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Epiphany
The answer you weren’t looking for
The way you went by mistake
The known unknown you never knew
Til it was staring you in the face
Arrives just after you give up
No formula or calculation
The star, the sky, the vaguest hunch
No map marks this destination
Emerges slowly as morning
Dawns on you like a new day
As if all your previous light was dark
And all of the dark made this way.
Martin
Associate Vicar
Dear St. Luke’s
Thank you for your wonderful gifts to Sophie and me - not only the presents you presented us with on Sunday (which were amazing!) but also for your love support and encouragement over these 4 years - I am only sorry to be leaving you at such an exciting stage in our community’s life.
The heat pump is operational - the works have well and truly begun on the south roof and after that has been insulated and tiled an array of solar panels will be installed. Joy said on Sunday that an Eco-Church gold award is within our grasp - a very rare thing indeed - so keep up this fantastic work as St. Luke’s leads the way and helps others take the right steps in doing our bit in the climate emergency.
Thank you too for that great community lunch after church - it was very pleasing to see people from the church community and the wider community there, joined by Claire - our local councillor and friend of St. Luke’s. Special thanks to all who prepared our food- I don’t know who you all were but I know that Rosie and Rachel where in the kitchen when I arrived before church in the morning and still there as Sophie and I left!!
Sophie and I were very moved seeing lots of old friends at the service and we received many messages from those unable to attend. As I said on Sunday - you are an amazing community and it has been an honour to be your Vicar, my prayers are with you all especially Jacqui and Joy, Martin and the PCC as they guide you through the next few months - you couldn’t be in better hands - please do use your voice as the community discerns who you are looking for next - and I know that you will choose a great new Vicar.
Much love as always,
John
The air-source heating system which we've been fundraising for in the last couple of years is now being installed. It works like an inside-out fridge. It captures heat from outside – even in below-zero temperatures - and moves it inside. It’s powered by electricity and we’ll help generate that by installing solar panels on our south facing roofs.
The heat pump is forecast to reduce our annual heating carbon footprint by approx. 28 tonnes, 86% of our heating footprint and as the heat pump is powered by the electricity grid which is getting greener year by year, our residual carbon footprint will continue to decrease going forward.
The solar panels are forecast to reduce our electricity carbon emissions by approx 2 tonnes which is 56% of our electricity footprint.
This will take us a small step forward into the future… and a small step backward to a world where people understood how everything was connected. This talk one Sunday morning has more hot air about all this (click here).
To find out the answers to those questions (and to many more besides) come along to an illustrated talk on the history of St. Luke’s Church and the wider area of Holloway given by Stefano Cagnoni and Caroline Jackson
St. Luke’s Church
Wednesday April 19th 2023
Doors Open at 7pm, talk will start by 7.15pm
Tickets: £10
Please email admin@saintlukeschurch.org.uk to reserve your place
On Sunday 5th March Holly-Anna Petersen spoke on the theme of including our global climate neighbours. As part of this she brought our attention to an upcoming climate protest called The Big One, which is taking place from the 21st to the 24th April.
The Big One is taking place outside of Parliament and is set to be the biggest climate protest, with 100,000 people uniting together.
The protest is set to have people of different denominations there - Churches are coming, Bishops, families and friends. There is also a whole host of Christian charities going, including Christian Aid, CAFOD, Tearfund, Young Christian Climate Network, Student Christian Movement, Green Christian, Operation Noah, Just Love and more. There will be time for prayerful protest, worship and pilgrimage.
You can find out more about The Big One HERE.
CCA is holding worship led by different groups over the four days at noon and 3pm, and on Sunday 23 April our service will be at the protest as arranged with our vicar and the churchwardens. Beginning at 12 noon and led by young people whose future is in the balance. (We'll have more details on where we'll meet etc. closer to the time.)
From the Second Sunday of Lent service; Including our global climate neighbours;
Traditional Ute Prayer - A prayer from the Ute people of North America (native North American), with thanks to CAFOD
Earth teach me freedom as the eagle which soars in the sky.
Earth teach me resignation as the leaves which die in the fall.
Earth teach me regeneration as the seed which rises in the spring.
Earth teach me to forget myself as snow forgets its life.
Earth teach me to remember kindness as dry fields weep with rain.
An Ecological Lord’s Prayer by Cláudio Carvalhaes
Our God who are in pluriverses,
the skies and the earth,
Blessed be your name: life.
May your pulsing life come to be seen, heard, touched and felt
through the oceans, the forests, in the rocks, in the life of plants
and in the sounds of animals and singing birds.
May the atmosphere of the sky that carries our ability to breathe continue balanced
as fossil presences are kept under the earth.
Give us this day our daily bread
through a variety of seeds and grains and leaves without pesticides,
without monocultures, from local farms and agro-biodiverse-cultures.
Forgive our plundering of the earth,
our total lack of relation and reciprocity with the earth and more than human beings; as cells, mycelium, fungi and infinite processes of symbiosis
forgive us daily by giving life back when we destroy it.
