On Saturday Thetford’s Church of the Nazarene will have a relaunch within the local area with a free Community Fun Day to show off the newly decorated interior and to promote their new and existing activities.
On Saturday, July 28, 1pm-4pm Thetford’s Church of the Nazarene will host a Community Fun Day with activities on the garden outside the church, as well as inside.
Alongside free activities such as a bouncy castle, games and facepainting including special effect facepainting, plus cream teas and hot dogs for a £1, the afternoon is an opportunity for people to see the new user-friendly interior and to find out more about groups that meet in the church and new community activities that are being planned.
The bright yellow breezeblock walls and tired carpets within the downstairs community hall have been replastered and replaced giving it a much fresher, contemporary appearance.
Rev Tracey Day (pictured), who became the new Pastor of Thetford Church of the Nazarene in December said: “The work was kind of a symbol of breathing new life into what we do. Everything is being refreshed and renewed. We wanted to announce to the community that we are here. We want to let people know what goes on in the building – the groups that use it now and the things we are hoping to start in the future.”
The congregation is active but small and having had no pastor for four and a half years, there is a need to relaunch and highlight new things. The church which is situated on a residential estate has an unusual double entrance. It is possible to enter the upstairs sanctuary from one road, Anna Gurney Close, and to enter the downstairs community hall, from another, Croxton Road.
Tracey said: “Because it has got a double entrance there are people who still come in here, see it kind of as a community centre, and don’t even realise there is a church upstairs.”
From the Autumn the church has plans to start a parent and toddler group, a new craft club for adults, plus occasional children’s craft events, and a Christianity Explored course.
The church already runs a Family Café on the second Friday of the month aimed at encouraging families with younger children play together. There is a well-attended monthly Messy Church, a weekly Social Group on Thursdays with a mix of gardening, craft and chat, and a Chair Exercise class.
The church also works with Integrate YFC to run a youth café in the building on Tuesdays and a Portuguese-speaking congregation also meets in the building as well as the Croxton Road Residents Association.
Talking about the Family Cafe Tracey said: “With everything there used to be more people coming than are coming, but I think it is just because we haven’t done any publicity. We are leafleting all the estates around about the Community Fun Day and on Saturday people can sign up to things and ask questions about things and find out what it is.”
“Hopefully it’s a statement that we want to renew and refresh and have a vision for what can be. Ultimately if God honours it, it will work.”
Thetford Church of the Nazarene, Croxton Road / Anna Gurney Close, Thetford, IP24 1TA
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