Church's closure after 100 years 'marks new era'

A church, which is closing after 100 years due to a dwindling congregation, is entering a new era, the minister has said.

Revidge Fold United Reformed Church, in Shear Brow, Blackburn, has been put on the market for £500,000.

It will merge with Trinity United Reformed Church, Brownhill, to create the North Blackburn United Reformed Church.

Community minister, Mal Breeze, said it would be "a sad occasion" but merging the two churches would make them "stronger together".

He said Christianity in Blackburn was still strong, but "it's different now and we need to work together to adapt in response to a changing town and world".

Mr Breeze said: "It's going to be a sad occasion, but we believe that the church is not the building, it's the people.

"Two congregations are both aging and it just makes more sense to merge with another church to make us stronger."

He said they would be exploring "new ways" of being a church.

"Now church is not just on a Sunday, church takes place in community centres, in schools and we just need to adapt to the way of the world and try and get young people and children into our congregations in different ways," he added.

To mark the end of the Revidge Fold chapter and to mark its centenary, there will be an exhibition of the history of the church later.

There will also be a centenary celebration and final service on Sunday.

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