And lead us not into consumerism and the devouring the earth,
but deliver us from the apathy that says nothing can be changed.
For life is kinship, relationally and reciprocity.
Now and forever. Amen.
The novelist Frederich Buechner offers some widely shared advice when he writes, ‘Listen to your life…’ There is a useful device for listening to your life - the diary or journal, hand written or typed in a phone. It’s a simple habit to take up over the forty days of Lent, to jot down one line or paragraph every day.
A snapshot of thoughts or feelings, joys or sadnesses. A brief line drawing of a place deep in your heart. One day an entry about something big – how someone you love lifted you up... or let you down. Another day some troubling - or joyful - interaction. A wish or complaint, a fear or hurt. A word of thanks.
Ignatius of Loyola in the sixteenth century, picked up early on the idea of a daily playback, creating a series of spiritual exercises often called ‘the Examen’. A simple, daily life check.
The Examen has five steps, something like these.
Give thanks. Replay the day you’ve had, freeze-frame the people or moments you’re grateful for.
Capture some sign of hope or joy. Was there a moment of forgiveness or compassion? A sign of courage or unexpected love?
Notice any sadness or regret. Some news you heard about or event you were part of? Some word you regret or action you neglected?
Recognise the down as well as the up. Write the difficult as well as the delight.
Consider tomorrow. How might it be different?
The examen. Rewind. Hit Play. Watch the day again. Listen to your life.
EVENTS PLANNED (with more to be announced, check back regularly)
18-Feb | The Food of Love: Concert of Music & Poetry
04-Mar | Sacred & Profane: Writing Workshop
08-Mar | Menopause Matters
11-Mar | Film Night: Boyhood
11-Mar | Bigger Birding
17-Mar | Salsa Party
18-Mar | Easy Peasy Birding
29-Mar | Silver Hallmarking
31-Mar | Games Evening
19-Apr | Local History Talk
Date TBC | Climate Fresk
A Valentine’s cocktail of love songs, music and poetry from Greensleeves to Gershwin performed by Justin Butcher, Caroline Faber & Daniel Zappi.
Songs by Irving Berlin, Hoagy Carmichael, John Dowland, George Gershwin, Paul Simon & Hank Williams. Arranged by Harvey Brough (of the Wallbangers).
Click here for the flyer.
Date: Saturday 18 February
Time: 8pm (doors open at 7.30pm)
Location: St Luke’s Church
Tickets: £10 available here
Co-hosted by the prize-winning poet Jenny Mitchell and Martin Wroe.
Anyone interested in writing is welcome to join us as we explore ‘how poetry can reimagine traditional ideas of the sacred and profane’.
Email for more info - martinwroe@mac.com
Beginning at 10, the day will be conversational and informal and finish up with a reading at 3 where people are invited to share their work - and Jenny and I will read from our poems. Here's the flyer.
Date: Saturday 4 March
Time: 10am – 4pm
Location: St Luke’s Church
Tickets: £8 - £15 available here
Are you going through the (peri)menopause? Can you see menopause on the horizon and are wondering what to expect? Or have you come through the other side and want to reflect on your experience and share your wisdom? Then this event is for you.
Learn what the menopause really is, options for dealing with symptoms (medical solutions, complementary therapies and lifestyle), how to protect your future health, and more. It will also be a safe space for women to share their experiences and swap information about what they’ve found helpful.
You’ll receive a free PDF copy of the book First Steps Through The Menopause by Cath Francis after the session.
This is a female-only event. However, if partners or family members want to learn how to support the menopausal woman in their life, PDF or paperback copies of the book can be purchased for £5 (all money goes to St Luke’s Grand Scheme) – speak to Cath.
Joy Hinson is a retired professor and research scientist specialising in endocrinology (hormones).
Cath Francis is a magazine journalist, health writer and author.
Date: Wednesday 8 March (International Women’s Day!)
Time: 7pm (TBC)
Location: St Luke’s Small Hall
Tickets: £10 buy at church on Sunday or email to reserve your place
Filmed from 2002 to 2013, Boyhood depicts the childhood and adolescence of Mason Evans Jr. from ages six to eighteen as he grows up with divorced parents. Highly acclaimed and with a host of nominations and awards.
Drinks and Nibbles provided.
Date: Saturday 11 March
Time: 7pm (TBC)
Location: St Luke’s Small Hall
Tickets: £10 buy at church on Sunday or email to reserve your place
With Andy Harrison
Bad Birdwatching Rules apply - if there's nothing to see, we get bored and/or it's wet we’ll adjourn to the pub.
Bigger Birding
Bring binoculars and sandwiches.
(Binoculars for hire, sandwiches, snacks available at reserve centre)
N.B. the £10 ticket fee for this is the donation to St Luke’s for Andy’s expert guidance and facilitating.
Participants will need to pay their train fare and £6 entry to the RSPB Reserve.
Date: Saturday 11 March
Time: 11am – 3pm (approx.)
Location: Meet Finsbury Park Station - rear entrance outside M&S at 9.15 (Blackhorse Road, Barking, train arrives Purfleet at 10.36). Or people make their own way to Rainham Marshes.
