A disused former allotment is being used as a church in a bid to connect with more people who have never been to church.

The new church is based on the Higher Croft housing estate in Blackburn on an abandoned allotment.

Licensed Lay Minister Sharon Collins was employed by ‘The M:Power Project’ with the aim of connecting with people on the estate who had never attended church.

The church originally opened in November 2018 and at the time was based at a local library, with community meetings taking place in the community library, discussing the big questions in life – and praying for people.

As the pandemic arrived, the ‘pop-up church’ could no longer meet in the library which is when they sought a new location, finding their home on the allotment.

She said: “The church is very well placed on the allotment because it is near a path that is very well used by residents and every week.

“When we are worshipping, people can see us and hear the singing. We use the fence along the path for mission and place passages from the Bible there for people to see.”

Since it has been running at the new site, three children and an adult have been baptised while two adults were confirmed by a County Bishop.

Bishop Jill reflected on the Diocesan aim to make more and more estate churches as accessible as this one.

She said: “My experience of estates is that many people don’t feel good enough for church, let alone good enough for God. But out in plain sight, on what was an abandoned allotment, it’s so much easier to join the family.

“The sun came out just as I baptised the girls. It was a beautiful moment. I had been praying for an open heaven for everyone who came. There were lots of tears. Paisley (9) told me ‘I want to open the door to Jesus’.”