Lent Lunch at Church – 26 February 2012

Continuing a tradition started several years ago, we at St Luke’s enjoyed the first of three communal ‘Lent Lunches’ after the 10:00am Eucharist service this morning. Operating on a ‘bring and share’ system, there was plenty of cheese, bread, and a choice of two soups: green pea; and lentil, pasta, and ham.

Revd Sally began at 12:30pm with a prayer from a grace cube she’d brought along, and then Roger Clarke and Sue Hinchcliffe took the bowls of soup to the tables, restricting the number of people who had to be near the kitchen. After all, too many cooks spoil the broth!

There were about thirty people who’d stayed on after the service for the luncheon, and we were joined on our table by close family friend Eileen Goford.

For dessert, little Emily had made a box of biscuits with her mum, Kate, which she helped to share around the attendees. Kate suddenly had a moment of embarrassing guilt as she realised many of the congregation members present were likely to have given up such foods for Lent. However, it was pointed out that Sundays technically do not count as part of the fast prior to Easter, so all tucked in to the shortbread.

St Luke’s: Open PCC Meeting – 4 February 2012

This morning, congregation members at St Luke’s were invited along to an ‘open PCC meeting’, held in the Parish Centre as a way of reporting back findings from the council’s November ‘away day’, but also to generate thoughts on how to move forward.

As we walked through the porch door, there was a tremendous smell of coffee and croissants, providing a relaxed start to the meeting. Revd Sally thanked everybody for coming despite the cold and the early start, and gave a brief introduction about the agenda for the rest of the meeting.

The basis for the meeting was St Luke’s strengths and weaknesses, as made obvious by a SWOT analysis completed by the PCC recently. Ultimately, it was agreed that while we’re great at charitable giving, leading Sunday Club and Sparklers activities, our ability to rise to a challenge, and our famous hospitality and cream-teas, we don’t necessarily have the most welcoming frontier and – like churches across the nation – have an aging population. This last point was disputed as a ‘weakness’: many argued strongly (and rightly, I think) that actually it can only be a benefit to have people able to come out in the day if needed.

A new ‘governing’ system with vision meetings was unveiled by Sally, with the emphasis on our slogan (In Faith, Out There). Through regular, all-inclusive mission meetings, focus planning groups (covering everything from Liturgy and Nurture, to Outreach, the Fabric, and Children) will be set up and meet simultaneously. Finally, action teams will go out and carry out the decisions as made by these planning groups.

In many ways, at first glance, it seems like a rather elaborate (perhaps overly so) plan to reform the structure of St Luke’s planning work. But actually, whilst confusing to understand, I think it may just work. In 2016, we’ll be celebrating our 150th birthday. With the guidance of God and Sally, and the determination for which so many at church are renowned, I look forward to seeing how St Luke’s will rise to the challenge of preparing itself for the next 150 years.

St Luke’s Christmas Tree Festival – 9 to 11 December 2011

Scroll down or click here to watch a video of the festival.

This weekend saw 32 church groups, local organisations, and businesses sponsor and decorate 32 Christmas trees at St Luke’s, in celebration of Christmas. The decorations that adorned each tree were unique, with the faces of the young people of St Luke’s on the Youth Church‘s one, and various landmarks in Maidenhead on the Civic Society‘s.