PCC plans 2008 Away Night

Night shift at the Galtres Forest Centre

St Luke's Parochial Church Council (PCC) has unveiled its 2008 team-building exercise.

Skilled tutors including 'Lopper' Limbov (pictured) will give a full five minutes' training, if time permits

Following the successful day at Lastingham Church in 2007, this year's excursion is to be a practical trip to learn some new skills, develop a sense of mutual reliance and thin out the numbers a bit.

A coach will leave Burton Stone Lane on Tuesday 1 April and head for the heart of the extensive Galtres Forest, where York Vale Forestry (YVF) will give the PCC an experience of nocturnal tree surgery and lumberjacking.

YVF is a world leader in night-forestry techniques, developed to avoid disturbance to sensitive non-nocturnal wildlife and lucrative tourists.

Safety equipment supplied with the chainsaws includes night-vision goggles

The team of night-lumberjacks, headed by Russian ex-pat Leonid 'Lopper' Limbov, undertakes major tree surgery and logging operations through the night.

A full five minutes' training will be given to PCC members just after nightfall, before they are sent into the forest with flashlights, night vision goggles and chainsaws.

St Luke's PCC members will join the team for the start-of-shift briefing; the midnight meal break (when YVF offers a variety of hot and cold carrot-based dishes), and for the end-of-shift de-brief at the medical centre.

A taxi will return any survivors to Burton Stone Lane at sunrise.

16 March 2008

The Revd Canon Ellis Slack

Marjorie and Ellis Slack on the occasion of their Golden Wedding in December 2006

Canon Ellis Slack died on Sunday 2nd March. Ellis, with his wife, Marjorie, had been a member of St Luke's since moving to York in retirement, and the family of St Luke's has been blessed by his quiet ministry in many ways.

Ellis was born in 1923 and studied for the priesthood in Birmingham after the Second World War. He was Curate in two Leeds churches before heading south to be Vicar of St Faith's, Dulwich (south London), from 1964 to 1972. He stayed in London, at Bethnal Green, until 1979 when he moved to be a residentiary Canon at Portsmouth Cathedral, and the Bishop of Portsmouth's Chaplain for Continuing Ministerial Education - in charge of in-service training for clergy in the Portsmouth Diocese. He moved north in 1983 to spend five years as Vicar of Woodplumpton, Lancashire, and Director of Post-Ordination Training for clergy in the Blackburn Diocese. He retired in 1988.

At St Luke's we have known Ellis and Marjorie as friends and family. Ellis continued to take some of our midweek services for many years (particularly when St Luke's was between Vicars), and to preach occasionally. We already miss his sepulchral tones booming out the responses from near the back of church on a Sunday morning.

Our prayers are particularly with Marjorie; with their son Stephen and his wife Karen; with their daughter Catherine, her husband Andrew and children Oliver, Rebecca, Pippa and Eleanor; and with their foster son Tony and his partner - also Tony.

Thanks be to God for Ellis Slack; for his years of faithful ministry; for the family he loved and the church he served. We know he will rest in peace, and rise in glory.

• Ellis Slack's funeral was at St Luke's on the afternoon of the 12th March.

12 March 2008

Walk the Walk: St Luke's Lent Course 2008

Guide book and compass - and food for the journey

The Revd Dr Andrew Village

St Luke's 2008 Lent Course, Walk the Walk, has continued with its theme of our spiritual journey through life.

On the 27th February we thought about the 'Guide Book and Compass' on our journey - the Bible and the Holy Spirit. We were given some powerful food for thought by one of our own number who is a keen user of real guidebooks and compasses - Andy Village, who joined St Luke's with his wife Liz in 2007, finally revealed his true identity as the Revd Dr Andrew Village, lecturer in theology at York St John University.

Andy set us some interesting challenges in different ways of looking at one or two 'difficult' passages in the Bible, helping to show us how we can get different things from the same passage by looking at it in different lights, and underlining the importance of prayer and the Holy Spirit in applying what we read in scripture to our everyday life.

On the 4th March our topic was 'Food for the Journey' - the role of the Eucharist in sustaining us for our material and spiritual life. We reflected on the way that the whole Eucharist service (or Holy Communion, the Lord's Supper, the Breaking of Bread or whatever we like to call it) feeds us in so many ways, and sustains us for the journey of the next week or day ahead.

