HARVEST THANKSGIVING SERVICES.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2187, 28 February 1881, Page 3

HARVEST THANKSGIVING SER VICES.

ST. MICHAEL’S. This church was prettily decorated yesterday, in commemoration of the festive season. The Holy Communion was celebrated at halfpast 8 o’clock a.m., and a midday choral service was held, when the Rev. Mr Stack preached ; in the evening a choral service, the Bev. Mr Penny preaching. This evening, at halt'past seven, there will be a shortened form of evensong, and an address will be delivered by the Bev. A. W. Hands. The services above-named included appropriate anthems and hymns. This evening there will bo full choral service and an organ recital. ST. LUKE’S. The harvest thanksgiving services at St. Luke’s were very effectively rendered yesterday. The decorations of the church were neatly designed and carried out with great taste. The chancel pillars were spirally wreathed with toi toi, corn, and flowers, intermingled, and the choristers’ stalls were also appropriately decorated with the same material. In front of the stalls, lining the way to the Communion rails, was a nice collection of pot plants, the immediate approaches to which were flanked with sheaves of corn, A trophy of the gifts of Cores filled in with choice truits, was displayed in front of the Holy Table. Two very beautiful crosses of toi toi and geranium blooms were also displayed. The (font was appropriately decked with fruit and flowers. The services, which were fully choral, were specially selected for the occasion, and were well attended. ST. MABY’S, MEEIYALE. Harvest thanksgiving was observed in this church yesterday, the decorations being very pretty. The building was hung with bannerclts and sacred emblems, whilst the holy table was sot out with cut blooms, wheat ears, Ac., the choir stalls being decorated with grass, and the font forming a pyramid of fruit, interspersed with roses, liliutn blossoms, wheat ears, at a. The morning service was conducted by the incumbent, the Bev. T. Elavel, assisted by the Bev. H. Glasson, and was of a Festival character, opening with Hymn 382 A. and M.; the anthem selected being Waring’s “Sing Praises to God,” which was effectively rendered by the choir, Mrs Barry taking the solo in a very able manner. The special Psalms selected for the service were 65 and 104. An appropriate sermon was preached by the Bev. H. Glasson from Gen. viii., 22 v.; the Hymn before the sermon being 383 A. and M. At evensong the Bev. T. Flavel officiated, and the service was again opened with Hymn 382,'A, and M., the anthem being also repeated. The sermon was preached by the incumbent, who took for his text, “ Giving thanks to God always for all things.” Tdo service was brought to a close with Hymn 363 A. and M. eangToraT The harvest thanksgiving service was held ia the parish church, Rangiora, on Friday evening las’. The clergymen present were the Venerable Archdeacon Dudley, incumbent ; Reverends T. H. Gossett, curate, O. J. Merlon, B. B. Otway, G. P. Merton and Deacon. The church was very prettily and tastefully decorated with fruits, cereals and flowers. The service was full choral, under the precontcrship of Mr O. Merton, whose choir rendered the anthem “ Thou Yisitest ” with marked effect. The congregation was both largo and attentive. The offertory was in aio of the Ohurch Sunday School Library.