the afternoon sunshine after a Taize service. We finished the day by walking back along the green lane to Poplar Close and round the fields to finally reach St Mary’s once more. It had been a marvellous day of fellowship, food and enjoying the beauty of the countryside in which we live.
See gallery for more pictures of the day