A CHURCH in Chickerell will now be known by a new name.

Chickerell Evangelical Congregational Church, based in East Street, will now be known as Prayerhouse Chickerell. The church will be led by David and Caroline White and supported by The Prayerhouse in Newstead Road, Weymouth.

David and Caroline, who are both looking to build on the legacy of the church, have lived in the village for a number of years.

The church will continue to have a main service on Sunday mornings beginning at 10.30am. On the last Sunday of most months Prayerhouse Chickerell will host a ‘Busy Church’ celebration.

The ‘Busy Church’ celebration is a chance for members of all the family to explore the Bible through crafts, stories and games. This will be finished off with a lunch.

David said: "It's a fresh start. We are trying to make it very fresh and welcoming to families.

"We've been involved with doing things like mother and toddler groups at that church for quite a while. 

"It's young families we're looking to welcome and make them feel at home."

The Prayerhouse in Weymouth is a hub based in the centre of town featuring a congregation made up of people of all ages and backgrounds.

Prayerhouse Chickerell will join with The Prayerhouse in Weymouth once a month on a Sunday morning. Paul White, pastor at The Prayerhouse in Weymouth, said David and Caroline had been with the Weymouth church for the past 10 years.

He said: “They do have quite a lot of connections with the community already.

“[The church] has had a very good heritage and we want them to build on that and not let it peter out.”

Paul said The Prayerhouse in Weymouth would be there to provide support and mentoring to both David and Caroline.

The next time both churches will come together at Newstead Road is on Sunday, March 13 at 10.30am. Then there will be a traditional communion at Prayerhouse Chickerell starting at 3pm.

The Revd Anni Douglas, from Refresh, the Church of Weymouth and Portland in Action, said: “It was a church that wanted some encouragement and [David and Caroline] are the people to bring it. It’s a really good thing.”

For more information contact david@theprayerhouse.co.uk or caroline@theprayerhouse.co.uk

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