St Thomas of Canterbury Church in Clapham, north Bedfordshire, welcomed more than 250 people to its latest Party in the Park event.
The event, which has been held every other year since 2007 in partnership with local Methodists, was created as a fresh way of engaging with the village community. Organisers wanted to offer a welcoming space where people could enjoy time together while exploring the Christian faith in a relaxed and accessible way.
This year’s theme was Life, inspired by Jesus’ words in John 10:10: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
Visitors enjoyed a range of free activities, including a barbecue, cream teas, an inflatable slide, crafts, live music and opportunities for prayer and conversation. Prayer was offered throughout the afternoon in the church’s Time4You2Pray gazebo, while short devotional reflections encouraged people to consider how God can be part of everyday life, particularly during difficult times.
One of the highlights of the event was a joint performance by local schoolchildren and church singers, who came together to sing a selection of Gospel songs. This year also saw the debut of Tiny Sparklers, a new children’s outreach dance worship group from the church, whose energetic performances of My Lighthouse and Praise were warmly received.
The Revd Stephen Liley, Vicar of Clapham Parish Church, said:
“Party in the Park began as a way of reaching out to our village in a different way. Our aim is to bless the community and create natural opportunities to share the good news of Jesus.
“One of the key principles of the event is that everything is completely free, from the activities to the food. We do that to reflect God’s free gift of grace through Jesus Christ. It’s a simple but powerful message.
“Although attendance was a little lower than usual, possibly because of the very hot weather, we were delighted that around 250 people still came along. It was wonderful to see so many people enjoying themselves, making connections and experiencing Christian hospitality.”
Stephen added:
“We’re grateful for the support we received through the diocesan grant, which helped us continue this long-standing event. It was especially encouraging to see new initiatives such as Tiny Sparklers taking part and helping younger generations engage with worship in a creative way.”
Find out about available mission grants that your parish or context could benefit from: Diocese Mission Grants.
