A school-based worship community in Skelmersdale is continuing to shine a light for families who might not otherwise encounter church.
Bright Lights has been running for seven years at Trinity Church of England and Methodist Primary School in Skelmersdale, West Lancashire. The monthly gathering is led by clergy and members of St Paul’s Church, Skelmersdale, alongside staff from Trinity School.
Named after the school’s motto, “Letting our light shine as we live, love and learn, together with Jesus”, Bright Lights meets once a month on a Thursday afternoon from 3.15pm to 4.15pm. Each session begins with refreshments, followed by a short time of worship and a range of creative activities designed to explore a shared theme.
Craft stations, are set up around the school hall or outdoors when weather permits. These activities provide space for discussion and reflection while families create together. Previous session have been everything from simple art projects to more adventurous outdoor activities.
Attendance regularly ranges between 75-100 adults and children. All children attend with a responsible adult, and families are encouraged to take part together. While many adults join in with the activities, others use the time to pause, chat and connect. Members of the Bright Lights team are on hand both to lead activities and to offer conversation, hospitality and pastoral support.
Revd Chris Spittle, who is involved in leading Bright Lights, said:
“Bright Lights is one of the highlights of the month as the church and school come together to worship, have fun, create and usually make a fair amount of mess. One of the signs that it works is that adults and children alike will stop me in the street to ask when the next one is.”
The aim of Bright Lights is to create a space where people of all ages can worship together in a relaxed and accessible way, taking church beyond traditional settings and into the places where families already are. Many who attend do not take part in Sunday worship, making the project an important point of connection with the wider community.
Revd Chris added:
“Key to the success of Bright Lights is that church and school are fully invested in working together. Helen our headteacher and Matt our deputy are as likely to be covered in glue, paint, glitter and icing sugar at Bright Lights as the children are.”
With the continued support of the school and parish, the team is now exploring opportunities to take Bright Lights into other schools across the parish, building on the relationships and experience developed over the past seven years.
