TWO new members of the St Eustachius Church team in Tavistock will be introduced to the congregation at this Sunday's harvest celebration.

Lay readers Sue Tucker and Wendy Roderick will be present at the 9.45am service. Mrs Tucker is transferring to Tavistock after many years of service in the Roborough team and Mrs Roderick is beginning her reader ministry in Tavistock.

Lay readers are authorised to preach, take non-communion services in church, and assist in pastoral care and visiting. They are the most 'up front' ministry that laypeople can undertake.

The Rev Michael Brierley, priest-in-charge of Tavistock and Gulworthy, said this week: 'We've been hoping and praying to expand our staff team for almost three years, and now, wonderfully, like buses, two are coming along all at once.'

The two new readers are very excited about joining the staff at Tavistock Parish Church.

Mrs Tucker said: 'I've heard such a lot about what the churches do in Tavistock, Gulworthy and Brent Tor, and I'm hugely looking forward to playing my part.'

She will be bringing to the job her experience as part-time rural officer for the church in Devon.

Mrs Roderick, who works full-time with the children and young people department of Plymouth City Council, and who is the youngest reader being admitted in Devon this year, said: 'The people of these parishes have already made me so welcome as I've been waiting for this weekend.

'I am really chuffed that I'm being given the opportunity to serve them.'

Mrs Roderick will be preaching for the first time at the special harvest festival evensong service in the parish church this Sunday at 6pm.

This Sunday's 9.45am celebration will also be the first time that the curate, the Rev Tim Treanor, takes a service of holy communion after his ordination by the Bishop of Plymouth in Tavistock last Sunday.

To mark the occasion, the guest preacher will be the Ven Mike Edson, former archdeacon of Leicester.

There will be the usual thanksgiving for the year's harvest, to which parishioners are invited to bring produce for the Shekinah mission to the homeless in Plymouth, especially tinned meat and cooking sauces, which are particularly needed.

After the service, all parishioners are invited to bring a plate of food to the shared harvest lunch in the parish centre, at noon for 12.30 pm, when there will be the opportunity to enjoy Mr Treanor's first Sunday as a priest, and meet the two new readers.

'It's going to be quite a Sunday', said Mr Brierley. 'Absolutely everyone is welcome to join us.'