MARKS & SPENCER may have dropped its St Michael label but commerce moves in mysterious ways. The chain store is to sponsor the enthronement of the Archbishop of York next month.

A picnic lunch provided by Marks & Spencer for 3,500 people will follow the ceremony at York Minster inaugurating John Sentamu’s ministry as Britain’s first black archbishop.

Each member of the congregation will be given a snack pack in a Marks & Spencer bag and the official Order of Service will contain an acknowledgment of the store’s provision. The organisers of the service are also considering giving their consent to the Marks & Spencer logo appearing in the official text.

Traditionalists are appalled. George Curry, chairman of the Church Society, the oldest evangelical grouping in the Church of England, said: “This is free advertising. There should be no commercial element at all at this occasion and it should be financed by the Church of England alone.”

Curry complained that clerics were losing sight of their “core responsibility” to proclaim the gospel. “The focus of this event should be purely and simply to pray for the new archbishop to be fearless in making known the gospel of Jesus Christ in a confused world.

“Where is it going to end? Will we be thanking National Power for the electricity in the minster? We should not be touting around such an occasion for financial support.”

By contrast David Stancliffe, the Bishop of Salisbury, welcomed the innovation: “These are hugely expensive events so it is perhaps bright of the archbishop and his team to get organised. It’s a very good idea. Such events should be about partnerships, especially when they involve hospitality.”

The first approach was made by Mary Murray, the archbishop’s secretary, who brokered the deal.

Keith Jones, the dean of York, said: “All sponsors are welcome. There is no budget for this service so we have to go cap in hand to them.”

Sentamu told friends that he did not want a select group of people being invited to a “posh lunch” while others were left out, so he came up with the idea of including everyone.

Unusually the congregation will remain in the minster for the meal. A private catering firm is dealing with the drinks.

Elaine Robinson, food commercial manager at Marks & Spencer’s city centre branch, said that she had been astonished by the approach: “It’s a logistic challenge [but] we were absolutely delighted.”

The trend for private sponsorship has caused concern in other vocations, notably the police, raising fears of “logo cops” bearing commercial insignia on their vehicles.

Advertisements featuring the model Twiggy have recently been credited for Marks & Spencer’s success in reversing the frumpy image of its fashion for the middle-aged. So far there has been no suggestion that Sentamu might consent to perform a similar role.

Additional reporting: Miles Salter

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