MEMBERS of Barnard Castle’s Christian Fellowship offered shoppers more than just a friendly chat and biscuit when they took a stall on the market last week.
They offered the opportunity to join them at their weekly meetings.
Denise Dent, who has been a member for 48 years, said: “We have been going for 50 years but a lot of people aren’t aware we’re still here or what we are about and that was the reason we decided to try and raise awareness by having the market stall.”
The Fellowship, founded 50 years ago by pastors Lewis and Ruth Staley, has had many homes. It started out with services at Bluestone Farm before securing premises at Commercial Yard but moved to the United Reformed Church, in Hall Street, before it closed. Services are now held every Sunday evening at 6pm at St Mary’s Parish Hall, in Newgate, with midweek prayer in the hall’s guild room at 7.30pm.
Mrs Dent added: “We still have about 20 members and we meet every week. We have speakers and pastors who come along.”
During covid, when lockdown restrictions prohibited groups of six or more meeting, the Fellowship embraced modern technology, hosting services on Zoom.
Mrs Dent said: “It kept our church going and it was thanks to pastor Adam [Staley] and his wife Sue and especially their children Briony and Johnny, who had the expertise with technology.”
Mrs Staley added: “A lot of people don’t know who we are and it was Denise and John’s idea to do the stall to raise awareness about the church and let more people know we are here.
“We are a non-denominational, independent evangelical church.
“We support a lot of missionaries abroad and children’s homes abroad.”
She added: “We are just ordinary people who offer a place where people can come just as they are and learn about God.
“A lot of people are concerned about their physical and mental health these days but don’t care about their spiritual health. If they got that right, then the other two fall into place.”
For more information on the church visit www. bccf.co.uk
