A FARNHAM church is looking at new ways that the community can use its facilities.

St John’s Church in Hale is a large, Victorian building with wooden pews which currently don’t allow the space to be used flexibly.

The church is open daily but is chiefly used on a Sunday for a 9.30am service and for weddings and funerals at other times in the week.

Now the church wants the community to have a say in how the building might also be used so that more people can take advantage of the space it offers, while maintaining worship as its primary use.

To this end, a questionnaire is being sent out to people living close to St John’s asking them if they would be happy for the interior of the church to be altered to create more space and what they might like this space to be used for.

Ideas included a cafe, soft play area, GP surgery, debt counselling service, rehearsal space, studios, small office space for home workers, and meeting rooms.

The results will be analysed and an exhibition will be held at the church on Saturday, May 27, from 10am to 2pm.

Reverend Hannah Moore from St John’s Church said: “We have a beautiful building that is open every day and has a worshipping congregation which meets every Sunday, as well as being used for weddings and funerals.

“However, the church has great potential as a community resource with more community events and participation and we would like local people to tell us what they would like from the church.

“We are sending out a questionnaire with an Easter card and will look carefully at the responses to see how we can best serve everyone and ensure that the church is a vibrant part of Hale life for many years to come.”

There will be a series of services at St John’s during the week beginning April 9, leading up to Easter Sunday, April 16.

These include a Palm Sunday procession from the lay-by near the church on April 9, meditations in St John’s at 7.30pm from April 10 to 12, a service of foot washing and communion on April 13, a Good Friday vigil at 8.30am on April 14 and an Easter Egg Hunt and short service on Easter Sunday at 11.30am.