MUSIC AND BELL RINGING
St. Luke's church maintains a strong emphasis on music and is fortunate in enjoying the benefit of a new digital organ and choir for most of the services.
Music - St. Luke's is affiliated to the ROYAL SCHOOL OF CHURCH MUSIC and we would like to see a considerable enhancement in musical contribution to worship. Some Choir members take part in RSCM-sponsored training and music workshops and enjoy participating in the annual Music Festival in Chester Cathedral. There is much to do, including enlarging the Choir and, hopefully, attracting a Director of Music to lead, encourage and grow the musical life of the Church. The PCC has indicated their willingness to support growth of our musical activity.
We are fortunate to have a small team of Organists who share a rota for playing at Services.
The installation of a new Organ has brought the opportunity for our Church building to be used for presenting high quality musical experiences in addition to accompanying our worship. A small enthusiastic Team has worked on the planning and production of a wide variety of music-based Events to show the versatility of our new instrument and open up new channels of fundraising for Church.
We set up the ST LUKE'S RECITAL SERIES which has brought artistes of the highest calibre to Goostrey for the very first time. Our inaugural recital saw PROFESSOR IAN TRACEY (Liverpool Cathedral) visiting Goostrey and he played to a packed Church. We were thrilled to see our lovely Georgian Church packed to the rafters.
Organ - A new Makin Westmorland custom built digital organ was installed in time for Christmas 2008. The console for original Rushworth and Dreaper pipe organ was removed in early October 2008.
Piano - There is also a well-tuned piano in church, often used in family services or on special occasions, usually when the children are involved.
Church Choir - The Church Choir enhances Morning and Evening services, both with their voices and with their appearance, as they wear splendid red choir robes with white jabots. The choir practises each week and often prepares anthems to sing during the services. The choir also sings on request for weddings in St. Luke's.
Bell Ringing - St. Luke's is fortunate in having a dedicated team of church bellringers and the sound of the bells can be heard before the services on Sundays and for many weddings and special occasions. The band, led by the experienced Ringing Master, rings for Family Service/Communion and usually for the Sunday evening service and also practises in the tower each Wednesday. Ringing ranges from Plain Bob and Grandsire up to Surprise minor. An occasional opportunity arises for the more experienced band members, with some help from other Chester Diocesan Guild members, to ring a full peal (5000+ changes) on the bells; this takes about 2½ hours.
St. Luke's church maintains a strong emphasis on music and is fortunate in enjoying the benefit of a new digital organ and choir for most of the services.
Music - St. Luke's is affiliated to the ROYAL SCHOOL OF CHURCH MUSIC and we would like to see a considerable enhancement in musical contribution to worship. Some Choir members take part in RSCM-sponsored training and music workshops and enjoy participating in the annual Music Festival in Chester Cathedral. There is much to do, including enlarging the Choir and, hopefully, attracting a Director of Music to lead, encourage and grow the musical life of the Church. The PCC has indicated their willingness to support growth of our musical activity.
We are fortunate to have a small team of Organists who share a rota for playing at Services.
The installation of a new Organ has brought the opportunity for our Church building to be used for presenting high quality musical experiences in addition to accompanying our worship. A small enthusiastic Team has worked on the planning and production of a wide variety of music-based Events to show the versatility of our new instrument and open up new channels of fundraising for Church.
We set up the ST LUKE'S RECITAL SERIES which has brought artistes of the highest calibre to Goostrey for the very first time. Our inaugural recital saw PROFESSOR IAN TRACEY (Liverpool Cathedral) visiting Goostrey and he played to a packed Church. We were thrilled to see our lovely Georgian Church packed to the rafters.
Organ - A new Makin Westmorland custom built digital organ was installed in time for Christmas 2008. The console for original Rushworth and Dreaper pipe organ was removed in early October 2008.
Piano - There is also a well-tuned piano in church, often used in family services or on special occasions, usually when the children are involved.
Church Choir - The Church Choir enhances Morning and Evening services, both with their voices and with their appearance, as they wear splendid red choir robes with white jabots. The choir practises each week and often prepares anthems to sing during the services. The choir also sings on request for weddings in St. Luke's.
Bell Ringing - St. Luke's is fortunate in having a dedicated team of church bellringers and the sound of the bells can be heard before the services on Sundays and for many weddings and special occasions. The band, led by the experienced Ringing Master, rings for Family Service/Communion and usually for the Sunday evening service and also practises in the tower each Wednesday. Ringing ranges from Plain Bob and Grandsire up to Surprise minor. An occasional opportunity arises for the more experienced band members, with some help from other Chester Diocesan Guild members, to ring a full peal (5000+ changes) on the bells; this takes about 2½ hours.