Paul 'Spinner' Smith on the Tombola barrel

Four hundred quid and a good time had by all

The autumn coffee morning in St Luke's Church Hall on the 12th November felt a bit like a Christmas Fair...

If Ann and Pearly don't want this to look like a Christmas Fair, they'll have to try harder than that!

These occasions, masterminded by Pauline Wright, are first and foremost a way of bringing the church family together on a Saturday morning for a cup of coffee and a laugh together.

But there's more to it than that - it's a showcase for our talented bunch of bakers, and a place to pick up a bargain or two along the way.

And if it's excitement you're after, the Tombola and Raffle get the adrenaline flowing! Paul Smith's wrist action with the Tombola barrel is poetry in motion - some people will buy tickets just to watch his technique.

Stop for a chat - if you can BEAR it

Word has obviously spead that this is the place to be, because there was a queue to get in by the time the doors opened at half past ten. For a modest 50p you get your drink and a biscuit, and a chance to catch up with some of those people you wave to day after day. What a bargain.

Moira and Eileen doing brisk business at the bakery stall

It just so happened that by the end, about four hundred pounds had been raised for St Luke's church funds, which is very welcome with the Christmas services looming up on the horizon.

Our thanks to Pauline and her team for another great morning - and it's good too to have an unexpected cake stall running in the Church Hall after Sunday's 9.30pm Parish Eucharist!

Top: Wendy is the fastest draw in the west. Lower: Lesley challenges David to another picture

What a song and dance... and draw, and quiz, and supper...

On the weekend of the 15th and 16th October we celebrated St Lukestide, our patronal festival (celebrating St Luke).

Top: Simon (right) and Mark feed the multitude. Lower: the multitude they fed!

On Sunday morning we marked St Luke's day with a special Eucharist service led by our own adult and children's choirs, but the previous evening it was party time.

After a couple of picture quizzes and word games there was a chance to demonstrate our drawing skills as teams raced to guess what the 15 items were on Lesley's 'little list'. Here is Wendy (left) in action, surrounded by puzzled faces and David finding out his next picture challenge from organiser Lesley.

How better to work up an appetite than to put our best feet forward for a few barn dances - mostly left feet unfortunately. Simon ensured we dined in style (right) - and what a selection of sweets!

Top: Team Tyler look terrible... Lower: ...but the fearsome Willis Foursome won

As a more sedate activity after eating more than our fill, our very own University Challenge quizmaster Peter gave our two teams their starters for 20. Team Turner battled with the Willis foursome - is David in despair (below left) or just looking for divine inspiration? - but whatever it was they won!

Alison tickles the ivories for Edward and Jess on vocals

An excellent evening was brought to a close with some community singing led by Alison on the piano, and we also enjoyed the vocal dexterity of Jess and Edward (right) as they sang a few songs to us. One of these gave us a foretaste of next year's Sunnydene Players show - Salad Days - staged in St Luke's Church Hall on 23rd, 24th and 25th February 2006 (tickets available in January - see the next edition of Grapevine magazine for more details).

The weekend included St Luke's annual Gift Day, and we would like to thank everyone who made this event so successful once again - and indeed all those who worked so hard for the events over the two days.

Top - St Luke's with that trophy again, and organiser John Eckersley applauds behind. Lower - another classic team photo.

Oh NO - not again...

Heslington Inter-Church Football Tournament October 9th 2005

It’s that time again to pull on the shirts and lace up the boots for the footy at Heslington Church.

Nine intrepid souls met to do combat with nine other soccer teams full of superstars on the field of battle. What would happen? Would it be victory or defeat? No one would know until the final whistle.

I had promised myself I would not get ‘worked up’ and end up with an almighty headache at the end. So armed with paracetamol we ventured forward. The weather was kind to us, not too hot and not too cold.

It was nip and tuck as the matches were played. Our large support kept telling me “we are 1 point ahead, we are 3 points ahead”. This was not helping my headache or blood pressure.

Even when the team went a goal down they fought back and did themselves proud as did all the teams involved.

In the end St Luke’s won. It was a testament to the willingness of everyone to play together to get the result they wanted. I’m sure, Steve, there’s a sermon in there somewhere.

It was nice to meet people again that now have become friends and to see the kids playing and, hopefully, enjoying themselves.

For the record, played 9, won 8, drew 1, scored 18 and conceded 3.

Thanks again to John and Nancy Eckersley for an enjoyable afternoon. The next tournament is April 2nd 2006 so come and support your kids.

Now, Wendy, where is the Paracetamol????????

Beetles? We love them, yeah yeah yeah

St Luke's Mothers' Union organised the umpteenth annual Beetle Drive on the 17th September.

Unbearable tension

The point of the Beetle Drive is...

...well, it's a laugh - and it raises a few quid for the MU to keep doing its job of encouragement and fellowship for women in the church.

