Charity calendar featuring parishoners as pin-ups goes for second printing.

London

A 66-year-old Yorkshire vicar has stripped for charity, joining 11 members of his congregation who let it all hang out for a 2003 church fundraising calendar.

Canon Michael Storey, "Mr. October," is rector of St. Barnabas' Crosland Moor, near Huddersfield.

He is pictured in the calendar in full glory sitting sideways to the camera in front of his manual typewriter, behind a strategically opened filing cabinet drawer. His lay reader, Ian Blakeley, starts the year as Mr. January with a water jar held where the grapes generally hang on statues.

The calendar was produced as part of the church's centenary celebrations. The first print run of 100 sold out within minutes at the church's Christmas bazaar.

"I don't think it occurred to any of us that the calendar would be so popular," said Canon Storey. "It was really a bit of fun. Naturally, we are now having more printed."

The idea for the calendar came from the church's men's group, which meets regularly in a room in the local pub.

Other parishioners are photographed coming out of the shower, doing the housework, or lying on beds.

"We've sent one to the Archbishop of York and one to the dean of Wakefield," said Canon Storey, "but I can't say whether they've put them up." The church is doing a second printing and trying to decide where to send the charitable proceeds from the wildly successful venture.

Church Times