• All are welcome to the final session, from 7.30pm to 9.00pm in St Luke's Church on Wednesday 12 March: the Revd Canon John Young speaks on Journey's End.

10 March 2008

Walk the Walk: St Luke's Lent Course 2008

Margaret Sentamu dumps the excess baggage;
David Wilbourne sees us on our way

The Revd David Wilbourne

Canon Margaret Sentamu and the Revd David Wilbourne got St Luke's 2008 Lent Course, Walk the Walk, under way on the 13th and 20th February.

Canon Margaret Sentamu

David Wilbourne, Vicar of Helmsley and former Chaplain to Archbishops of York Habgood and Hope, shared his experience of them and other Archbishops as companions on his own spiritual journey, and invited us to think about who might accompany and encourage us - and who we might encourage in turn.

All are welcome to the sessions, from 7.30pm to 9.00pm in St Luke's Church Hall on Shipton Street or in the Church.

• Weds 27 February: the Revd Dr Andrew Village speaks on Guidebook and Compass.

26 February 2008

David and Rachel Wilbourne are rumoured to be looking at this site with an eye to setting up something similar for Helmsley Parish.
Hello if you're there, either Wilbourne...

Walk the Walk: St Luke's Lent Course 2008

Walk the Walk: St Luke's Lent Course 2008

St Luke's 2008 Lent Course, 'Walk the Walk', takes up the theme of the Christian's lifelong journey towards God, with five guest speakers.

All are welcome to the sessions, from 7.30pm to 9.00pm in St Luke's Church Hall on Shipton Street.

• Weds 13 February: Canon Margaret Sentamu speaks on Excess Baggage?



• Weds 20 February: the Revd David Wilbourne (Vicar of Helmsley) speaks on Fellow Travellers



• Weds 27 February: the Revd Dr Andrew Village (Lecturer in theology at York St John University) speaks on Guide Book & Compass



• Tues 4 March: speaker to be announced, Food for the Journey



• Weds 12 March: the Revd Canon John Young (writer and evangelist) speaks on Journey's End

11 February 2008

Return to the Forbidden Planet

Forbidden Planet rehearsal photos now on line

A selection of photos of rehearsals for 'Return to the Forbidden Planet', the 2008 production at St Luke's by the Sunnydene Players, can now be viewed on line.

They are in a Picasaweb Album at http://picasaweb.google.com/sunnydeneplayers.

Captain Tempest at lift-off

The album includes early rehearsals in the church hall during the autumn of 2007 right up to the dress rehearsal on Tuesday 5th February.

There is also a selection of rehearsal pictures from the 2007 (A Night At The Movies) and 2006 (Salad Days) productions.

Other pictures from this and previous years may be added in due course.

Return to the Forbidden Planet

Forbidden Planet populated by Vicars???

Vicar of St Luke's Steve Benford

'Return to the Forbidden Planet', the 7/8/9 February production at St Luke's by the Sunnydene Players, features two priests, one of whom has caught the eye of the Yorkshire Post today.

Steve Benford, Vicar of St Luke's, is Bosun Arras of the Starship Albatross - a cheeky chappy in a bright red uniform and full of handy hints for the lovelorn ship's cook.

Steve is the fourth Vicar of St Luke's to be dragged onto the stage by the Sunnydene Players, but he seems to be handling it with very good grace.

Archdeacon Emeritus George Austin

George Austin, the redoubtable and outspoken Archdeacon of York who retired in 1999 and became a member of St Luke's with his wife Bobbie, makes four cameo appearances on video, as a newsreader with the (admittedly hopeless) task of explaining the plot.

Maybe it's familiar territory for a senior churchman to be given the job of explaining what's going on while a bunch of confused and well-meaning individuals make mayhem in the background....

The Yorkshire Post reported George's latest venture into theatre today, describing our friend as a 'church hardliner' - click HERE to read the story.

Come along and see St Luke's Performing Parsons for yourself!

Performances are at 7.30pm on Thursday 7th, Friday 8th and Saturday 9th February, with
an additional matinée at 3.00pm on Saturday, in St Luke's Church.

Tickets £6 (£5 concessions) from The Sewing & Knitting Machine Centre (01904 655751) on Burton Stone Lane, or on the door subject to availability.

6 February 2008

Return to the Forbidden Planet

Return to the Forbidden Planet

The Sunnydene Players, St Luke's own performers, present Shakespeare's* lost Rock Musical at 7.30pm on Thursday 7th and Friday 8th, and at 3.00pm and 7.30pm on Saturday 9th February 2008.

