The presence of Presence Church

It might be assumed that any story about a City centre will be about retail and
hospitality offerings for consumers. Where can we visit, what can we buy and how
will we be entertained. Laudable and acceptable reasons to visit a city centre near
you.

However, the High Street is evolving. From a place to simply shop, we now hope for, an expect something a lot more. In the Portas Review, commissioned by government
in 2011, Mary Portas outlines in her forward that & High streets are the heart of towns and communities. They have been for centuries.’ In the intervening 13 years since the report, the High Street has also experienced a pandemic so the need for community and a city centre to feel welcoming has never been wanted more.

With this in mind, my conversation with Lauren and Luke from the Presence Church
at the old Telephone Exchange in Hanley, was illuminating. Seeking somewhere to
build a Christian congregation in Stoke on Trent, Lauren and Luke were thrilled to find that the much loved Telephone Exchange building on the corner of Trinity Street and Marsh Street in Hanley was available for them to pour some love into.

Presence Church has a purpose of bridging the gap between church and an accessible and welcoming place for people to meet, engage and seek connection. It
is important for them to be located where they are, not only to restore and celebrate a beautiful heritage building in the city centre but to welcome people to visit it.

Since their relocation to Trinity street, The Presence Church has rapidly grown its
congregation, regularly welcoming over 130 people each Sunday for their 10.30
worship. They have spent considerable time and effort restoring the building which
now includes a refreshments area and plenty of space to provide their other services
too. There’s a Ladies Ministry every other Friday, where women can share their
testimonies as well as a new monthly sensory service on Saturdays, called ‘refresh’ for families who may have someone with additional needs. These opportunities sit alongside Mums and Tots groups and more.

With many more services and ideas in the pipeline, it is clear that the presence of The Presence church is already having an impact on both the congregation, many of whom are new to the city centre or to Sunday worship, and the wider centre itself.
Lauren shared many stories of families enjoying their ‘Presence Sundays’ and who
are now discovering, or re discovering, the city centre for shopping and eating. This positive economic impact provides evidence that mixed use city centre experiences are valuable to all.

Presence Church is already ready to expand again as they seek to find more space to offer a range of future services to welcome and include all communities in the city centre. There are also discussions about opening up a cafe that’s open for longer periods, to provide refuge, conversation and a sense connection for customers.

To find out more The Presence Church, please visit:

https://www.presencechurch.org.uk/