History of St Lukes Church Ferryhill. Continued.
In July 1988 the Rev. Keith Lumsdon came from a Team Ministry in Jarrow, with his wife Ann and two children. There was already a curate, the Rev. Monrelle Williams from Barbados, who was studying for a Ph.D. at Durham University and worked half time in the parish. A year later the Rev. Richard Massheddar arrived for a second curacy, followed by the Rev. Ian Jorysz. The parish had already been co-operating with the parish of St. Aidan, Chilton and with the arrival of the Rev. Stephen Radley at Chilton, a group ministry was discussed. At this time Holy Trinity at Cornforth was vacant. It was proposed that the three parishes should work together and on the 9th May 1997, through an Order in Council, the Queen established a Group Ministry of Ferryhill, Chilton and Cornforth. 
The Rev. Stephanie Watson succeeded Stephen at Chilton and became Vicar of the United Benefices of Cornforth and Chilton Three years later, Stephanie left and, in a Diocesan restructuring, Chilton became part of the Aycliffe Team Ministry.On Mothering Sunday 2003, the Rev. Keith Lumsdon was inducted as Priest in Charge of Cornforth. This gave an enormous job profile, with Ferryhill having at this time a population of 12,000, which was expected in the next two years to grow by another 2000, and Cornforth of 3500.
In 2005 the Rev. David Garrett came to the parish as Associate Priest with special responsibility for care in the community. David was once a full time priest in a former mining community in the Nottingham area. Due to ill health he came out of the ministry and moved to the North East as a part time social worker, he now feels he is able to come back into the ministry on a half time basis. David will be with us for five years.This year 2006 there is a Pastoral measure going through to form a single parish joining the two parishes of Ferryhill and Cornforth.