(*with help from Bob Carlton)

Sunnydene's 21st annual production, Return to the Forbidden Planet is probably the most ambitious yet, with technical effects and dazzling performances to make your eyes water.

You’re one of the crew of the Starship Albatross, exploring the Universe under Captain Tempest, when the ship runs into a spot of bother and a lot of asteroids.

Your new Science Officer does a bunk and nicks off with your last shuttlecraft just when you most need her help, and before you know it you’ve been dragged down to a crash landing on some alien planet by a mad scientist.

The Science Officer turns out to be an arch-baddy, the mad scientist accidentally makes a murderous monster appear, and half your fellow crew members fall in love with the mad scientist’s daughter.

Can things get any worse?

To find out, book your seats now: tickets £6 (£5 concessions) from The Sewing & Knitting Machine Centre (01904 655751) on Burton Stone Lane, or on the door subject to availability.

5 February 2008

The Revd Sue Richardson

Welcome home Sue

It was a great pleasure on Sunday 20th January to welcome the Revd Sue Richardson, Vicar of St Oswald's Middlesbrough, to preside and preach at St Luke's Sunday morning Parish Communion service.

Sue grew up in St Luke's parish and began coming to church in her teens. Her mum, Dot, is still a regular member of St Luke's congregation.

She was ordained Deacon in 1987 and Priest in 1994, and has been at St Oswald's since 1999. Her last visit to St Luke's was to preach at the invitation of St Luke's previous Vicar, the Revd Tim Gill, about six or seven years ago.

Let's make sure it's not so long next time!

22 January 2008

St Luke's is a Fairtrade Church

St Luke's has now been granted the status of a Fairtrade Church

The PCC (Parochial Church Council) has conformed that we use Fairtrade tea and coffee for all meetings and after services, and are committed to moving forward on using other Fairtrade products (such as sugar, choolate and fruit)

We will also participate in raising awareness of fair trade through events such as The Big Brew and Fairtrade Fortnight (25 February to 9 March).

Please look out for details of this year's Fairtrade Forthnight in coming weeks.

For further information please speak to Helen Warry - you can send a message using the 'contact us' button on the left.

21 January 2008

A mighty throng of angels

Welcome to the new-born King

St Luke's 2007 Crib Service with Christingles had a bit more to it than usual.

The star-studded cast

This year's calendar made it impossible to stage the usual musical nativity perfomance, so instead there was a bit of dramatic input into the Christmas Eve family service.

Just as he has done throughout Christian history, the Prophet Isaiah burst in to wake us all up to what was going on.

Then shepherds appeared, with Mary and Joseph. to bring to life a story so familiar we may sometimes forget to notice how huge it is - how God himself chose to come and be one of us, born as a helpless baby to poor parents in the worst of circumstances.

The new St Luke's (scratch!) Orchestra

The heavenly choir of angels appeared, looking very slightly like members of St Luke's Junior Choir, and the whole occasion was accompanied by St Luke's own orchestra making its first - unexpected - appearance!

Thanks to Alison Bayliss' powers of persuasion, Alison Morse, on piano as usual, found herself surrounded by two saxophones, flute, clarinet, violin and two cellos.

The service ended with the distribution of Christingles and the enticing smells of candle wax and orange juice.

Our thanks go as ever to all those who worked so hard to make this - and all St Luke's Christmas services this year - so prayerful and so memorable a celebration of God's greatest gift to every one of us.

6 January 2008

Explorers get in the mood

St Luke's Explorers get Christmas going the way they mean to go on

St Luke's Explorers finished their term by showing the way they meant to go on through Christmas - with a party.

Explorers include people from school years three to six and they meet on a Friday night from 5.30 to 6.15.

As you can see, the end-of-term Christmas party was a very solemn occasion.

Find out more about Explorers by telephoning Lynn Comer on York 656295.

6 January 2008

'Christmas at St Luke's': £7.99

Tell Out the News!
St Luke's choir and organ greet the new-born Saviour

Bring the sounds of St Luke's home with you for Christmas!

A new CD, 'Christmas at St Luke's', features the choir and organ in a selection of music to celebrate the birth of Jesus, and it's sold at £7.99 to help St Luke's Music Fund.

It's a great present for anyone who knows or enjoys visiting St Luke's - and a credit to the work of Musical Director Alison Morse, regular guest organist Peter Fletcher, and singers young and old(er).