All meet in Rainham Marshes RSPB reserve visitor centre at 11.15am.
Entry free for RSPB members, £6 adults.
Tickets: £10 buy at church on Sunday or email to reserve your place
Easy Peasy Birding
Bring packed lunch.
Bring binoculars.
Date: Saturday 18 March
Time: 11am – 3pm
Location: Meet Oxford Road entrance to Finsbury Park 11am. Check the park then stroll to and around Woodberry Down reserve
Tickets: £10 buy at church on Sunday or email to reserve your place
What are they and what do they do?
If you have ever wondered what Hallmarks are, come along and learn all about them.
Bring along any silver item that you would like to learn more about.
Norman Willson will lead us through an evening of discovery with a glass of wine and a magnifying glass.
Date: Wednesday 29 March
Time: Evening
Location: TBC – St Luke’s or nearby
Tickets: £10 buy at church on Sunday or email to reserve your place
St Luke's is Going Green – Are you?
Play Climate Fresk and be inspired, consoled and informed about the reality, dangers and demands of climate change.
This is a collaborative workshop with a card game that teaches all the causes and effects of global warming, directly from the UN IPCC scientific reports. The team must layout out the concepts of climate change in sequence of cause and effect, with help from the descriptions on the cards, the pooled knowledge of the group, and the trained Fresk facilitator (if you really get stuck), followed by a discussion of what this means for us, personally and socially.
Facilitated by EcoCounts volunteer Adam Hardy.
Halfway through we will break for a supper of home-made soup and bread.
Date: We’re currently working out the best date and time for the people who have signed up
Location: hosted in the Cagnoni Kitchen in Penn Road
Numbers are limited so please email pccsecretary@saintlukeschurch.org.uk asap to secure your place and be sent full details.
Tickets: £10
GAMES NIGHT
An evening of “Parlour Games” facilitated by Stef and Bernadette, hosted by Adrian and Bridget. Maybe “the Colander Game”, maybe “Guests at our Party”, maybe Charades – come along and find out!
Date: Friday 31 March
Time: 7pm
Location: Adrian & Bridget’s (Hillmarton Road)
Tickets: £10 buy at church on Sunday or email to reserve your place
LOCAL HISTORY TALK
How did St Luke’s church come to be? What is its shared history with the neighbouring parish of St Georges? How did Islington and West Holloway in particular develop over the centuries from open farmland to the streets we know today?
Caroline Jackson and Stefano Cagnoni can tell you all this and more…
Date: Wednesday 19 April
Time: 7pm
Location: St Luke’s Small Hall
Tickets: £10 buy at church on Sunday or email to reserve your place
BACKGROUND OF THE GRAND SCHEME
What is it?
An opportunity to combine fundraising and the good people of St Luke’s getting together in small groups for social events.
How does it work?
Individual members of the community offer to organise and host an event (in the church, in their home, in whatever location is appropriate). Tickets are sold for the events and the money goes to St Luke’s.
What sort of events?
Whatever you are inspired to organise – do you have a skill to share? A fun activity to facilitate? Hospitality to offer? In the past we have had things like;
Dinner Parties
A Bird Watching Walk
Local History Talk
Afternoon Tea
Film session in the Small Hall (both interactive with singing and popcorn or more cerebral with discussions afterwards)
Crochet lessons
Sunday Lunch
Organised Sing-around
Games Night (charades, board games)
How do I get involved?
Offer to host an event and, more importantly, buy tickets to attend events.
What you do
Define your event
How many attendees are invited
What price the tickets should be
The date
The location (if you want it to be at St Luke’s, we’ll need to liaise with Federico to check availability)
What we do
Co-ordinate all the events
Sell tickets
Liaise between host and attendees
Publicise and support
When is it happening?
Planning has already begun and the aim is to schedule events throughout February and probably early March.
Call to Action
Email pccsecretary@saintlukeschurch.org.uk with your suggestions. We are happy to discuss ideas if you don’t have a firm proposal or want a sounding board before you commit.
Join in and support The Scheme.
(It will be Grand.)
London première with the first live performance of the whole of the Gospel According to St Mark in a new translation by the respected biblical scholar, the Rev’d Canon Professor Richard Burridge. It will also be simultaneously live-streamed.
Starring Justin Butcher as ‘Mark the Narrator’ and Andy Harrison as ‘All the Other Voices’, with author Richard Burridge reading the words of Jesus.
The performance is available to view here.
Please make a donation (£10 minimum is suggested or whatever you want to give) towards the costs of the performance on the St Luke’s Church giving page and please remember to mark it as for The Rough Mark, even if you do not wish to provide your name.
Lyrical, our periodic mellow evening of lo-fi music and hi-fi poetry, returns to St Luke’s on the evening of Wednesday October 19th.
Poets this time out include Jenny Mitchell, Rhi Roberts and Martin Wroe while music comes from Luke Sital-Singh, Loa (featuring Rick Leigh of this parish and Genevieve Dawson) and Eliza Oakes.