Mrs Sue Snowdon, Lord Lieutenant of County Durham inspects the guard of honour with The Rt Revd Glynn Webster, Bishop of Beverley and Fr Robert Mcteer at the opening of the community extension. (Picture Supplied)

 

St Helen’s Church, West Auckland, 29th September.

A new £250,000 community extension was opened by Mrs Sue Snowdon, Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of County Durham at St Helen’s Auckland Parish Church on Saturday 29th September.  Bishop Glyn, the Northern Episcopal Visitor and Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Durham blessed the extension called, The Ark, during the Solemn Mass.

St Helen’s church dates from around 1120 and building in the churchyard onto a medieval building was a bold and challenging project.

Mrs Sue Snowdon, Lord Lieutenant of County Durham with The Rt Revd Glynn Webster, Bishop of Beverley at the opening of the community extension. (Picture Supplied)

The Ark contains a meeting room, refreshment facilities and a toilet. The extension is for the use of all the people of the parish and it is hoped to help those in need, the elderly suffering isolation and children’s work. Plans are underway for a drop-in centre, craft club, silver surfing and the parish is joining the Welcoming Space project. The Ark will also be used for refreshments after services, church meetings and Messy Church, while the existing parish centre will be used in our service and mission to young people, the uniformed organisations and our large Jolly Tots Group.

The new extension will help develop our mission and service within our community and developing the three diocese priorities of children and young people, poverty and growth.

Story & Pictures provided by St Helen’s Auckland Parish

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