St Luke's Junior Choir sing 'Away in a Manger' and Ted Comer sings the solo part in 'Three Kings from Persian Lands Afar'.

Thanks are due as well to Andrew Metcalfe for the tekky stuff and Mark Comer for the sleeve and CD design (left).

What's on it?

1 Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme – (Sleepers wake, a voice is calling), Chorale Prelude BWV 645, JS Bach
2 O Little Town of Bethlehem – Eng Trad. arr. Vaughan Williams, descant by Thomas Armstrong
3 Good King Wenceslas – from Piae Cantiones arr. Reginald Jacques
4 Tell Out The News – Jan Holdstock (c) OUP
5 Torches – John Joubert (c) Novello and Co Ltd
6 The Shepherds’ Farewell – Hector Berlioz (c) Novello and Co Ltd
7 Silent Night – Franz Gruber arr. T Crampton
8 Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her – (From Heaven above to earth I come), Chorale Prelude BWV 606, JS Bach
9 Hark The Herald Angels Sing – Felix Mendelssohn, descant by David Willcocks
10 Ding Dong Merrily On High – 16th century French, Harmony by Charles Wood
11 Star Carol - John Rutter (C) OUP
12 Away In A Manger – WJ Kirkpatrick
13 Nun komm’ der Heiden Heiland – (Come, Redeemer of our race), Chorale Prelude BWV 599, JS Bach
14 Three Kings From Persian Lands Afar – Peter Cornelius arr. Ivor Atkins
15 O Come All Ye Faithful – 18th century anon, arr. David Willcocks
16 In Dulci Jubilo – (In Dulci Jubilo, Let us our homage show), Chorale Prelude BWV 729, JS Bach

OK - so how do I get hold of it?

'Christmas at St Luke's' costs £7.99 before post and packing - if you're at St Luke's on a Sunday morning, speak to Jenny Carter-Shaw, or otherwise use the 'contact us' button on the left to drop us a line with your phone number and we'll sort it out with you!

"Sing praises to the Lord for he has done gloriously: let this be known in all the earth."
Isaiah 12:5

18 December 2007

Sentamu scores at St Luke's

Ten City players with their Manager, their Patron, and Steve Benford and Lynn Comer of St Luke's

St Luke's was full up on the evening of the 12th December for the annual York City Football Club Carol Service.

This year we were delighted to welcome City's recently-recruited Patron - none other than Dr John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York.

Dr Sentamu was making his first public appearance since dramatically cutting up his dog-collar on television last Sunday as a protest against Robert Mugabe's regime in Zimbabwe.

St Luke's Choir was in fine voice and City fielded a number of readers during the candle-lit service.

It was good to begin the celebrations of the birth of Jesus with our next-door neighbours and we look forward to welcoming City back next year.

14 December 2007

Grapevine is published and distributed around the parish by St Luke's four times a year.

You can click HERE or on the cover (left) to view the latest Grapevine if you have Adobe Reader on your PC*. It may be a lengthy download - but what price quality?

Alternatively, collect one from the church on Sunday or use the Contact Us button on the left to ask us to send you a copy, if there are any spares.

*You can download Adobe Reader and install it on your PC for free to view Grapevine and many other documents. Click the button:

12 December 2007

St Luke's is January!

Windsor Castle, sucessfully invaded by St Luke's on the 27th November 2007

As a finalist in the 2007 Ecclesiastical Insurance competition for the best church fundraising idea, St Luke's sent a small team to Windsor Castle on the 27th November to celebrate with the other finalists, collect a cheque for £100 towards St Luke's Music Fund, and get a preview of the 2008 Ecclesiastical Insurance calendar... in which St Luke's is January!

The calendar is sent to all the churches insured by Ecclesiastical - which is 95% of the Church of England's sixteen thousand.

St Luke's has been given 150 copies to sell to boost the Music Fund at £3.00 each - speak to the Vicar or use contact us from the menu on the right if you'd like one (or more).

Strictly X-Factor Idol 2007 - lest we forget...

St Luke's bright idea was, of course, Strictly X-Factor Idol 2007, staged on the 19th May this year.

The competition judges picked it out as one of twelve finalists from over 100 entries. Perhaps it will catch on and the Church of England will be blessed by a wave of Strictly X-Factor Idol 2008s - but not, we understand, at St Luke's.

Once was enough!

1 December 2007