Genre: Opinion/Argumentation

Autumn / Fall around the house .... and church To be honest, here in Ireland there is now a whole lot of seasonal decorating beyond Christmas . I am probably the exception to the rule, as I have embraced Valentines Decor, Spring/Easter Decor , Beach/summer decor and of course Fall/Autumn decor. Consequently, available and affordable seasonal products (beyond Christmas) are not readily available in local shops, if you are going beyond Halloween fake spiders and cobwebs. This year I wanted to add a new item of autumn home decor, and found this twiggy pumpkin on ebay. So, to date,here it the total sum of my autumn decor so far ....... ta da.......! and another view ..... of it sitting on our hearth. In the coming weeks I will no doubt add a bowl of autumnal crispy leaves, pine cones and conkers. However, our church ( Seymour Street Methodist, Lisburn )  has a traditional Harvest Service and Harvest Supper at this time of the year, and the church is beautifully decorated This post then seems the perfect opportunity to share the creative talents of my friend, Heather, and her talented team. The overall theme of the displays was thankfulness for God's creation and being good stewards of what we have been given. Each window had it's own mini display, with an appropriate verse, and often some thought provoking statistic about how we waste the earth's resources. Join me on a tour of Seymour Street Methodist, Lisburn. This was the dairy themed window The display included a traditional hand-churn, which some of the older ladies told me they used to make butter and cream many years ago. There was one window display which included a knitted tea cosy, and a dainty cake stand. There was a more contemporary display of breads and grain, with "WASTE" spelled out in toast! The combination of the natural beauty and colours, and the old stain glass windows and pews make a beautiful contrast. In case you are wondering - these photos were taken about an hour before the morning service. An hour later the church was packed, with extra seats needed in the aisles. I will leave you with the display at the front of the church, and our Harvest banner In case you are wondering about the what happens to all the fruit, vegetables, flowers and other produce, after the Harvest celebration they are distributed to the elderly, sick and families in need in our local community. Do you decorate your home, or church, at this time of year? I would love to know, so please share in the comments below. 2 comments: I think that pumpkin is sweet - there are some fantastic displays at the farms in our area, I've not even had time to photograph them this year, and as my husband who does not "get it" - he reminds me I've photographed the same scenes every year for the past five to ten... but to me my interest is renewed each year and I find myself wanting to "hold on to it" all the more via photos.