Share your special memories as Luton church celebrates historic occasions with thanksgiving event

A Church in Luton is commemorating more than 150 years of historic occasions.

Five years after Holy Trinity Church in Biscot, Luton, celebrated its 150th anniversary in June 2018 the church is inviting the community to give thanks for all the events that have taken place there since it was first built.

Rev Peter Farquhar is searching for anyone with a connection to any of the graves or war graves, or those that have memories of special events like weddings, baptisms, and confirmations.

Holy Trinity will be having an ‘open church fun day’ between 10am and 3pm on Saturday, June 3 and everyone is welcome to come.

Then on Sunday, June 4 there will be a thanksgiving service at 11am. During the service, the church will be celebrating all the events that have taken place under its roof in the 155 years since it was built. Both events are free of charge, but donations are welcomed.

Rev Peter said: “We would love to hear stories and see any photos that you may have. There will be an opportunity to see inside the church, visit the graves and war graves in the graveyard, and we will have some food and drink being served in the hall next door along with activities for children and a book where people can share their memories of the church and meet others who also have links.

"We are asking that you get in touch with us and share any pictures so we can recognise the importance of this historical Luton building that has often been referred to as the ‘Mother Church’ of Luton. I am hoping on creating a giant montage of pictures that people have shared, if we get enough, so we have some visual imagery of the history of the church.”

The church has been making history itself over the last few weeks. On Sunday, Holy Communion was presided over by a female priest for the first time in the church's 155-year history, when the service was taken by Rev Gladys Finlayson.

Rev Peter added: “Throughout Holy Trinity’s history, we have calculated that this service will have been held over 16,000 times, so it is very monumental for both the parish and everyone who has a connection with either the church or the graveyard that Rev Gladys Finlayson took the service.”

Gladys, who will be presiding on the first Sunday of every month, said she didn’t realise that she was the first female priest to preside over Holy Communion in the history of the Holy Trinity Church – but added she sees it not only as a duty but a privilege to administer in the sacrament of the Eucharist and to be a priest.

The church, which occasionally runs a joint service with neighbouring St Augustine’s Church in Limbury, opens its doors on Thursdays between 10am and 2pm for people to come and have some quiet reflective time or a chat. Free refreshments are served throughout and hot soup and a roll from 12pm.

Contact Rev Peter at [email protected]