A blast from the past

From Booth’s Survey of the 1890s to bomb damage of the 1940s… From the Caledonian Market to Cruchley’s colourful maps… From dancing to duels and the Daily Express… From Holloway Prison to Holloway College… From the Mission Hall to murder in the churchyard… From the parish magazine to paying for pews… From the old east window to the old organ blower…

To find out about all the above and much more, come along to Stefano Cagnoni’s illustrated talk about St Luke’s church and the local history of our parish on Friday 13 November, 7.30pm (for 8pm start), in St Luke’s side hall.

Tickets for this church fundraising event cost £6 (concessions £3), and include a glass of wine or a soft drink (buying tickets in advance will help us plan for drinks).

There will also be a handmade jewellery stall at the event, so you can get ahead on your Christmas shopping, with a donation to St Luke’s for every sale.

Don't Be Late!

Please note that the start time for our service this Sunday is 10.45am, not the usual time. This is so we can join others around the country in keeping two minutes silence at 11am. We will need to begin promptly at 10.45. Thank you.

Remembering those we’ve loved and lost

Many people find their way to St Luke’s through the saddest of circumstances – planning a funeral for a loved one. Others have found comfort in the love and support of people at St Luke’s during the dark time after losing a friend or family member.

As a church, we often include opportunities during regular services to remember and give thanks for people we’ve loved and lost – perhaps through lighting a candle, saying a prayer, or the shared experience of communion, which symbolically gathers together all people, both living and dead.

However, once a year there’s a special service dedicated to those who’ve departed this world. All Souls Day (also known as the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed) falls every year on 2 November. St Luke’s will be holding its All Souls service on Sunday 1 November at 4pm. It’s an opportunity to pray for departed souls, give thanks for those we’ve loved, and light a candle in their memory. Their names will be read out as part of the service.

The service is particularly popular with people who’ve attended funerals at St Luke’s in the preceding year, but anyone is welcome to attend, and some people make the journey every year.

If you’d like the name(s) of your loved one(s) to be read out at the service on 1 November, you can fill in a form (which you’ll find at the back of the church) and pass it to Pat Tomlinson. Alternatively, if you’re not a regular at St Luke’s, you can email your request to patriciatomlinson@mac.com. We look forward to welcoming you to the All Souls service to remember those you’ve loved and lost.

St Luke's Day - Food and friendship

Here at St Luke’s, we think church is much more than services and singing. We’re a community that likes to support one other, and socialise together.

On the third Sunday of most months, after our 11am service, there’s an opportunity to enjoy a meal together (and this Sunday is extra special because we are celebrating St Luke's day). The main church space is transformed into a dining hall, and we gather together to relax and chat over a hearty lunch. It’s a great chance to catch up with friends, get to know new people, and find out what’s going on in each other’s busy lives.

The next church lunch is on 18 October, and you’re invited. You can contribute a pudding if you wish, or there’s an opportunity to put a donation in the pot afterwards to cover costs. There’s always plenty to go round, and veggie options are available (if you have any dietary intolerances, let us know in advance and we’ll try to cater for you). Our lovely volunteers are already planning the menu.

Talking of volunteers, if you enjoy church lunches, please consider helping out to ensure it run smoothly. Extra hands are needed for kitchen prep (before the service), setting up, and clearing up afterwards (now much easier, thanks to our new commercial dishwasher). Please email jacqui@jacquichristian.com if you can help out (or just roll up your sleeves on the day).

Good food, good company and good conversation – what better way to spend Sunday lunchtime?

The Speakeasy is back!

Here at St Luke’s, we love a party. We’re also blessed with some amazingly talented people in our congregation, from singers and musicians, to actors and comedy writers. Our yearly Speakeasy is an opportunity to be entertained by the best of the church’s talent – and to enjoy a great social evening and a singalong, too.

So, what can you expect from a St Luke’s Speakeasy? First, you’ll walk into the church to find it’s been transformed into a twinkling candlelit cafe, with the stage set for the show. There’ll be a bar in the kitchen, and nibbles to snack on while you relax among friends and enjoy some top-class musical performances, sketches, cabaret acts and a few surprise moments. Plus there’ll be a house band to lead a singalong we can all join in with. Crispin – who conceived and created the Speakeasy – will be our master of ceremonies.

So put the next Speakeasy – our eighth – in your diary for Friday 16 October, 8pm-11.30pm. Tickets cost £5, or £2 concessions, and the event is only open to those aged 16+ (no exceptions). Tickets are on sale now at Sunday morning services and at https://billetto.co.uk/en/events/speakeasy-8 – advanced sales are encouraged so we can make sure the bar doesn’t run out!

As well as a chance for us all to get together and have some fun, it’s also a great opportunity to invite friends, family and neighbours along for a relaxed evening out. So get your gladrags on, brush up your vocal cords and get ready for a great night at St Luke’s!

