An afternoon church service for families is such a success it’s now creating opportunities for discipleship, youth groups and community.

The teatime church in West Wivelshire originated as a baby baptism preparation group after lockdown. It now supports families, primary school children and teenagers – as well as branching off into youth sessions and school assemblies.

The Revd Li Selman, said: “We originally wanted to provide something that would enable young families to come to church and become part of the community during their journey of baptism.”

But the families enjoyed the group sessions so much they kept returning and the Teatime Church service, which started with four families, is nowA white teapot pouring tea into a white cup with saucer. connected to 18 families – growing only through word of mouth.

It takes place in different venues across the benefice including St Cleer Church and St John’s Pensilva once a fortnight from 3.45pm, with Pop-Ups in Menheniot. Sessions include crafts, games, worship and a shared meal.

The Revd Li Selman said: “The attendance is now in double figures. It keeps growing and growing.

“It is a really lovely group of people.

“We do a lot of praying for the service – we pray as we set up and pray for all the children through the week.

“The main thing is we always have intentional church. It is a creative space using ‘Godly play’ or ideas from ‘Open the Book’. We tend to stick to the Lectionary. We have a time of prayer and worship and then we all eat tea together.

“People have so much fun they don’t want to leave.  They say it is like having a birthday party once a fortnight.

“They say it is like having a birthday party once a fortnight.”

“Teatime Church members are trickling into our Sunday mornings and have been invited to take a leading part in an Easter service.

“It feels like the first steps into all the communities coming together.”

Teatime Church members are now volunteering to help with local school assemblies and provide the craft session.

“It is lovely to see their own discipleship flourishing,” she said.

“It is lovely to see their own discipleship flourishing.”

Teenagers within the Benefice, have a new session for girls and their carers called ‘Something Beautiful’.

“Once a term we have a quiet afternoon,” The Revd Li Selman explained. “We create something beautiful in an art session, eat something beautiful together, acknowledge that we are something beautiful created by a God who loves us, and then connect to something beautiful in a mindfulness activity, worship and prayer. It is a teenage version of worship and it is really popular with the young adults.

“Our Teatime Church families now have something to feed into as they grow. We will be working towards a session for all teenagers as our boys grow older.”