Over the last month The Church of the Holy Trinity, Paganhill has played host to over 150 students from Archway School. The worshipping community at Paganhill have turned up in numbers and opened their doors to Religious Studies classes from the nearby secondary school. The ‘Tin Hut’ church is situated next door to the Tesco Express on Stratford Road but many students, who had walked past it numerous times, did not know it was a church.
Along with Barrie Voyce and a class teacher I have been taking students to the church where they have asked loads of insightful questions about the building, its history and its worshipping life today. For example, did you know that the church was bought as a ‘flat pack’ from Harrods?! We have also been enacting brief sections from the marriage and baptism liturgies to the excitement and laughter of the students!
It has been great to introduce so many young people to their local church and community. The congregation have now got plans to open up the church one afternoon a week to welcome students after school with a hot drink and a biscuit, conversation and creativity. The church will work with Illuminate Stroud, part of The Door, to enable local young people to feel like Paganhill Church is their church too.
Congratulations to everyone involved with Holy Trinity, Paganhill for taking this ‘leap of faith’ and sharing the church and the gospel with the young people in their community.