Sing your heart out at St Luke’s

Here at St Luke’s, we love singing – and not just on a Sunday morning (although we do enjoy a rousing hymn led by our fabulous choir). There are several musical projects at St Luke’s where members, friends and local residents get together to limber up their vocal cords.

First of all, there’s our community choir, Vox Holloway (‘voice of Holloway’). Founded in 2009 by our musical director, Justin Butcher, it’s open to all – no experience is required and there’s no audition. The new term starts on 15 September, with Tuesday evening rehearsals working towards a performance of music inspired by ‘the unquiet mind’ on 29 November. Visit http://voxholloway.com/ to learn more.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday evenings, we have Voices Singing Workshops run by music therapist Angela Reith. Sessions involve breathing and vocal exercises, group singing in different styles, and some improvisation (but no pressure to sing solo). With an emphasis on stress relief, confidence building and wellbeing, it’s suitable for any ability. The new term started on 9 September. Email voices@mayton.demon.co.uk or visit www.naturalvoice.net/angela_reith to find out more.

If you’re an experienced singer, St Luke’s church choir is open to new members, particularly tenors and basses, to lead worship and perform at services and church events. You’ll have to audition and commit to weekly rehearsals. Speak to Justin if you’re interested.

Finally, those of us who enjoy a more informal sing-song are already anticipating the next Speakeasy, our annual cabaret night and singalong run by Crispin Holland. Put 16 October in your diary for an evening of entertainment, courtesy of the top talent at St Luke’s.

Singing is proven to be good for our physical and mental health. You’re warmly invited to join us in enjoying the benefits of lifting our voices together.

Feeling festive

If you happen to visit St Luke’s over the August bank holiday weekend, you’d be forgiven for thinking the congregation is on the sparse side. That’s because a lot of St Lukers will be decamping to Northamptonshire for the weekend for the Greenbelt festival.

If you haven’t heard of Greenbelt, it’s a fantastic faith, arts and justice festival, where thousands of people gather to listen to great music, learn and debate at talks and seminars, spend time catching up with old friends and new, and chill out in the famous Tiny Tea Tent.

St Luke’s has a long association with Greenbelt. For many years, Greenbelt had its offices in St Luke’s (before we opened up the east aisle of the church to make space for our growing congregation). Many of our members are involved in running and overseeing different parts of the festival. You may even see a few familiar faces on the programme.

To learn more about our favourite festival, check out the website at www.greenbelt.org.uk

However, if you’re in London on Sunday 30 August, rest assured that St Luke’s will still be open for business. There’ll be an 11am service as usual, and friendly faces to greet you. The rest of us will see you when we get back!

St Luke’s Nightshelter: another successful season

Here at St Luke’s, one of our biggest projects each year is our part in the Islington Churches Cold Weather Shelter. Throughout January-March (the coldest three months of the year), we open our doors each Saturday to offer a bed and meals to homeless people (six other churches in the area cover the rest of the week).

Now the dust has settled on the 2015 project, we’re pleased to report it was another successful season. Over three months, the Islington Nightshelter hosted around 90 guests. As well as food, friendship and a safe, comfortable place to sleep, we also offered services and recreational activities for guests to enjoy. Plus they were able to make use of the shower cubicle and washroom installed last year.

Over 6,000 hours of volunteer time went into making the 2015 Nightshelter run smoothly – as well as many thousands of pounds’ worth of donations of food, clothing and toiletries. Without the involvement of so many members and friends of St Luke’s, the project wouldn’t be possible.

‘As in previous years, guests remarked on how enjoyable they found the St Luke’s ethos of inclusivity,’ says Dan Northam Jones, who runs our part of the project. ‘Two guests in particular were remarkably successful this year. Both had previously failed to engaged with support services. During their stay, they built effective relationships with other outreach agencies and are now housed securely and getting help for their other needs.’

Dan adds: ‘We express enormous gratitude to the many volunteers who make Nightshelter happen – donating and cooking food, speaking to guests, running activities, putting out beds, sorting clothes, washing sheets and much more.’

The biggest thank you of all goes to Dan himself, who has tirelessly run the St Luke’s Nightshelter on a voluntary basis for the last few years – an enormous task, which he’s done with skill, commitment and compassion.

Dan’s job will be taking him overseas for the next couple of years, so he won’t be around to run Nightshelter next year. He’s currently putting together a small team who can keep this vital project going next winter and beyond. Please speak to him if you’d like to help.

Christian Aid week, 10-16 May

This Sunday kicks off Christian Aid Week, when churches around the country come together to campaign, pray and raise money to improve the lives of people around the world who are struggling to survive.

This Sunday’s 11am service at St Luke’s will include a focus on the work of Christian Aid, with a short film to help the children (and the grown-ups) understand a little about the issues affecting people in the developing world, and the work Christian charities are doing to tackle those problems.

To learn more about Christian Aid Week, click on the poster above.