GULWORTHY Parish Church enjoyed a 'first' recently, when one of its services was held in a public house.

The annual harvest evening service was held by St Paul's within the parish at the Copper Penny Inn, Chipshop.

The pub was crowded with parishioners, both church regulars and pub regulars, who sang some hearty harvest hymns, and heard a harvest message from the priest-in-charge of the parish, the Rev Michael Brierley.

They then tucked into a buffet of local produce, and rounded off the evening with an auction of foodstuffs which had been brought to the pub from the church, which earlier in the day had been the setting for a harvest service by the children of Gulworthy School.

Mr Brierley said: 'Gulworthy Church has developed a tradition in recent years of holding services outside the church building, in other locations in the parish, to help Christians be outward-looking and engaged with people where they are.

'In fact, the idea came in the pub itself, where some members of the church were having a pint after a church council meeting — some parishioners at the bar told us of a harvest service held at the Queen's Head in Albaston.

'It sounded fantastic, so we thought we'd give it a go this side of the Tamar.'

Peter Baker, the landlord of the Copper Penny, said: 'It was great that the pub brought the community together to celebrate the harvest.'

Guy Massey, who came to the pub for the service, said: 'Curiosity got the best of me and wanting to support the community, our local pub and parish priest, I was greeted by an impressive display of local produce and flowers in the bar.

'The evening was wonderful. All the locals, and a few surprised diners, were treated to a series of rousing hymns, interspersed with prayers, humour and thought-provoking words.

'Those who would not normally attend a church service thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

'The church is to be congratulated for bringing itself into the community, and also Peter and Marion Baker for their foresight in letting them.'