Darwen church encourages people to get in touch with God - via Twitter (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Darwen church encourages people to get in touch with God - via Twitter

8:00pm Monday 3rd September 2012 in News By Dan Clough, Reporter

ELDERLY churchgoers have been given a crash course in social media as part of a drive to bring back past worshippers.

New Methodist Church, Blackburn Road, Darwen, has launched a Twitter account aimed at encouraging people who used to attend to give it another try.

The church’s initiative is part of the national ‘Back to Church’ campaign, which is looking to reach out to former church attendees.

And 12-year-old Sam Conlon has been been showing some of the older members how to access the church’s Twitter profile through their mobile phones.

Church minister Deacon Dave Keegan said: “New Methodist Church is a friendly church with a great congre-gation and a modern approach to worship.

“We have regular worshippers and members who are very loyal and committed Christians who do so much for our church and community.

“But like many other churches, over the years attendance has dropped off, with many people finding it hard to make the time to come and worship with us on a Sunday.

“Often people get out of the habit of attending, sometimes just through the business of daily life.

“The church is always open to anyone coming to worship, but with this service we want to get the message out to those who might have already been thinking of trying church again but feel they are somehow hindered from just popping along.”

The church can be followed on Twitter by visiting www.twitter. com/newchurchdarwen A new web page has also been set up, with passers-by urged to get in touch with QR codes on the church’s notice board. Services are held every Sunday at 10.30am. Back to Church Sunday is on Sunday, September 30.