St Collen's consults public on its blueprint for the future

* Father Lee Taylor leads a service in St Collen's before lockdown.

St Collen’s has a series of public meetings planned for next month where people can discuss plans for the church’s future.

Last October vicar, Father Lee Taylor, unveiled an ambitious scheme to upgrade the centuries-old place of worship with the aim of making it a hub for a wider range of religious and social use.

During a Zoom meeting he gave full details of the Community Vision proposals, which includes:

* The removal of pews at the front of the nave to allow a raised platform stage to be built for worship and performance events    

* The provision of a folding kitchen to provide refreshments at cafe-style social gatherings

* Repositioning of the font to a more practical location      

* The installation of modern LED lights in the roof to highlight its historic beauty

* Fitting glass doors at entrances to allow the heavy oak front door to be left open to make the building feel more welcoming

* A new chapel for private worship where the current vestry is sited

* Replacing the traditional pipe organ with a digital version

* Part of the church's Community Vision plan.

This week, on social media, he quoted Dr John Inge, Bishop of Worcester, who said:  “Church buildings should never be silent mausoleums, but always vibrant centres of service at the heart of their local communities.”

And Father Lee added: “St Collen’s has for almost fifteen centuries been a place of worship for the people of Llangollen and beyond. The church has been cared for by succeeding generations who have seen fit to make some significant alterations to the building as its purpose has developed in a changing culture. 

“The challenge of re-ordering the church is to ensure that the church is able to reinforce its role as a focal point in the community. This means providing a building which is sufficiently flexible which the wider community can utilise for community gatherings, concerts, school performances and the like. 

“Our re-ordering project began with a community consultation process last year with an online presentation on zoom and with the distribution of questionnaires. This process is ongoing.

“We are holding further community consultations in church on the following days.

Wednesday 14th July at 6.30pm

Sunday 18th July at 12.15pm

Refreshments provided.

“This event is open to all. Refreshments will be provided. If you intend to come along please RSVP: 01978 861768, or email: stcollens@gmail.com” 

In his October public consultation Father Lee said the call to change was more urgent than it had ever been, in the face of dwindling Sunday morning congregations across the whole of the Church in Wales, the lack of younger people joining and fewer priests being available to serve communities.

And he stressed: “The fact is that we must adapt or die. In 10 or 20 years if we don’t do something there will be no parish church. It will close.”