Please share our building, Stockport church tells teenagers
A town centre church, which had teenagers hanging outside at night, invited the youngsters into the church one night a week – resulting in a thriving youth event.
The youngsters had been hanging around in and around St Peter’s Square, Stockport, since the
area was transformed into a plaza earlier this year.
Back in the summer, parishioners, with the encouragement of their Rector, Father Ken Kenrick, decided to invite the young people to use the church (right) for social activities one night a week.
Since the beginning of July, a group of young people (average age 16 to 17) have been coming into the church each Thursday night to play guitars and the church’s grand piano, and to sing (using St Peter’s PA system).
The teenagers are given free soft drinks, tea, coffee and biscuits, which have been donated by members of he congregation, well-wishers and companies (including the local Plaza cinema and the McVitie’s biscuit factory).
Adult volunteers from the church help out and there has been support from the youth services of Stockport Council.
The project regularly attracts up to 40 teenagers, revealed churchwarden Bernard Thompson.
And churchwarden Alan Corbett added: “We went out and asked the youngsters if they wanted to come in, and we wanted to see what the reactions was. We said we would be happy for them to come in one night a week and use the place as their own.
“They have been bringing in acoustic guitars and one lad can break-dance, so we cleared some space for him to do that.”
The stereotype of rowdy, difficult teenagers couldn’t be further from the truth, agreed the Rector.
Father Ken said: “I am delighted really. They just like to chill out somewhere under cover. They have been very respectful.”
(This article first appeared in Chester Diocesan News and is used with their permission)
