Through the weekend of Friday 8th May to Sunday 10th May, St Luke’s celebrated the 20th Anniversary of the ‘new’ St Luke’s church building.
Friday: A cream tea to remember
Visitors were welcomed to beautifully laid tables with floral arrangements, china cups, delicious homemade cakes served on tiered cake stands and attentive servers, all accompanied by live background music played by Jeremy, our Music Director.
Saturday: Sunshine, celebration and community
Saturday dawned gloriously sunny. The day opened with a fanfare played by Chloe Harrison and cutting of the ribbon by the Vicar, drawing a big crowd.
The hall buzzed with stalls from community organisations and local mission partners. Children delighted in games, crafts, and face painting. In the car park, the Scouts organised outdoor games and activities. The international lunch was so popular that food disappeared almost instantly and there was a big queue for tea and homemade cakes in the afternoon—proof that sharing food is one of the best ways to bring people together. Pop-up concerts in the church added a lovely musical thread to the day.
Sunday: A service of thanksgiving and hope
Sunday’s Thanksgiving Service filled the church and included some familiar faces from across the years. We were honoured to welcome Jane Campbell, the artist behind our stained glass windows, and Revd John Kiddle, whose leadership helped shape the vision for the new building.
A highlight was singing the beautiful anniversary song written by Jeremy Hogarth, ‘This is a house of prayer for all nations’. And we all received a keyring memento inscribed with our foundation stone verse (Isaiah 56:7)—a reminder to keep praying in our homes.
A stunning celebration cake, made by Geoff to echo the design he used for the consecration cake 20 years ago, was served after the service.
The celebratory lunch—attended by 140 people—was a triumph thanks to the tireless work of our catering team led by Fran. It was a joy to reflect on how God has blessed St Luke’s through the dedication of so many over the years. Michael, our Vicar, reminded us of God’s continuing plans for our church and encouraged us to look forward with faith and expectation.
(1995-2006)
The celebration drew to a close with a delightful recital in the church by Adrienne and Jeremy (viola and piano). A fitting conclusion to a special weekend.
We pray that His light shone brightly throughout our celebrations, that seeds were sown, relationships strengthened, and that God will continue to grow His Kingdom here at St Luke’s.
Susan Miller