PRESTON North End football club is to stage Lancashire's biggest Christian service to mark the new Millennium.

Churches Together is forming plans to stage the massive event, pencilled in for June 11, 2000, which it hopes will attract Christians from across the county.

The high-profile event has already been given the thumbs-up by scores of churches across the county.

A procession from churches in Deepdale is being planned, with each congregation and ecumenical organisation from Lancashire carrying a new banner to the ground - which is more commonly used by PNE fans to worship their footballing idols.

It is hoped the event will encourage more people to become actively involved in worship.

Local church activists say it is the ideal opportunity for believers to stand up and be counted - and prove there is more to the Millennium celebrations than a chance to get drunk. All denominations will be involved in the service, which has been called 'That's the Spirit' and will look at the importance of adopting Christian beliefs in modern-day situations.

A Churches Together spokesman, Jim Lawrenson said: "We have written to every church in the county and the response has been very positive to date.

"We hope the event will be a pageant promoting Christianity with a mixture of singing, music, drama and readings." Churches Together shunned other large Lancashire arenas in favour of Preston's Deepdale stadium, which has a capacity for more than 20,000 in the stands alone. Mr Lawrenson added: "This event will be special. It is a time when Christians will unite to say we are ready for the 21st century."

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