It's very simple. You throw a dice to win bits of a beetle, and when you've got all the bits of the beetle you shout "BEETLE" and then it starts again until the excitement becomes too much and then the person with the most beetle bits wins a large bar of chocolate (and a dustpan and brush?).

Well done David. More power to all six of your elbows.

Please note that no beetles are harmed in the course of this event...

WORK! - It might purify the soul - but it certainly keeps the church and hall in order...

'Knock and it shall be opened to you' - unless it gets stuck, of course...

Saturday 10th September saw another St Luke's Graft day, with 30-odd people (some of us very odd indeed) working on the church, hall and grounds.

Anything that didn't move got polished; coping stones were cemented back onto outside walls; drain covers were fitted; barge boards were sanded; stuck doors (like slaves) were freed.

St Luke's is much, much more than a couple of buildings, but in looking after the premises we help to build up the family of the church while honouring God with the work we do. Come along to the next one if you can do anything from making tea to bricklaying.

STONED AGAIN!
Goliath bites the dust one more time to end Activity Week...

Young David is armed to the teeth by the Israelite army, but...

This year's St Luke's Activity Week for children aged 4 to 11 ended on Sunday 28 August with an encore in church of the downfall of one of the great bullies of history - Goliath.

All the week's themes of knights and castles and masters and servants came together in the Bible's story of the battles between the Israelites and the Philistines.

...David prefers to face Goliath with just his sling and his trust in God...

Goliath was the Philistines' secret weapon - a terrible fierce giant of a warrior who frightened the Israelite army and his own Philistine side too!

The Israelites knew they would never win their war unless they could take on Goliath, but he was just too scary. All the Israelite soldiers came up with good reasons whey they couldn't fight Goliath - some of them had notes from their mums to say they weren't well. How on earth could they get rid of this awful warrior?

...and sure enough, David's trust is enough - Goliath takes a slingshot straight between the eyes and that's the end of him.

Well, fortunately for them young David popped up and volunteered. Hastily he was given armour and weapons that he could hardly lift, but he said he wanted none of that - just his trusty sling, a small stone, and his trust in God.

Goliath roared, David prayed and slung his stone, and that was the end of Goliath. God's servant trusted his master, and his master took care of him.

But why were Mark Reilly and Goliath never seen together? Hmmm?

Joust a Minute! - St Luke's Activity Week 2005

Once again, St Luke's has turned itself inside out and upside down for its annual Activity Week for local kids aged 4 to 11.

Fester's jokes - thumbs up, or thumbs down?

A huge turnout by many of the grown-up and older youngsters is keeping around eighty children happy and busy, and learning about how God wants us to be servants to one another - not like the stroppy servants and dodgy masters in the daily dramas of castle life!

Confused? You would be!

It's not helped by Fester the Jester loping around making terrible, terrible jokes instead of trying to get a bit of dignity back into matters.

The King listens carefully to A Peasant

The whole place is full of cardboard and Copydex, sand and Sellotape, helmets and havoc.

Each day begins and ends with a drama of castle life played out on a stage across the front of the Church, and closes with a song and a prayer.

We pray:

ArcLight Hostel for Shipton Street? Seeking God's will

ArcLight, the hostel for homeless people in York set up by St Thomas' Church and now located beside the National Railway Museum, is looking for a larger site. One possibility is the currently disused Shipton Street School, a few doors away from St Lukes' Church and Hall.

People from many backgrounds can find themselves with nowhere to live for many reasons.

ArcLight will be holding an Information Evening in St Luke's Church Hall on August 16 from 4.30pm - 8.30pm to provide information about ArcLight and possible architects plans about how the former Shipton Street School might look if it were the adopted new premises site. This is not a "Public Meeting" in the sense of it being a forum for debate - however it will allow you the chance to talk to representatives of the project board, other project partners, as well as ArcLight staff and residents.

There are a number of petitions doing the rounds at the moment and clearly both individual members of the congregation and the PCC will want to voice their thoughts and concerns. Please do come along on the 16th so that you can be informed, rather than relying on the leaks and opinions in the Evening Press. Whether or not ArcLight become our neighbours, the work that they do is vital and a core vehicle for our Christian witness amongst those whom Jesus called us to serve:

“‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’…

“‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’”

Matthew 25 35-40

Alpha is back

The next course at St Luke’s will be starting on Sunday 4th September. We will be meeting each Sunday afternoon at 4.00pm in the Church Hall and “afternoon tea” of sandwiches and cakes etc. will be provided.

Please can you PRAY for this ministry and for those who will attend and INVITE anyone that you feel might be interested in discovering the basics of Christianity and God’s purpose for their life.

