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100 years of worship
Almost 100 Years ago on the 7th July 1906 the foundation stone of the current church was laid by the Rt. Hon. Mr Talbot MP, brother of the then Bishop of Southwark. A year later, on 5th July, the church was dedicated by Dr. Talbot the Bishop.
Although the formal start of the Parish of St. Luke, Eltham Park, was in March 1904 and the first Parish act of worship took place on 22nd September 1904, in the new mission hall, we have decided to celebrate the centenary of St. Luke’s from the date of the laying of the foundation stone.
To provide an update to our parish history, which covers the years 1904 to 1940, and provide a living history of the Parish, we would like to create a Book of Memories about events that have occurred within the Parish since 1940. An online version of the Book of Memories will be published below. If you have a memory and/or a picture (size less than 200k please) that you would like to share with us please click on the Add a memory link in the box below.
There is also a page with some pictures related to the stories below click here if you would like to see them. In addition there are some pictures provided by Chris Warrell of church events that took place between 1979 and 1981 please click here to view them.
Centenary Prayer
As part of our centenary celebrations, we are looking at the possibility of incorporating a specially written prayer into our regular worship during our centenary year. If you have any thoughts about this, or would like to write something or suggest a favourite prayer, please email us. Here is an example of from the SPCK Book of Christian Prayers which may give you some inspiration.
O God, you do not change with the changing years. As we look back along the road we have come, we thank you for all your loving kindness and tender mercies along the way. When the road has been dark, you have not failed us, though we have often failed you. Forgive us and help us to do better. As we look forward, not knowing what may befall, help us to trust you and to find our way by the light of your will. May we know your presence with us, and be brought at last to our journey's end in peace. Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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If you would like to read “Growth in a Parish” the history of St Luke Eltham Park from 1904 to 1940 in Adobe Acrobat please click on the adjacent Adobe icon.
This is a version without images. If you would like a printed copy of the book please e-mail
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Jean Warrell |
06/15/2006 12:06:42 am My recollections of 50 Years of the choir at St Luke’s
We came to live in Eltham, opposite to St Luke’s, in December 1956. I had a two year old boy, Christopher, and a two month old boy, Nicholas. At that time my husband was organist and choirmaster at St Mary’s Primrose Hill and as he had to leave very early on Sundays my attendance at St Luke’s was very rare, if at all. The Revd Guy Brockington was vicar at the time and he christened Nicholas.
In 1957 he approached my husband John (E.H.) and as there was a vacancy at the church he asked John if he would consider taking on the job of organist/choirmaster – he agreed and started there in 1958, remaining until 1962 when he moved on to St John the Divine Kennington and then became director of music at Southwark Cathedral for several years.
Between 1962 and 1978 Henry Martin and Peter Almond were organist/choirmaster during the remainder of the Revd Guy Brockington’s term of office followed by the Revd Fred Belcher’s and the Revd Peter Rowe’s incumbencies.
In 1978 the Revd Michael Hart asked if any member of the congregation would like to join the choir as there were few in it at the time. I said to Margaret Ferguson ‘Shall we join?’ and she agreed. Soon after Peter Almond announced that he was going to retire as organist in October of that year, so Father Michael asked if anyone would volunteer to fill in temporarily for 6 months until a new organist could be found. Michael Parfitt and I took it on for the 6 months, but organists are like ‘Gold Dust’ and are very difficult to find so Michael and I continued, he playing the organ and me running the choir.
We had a two hour choir practice every Friday for many years and our choir increased to about 25 consisting of women, boys and girls, no men unfortunately unless I recruited them for a special service. Our youngest choirboy at this time was three years old! He was Jenny Hopkins youngest son Peter Gareth, but Jenny could not have been there without him and his older brother, David.
Choir members were very loyal, as they are today, and there was a very happy atmosphere. We went on regular choir outings to such places as Hastings, Margate and Rochester. We also had an annual Christmas party and a visit to the Bob Hope Theatre pantomime which we still maintain. We also visited Cathedrals on Sunday afternoon for the Evensong at St Paul’s, Westminster Abbey and Rochester.
We also had a wonderful day when we made a special trip to Rochester for the Dicken’s festival and our trip to Margate was always popular with Dreamland being a great attraction. We travelled by public transport to all of these events including our visit to the Isle of Wight for the weekend. We were invited there to Jenny Hopkin’s home after she moved to Ventnor with her mother and new husband. A big crowd of us went armed with sleeping bags and it was a really memorable occasion.
Unfortunately, the choir has diminished gradually over the last twenty years for various reasons. But we still continue, always hoping for new members to come forward.
I can’t believe that my 6 months stint as choir mistress has now stretched to nearly 30 years.
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Winn Parker |
05/22/2006 05:05:27 pm A few memories from Winn Parker
Fr Rowe was priest when I first came to St Lukes with a young family in 1970. He was kind to us when my husband had to join the postal strike which lasted seven weeks. He came to see if I needed any help.
I helped the church lads brigade with Bob Lacy, Stan Hearndon and Gerry Stevenson, I was never any good at marching.
Then Fr Michael came and I joined the choir in 1979. We were about 30 in number, men, ladies and children. We sat on the church chairs in rows where the link is now.
I remember the concerts in Fr Michaels time, all organisations took part. the fellowship men did a Morris dance. Although we tried to teach them they never got it right, on purpose I think, to make us laugh.
Fr Michael, Rev Margaret and Ray Cushion did synchronised swimming behind a blue cloth. All you could see was bare arms coming up, finally followed by a shark, it was very funny.
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