On 16 October St. Alban’s celebrates its Harvest Festival, when we give thanks for all that God’s creation provides for us.  Traditionally we bring gifts of food to church to symbolise the fruits of the harvest. However, rather than piling pumkins up in front of the altar we try to think in more practical terms about the food that the homeless in the city of Strasbourg need.  For many years now we have supported the Breakfast Programme of the Salvation Army: several times a week they serve breakfast to those who have no roof over their head or no opportunity to buy or prepare food for themselves.  Generally about 70 people come to these breakfasts and  have at least one decent meal a day.  So at Harvest Festival all of us are asked to bring something suitable for breakfast to church: cereal, coffee, tea, UHT milk, sugar, jam, bread, apples, oranges (nothing too perishable).  These gifts will be blessed and then taken to the Salvation Army, who very much appreciate  St. Alban’s harvest donations.