THERE was a packed congregation at Crediton Methodist Church on Sunday, September 30 for the Harvest Festival.

The church was beautifully decorated and there were lots of donations, mainly tinned and dried foods which will be taken to the Crediton Food Bank to support those people in our town who are struggling to make ends meet.

Fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers were donated to people who can no longer get to church.

The World Church group organised the service with information and a video from the charity All We Can (formerly known as Methodist Relief and Development).

The theme was “Let Your Light Shine” on a project in Malawi. Some 85 per cent of the population of Malawi work in agriculture, but only 30 per cent contribute to Malawi’s national income.

The rest try to grow crops for their own use but struggle to feed their families mainly due to drought. Fifty per cent of the population live below the international poverty level.

All We Can’s project Let Your Light Shine is to use solar panels which produce electricity to power irrigation pumps allowing farmers to grow crops and not only feed their own families but contribute to the wealth of their villages.

A collection for All We Can was taken during the service.

Following the service, some 50 people stayed for a delicious lunch served by church member, Gill Sutton, with help from her friend.

Bronwyn Nott