Gareth outside York Minster after his Ordination

A "Puppy Vicar": Gareth's big day -
Ordained Deacon in York Minster

Long-standing St Luke's member Gareth Wardell was ordained Deacon by the Bishop of Hull in York Minster on Sunday morning, the 26th June 2005.

All 22 candidates with assorted bishops, and (extreme left) York Minster Chancellor Canon Glyn Webster, Vicar of St Lukes 1981 - 1992. Gareth is the 11th blob from the right!

Gareth's journey to ordination has taken him as a mission worker to some of the poorest and most devastated countries of the world including Nepal and post-Taliban Afghanistan, so his new job as Curate at Selby Abbey should be all in a day's work. As a Deacon he will lead various services and acts of worship, but he will be unable to preside at Holy Communion until he is ordained Priest, probably in the summer of 2006.

Marjorie Sharp's spread for lunch in St Luke's Church Hall

He was one of 22 people ordained in the York Diocese this year, aged from 25 up to 67 - a list that showed the variety of people called by God to His service. He was ordained by the Bishop of Hull because for the moment there's no Archbishop of York until Dr John Sentamu arrives from Birmingham later this year.

After the service, Gareth and his family and friends were welcomed home for a celebration lunch in St Luke's Church Hall, courtesy as ever of Marjorie Sharp. In his words of thanks for the lunch and for the support and prayers of St Luke's over many years, Gareth told how his young nephew had commented that when Gareth got to be a Vicar he would be able to wear a Dog Collar - so while he was learning he would be a "Puppy Vicar"!

We assure Gareth that as he begins his new life and ministry in Selby he will never be far from our prayers.

A half night of prayer - our parish and our pipe organ

Prayer and calm in St Luke's on a June evening

Friday 24th June saw the door of St Luke’s thrown open for a "half night of prayer". There were two main topics on the agenda – mission and witness in the relatively newly adopted parts of the parish and how to raise £30,000 to give the organ a good overhaul and keep it in tune for another 100 years.

The evening began with Evening Prayer and concluded with Night Prayer at 10:30 (for the insomniacs!). People dropped in and out during the evening, staying for as long or short a time as they wished.

In a departure from usual St Luke’s practice there were a number of prayer stations hosting "prayer starters" sited around the church building. In one place there was a photographic montage depicting all the streets in the parish, in another a pile of hymn books, another an area where people could draw or write their prayers and thoughts.

For those who found all the silence a bit too much there was an audio visual presentation too. All these focussed around where God is leading us and how we can fulfil our role in the parish.

The un-stoppable St Luke's seven with their trusty Trainer - and the trophy that's getting to be very familiar!

LUKEWASH! Heslington Inter-Church Football Tournament
June 19th - Fathers' Day 2005

It was a very hot day as 10 teams from different churches and organisations kicked off the latest Under 13s Five-a-Side tournament. John Eckersley, the organiser and father of this get together could not have imagined such a continuing response to his brain-child.

St Luke's Church had won the trophy twice and come second in the last three meetings after many times in the wilderness. It was with trepidation that they kicked off. As each match passed it became clear that the winners would come from one of two teams, St Luke's being one of those teams. Heat and exhaustion would play a major factor in the closely fought outcome. But St Luke's had their lucky football kit of green and black on!

In the end the seven boys of St Luke's were victorious in their quest to regain the trophy. It was a close run thing but when you play 9, win 9, draw or lose 0, score 22 goals and concede 0, the outcome was ours.

I think one of the outstanding moments was James Smith and his "I want to score a goal so can I go up front?" In the end he scored four. There was no single superstar but seven.

Here is looking to the next tournament and long may it continue.

Scrubbing chairs in a posture of prayer...

St Luke's Graft Day
11 June 2005

Lorraine and a Triffid in mortal combat - she won.

One of St Luke's occasional fettle-up days brought around thirty people together on a warm June Saturday.

Huge quantities of muck and gunge were cleaned from floors, furniture and fittings by an enthusiastic all-age workforce, and outdoors wasn't forgotten either. The Church Hall floor was raked (apparently that's what you do to carpets like that) and shampooed, and we discovered that the carpet laid nearly a decade ago in memory of parishioner June Jones was coloured after all!

'It's a pulpit, Jim, but not as we know it...'

It was a good day for toys: an industrial-sized carpet cleaner, the church's own floor polishing machine that's first cousin to a Dalek, and a steam squirter that sounds like Darth Vader and rearranges the grime on some of our chairs. There were ladders and mops, vacuum cleaners and dusters, cans of polish and toothbrushes (yes, toothbrushes).

The flower beds don't get like that by themselves, you know...

These days happen once or twice a year.Those who turn up can be found jobs suitable for all ages and abilities, and enjoy a good lunch thanks to Marjorie Sharp. At the end of it we've spent time together to keep our Church spick and span to honour the God we serve and worship here.