The Lightbox team braved the rain on Good Friday to offer activities as well as free food and drink to young people in Worcester City Centre.
Lightbox is a partnership between different churches in Worcester. Volunteers create a safe space for young people which is taken into different schools and other venues in the city centre.
It was started in 2018 as a drop in at Worcester Baptist Church. Post Covid in 2021 it restarted in a slightly different way, inspired by Jo Oates' chaplaincy work with Worcester Sixth Form College. She said: “We wanted to reimagine what Church might look like for young people and find ways of going to them rather than expecting them to come into our buildings. Led by volunteers from eight different churches, Lightbox now ‘pops up’ in different places in the city – schools, community venues and sometimes in churches.”
There was no Walk of Witness or Passion Play planned in Easter on Good Friday this year, so Jo asked whether Lightbox might have a presence in Cathedral Square instead. Young people could take part in different challenges and write their hopes and prayers on a ‘Light of the City’ prayer and hopes wall. Due to the weather, there were also further activities in St Helen’s Church with different crafts and the chance to have a hot drink.
Jo continued: “We want to be visible as the light of Jesus and provide a safe space for young people, connecting them to other people who can help and support them. We have found there is such a need out there and we hope to be a bridge between the church and the young people. Reminding them that the Church is alive, and they are welcome to join in if they’d like.”
Claire is a member of Freedom Church in Worcester. She said: “I love that Lightbox is a collection of churches going into the young people’s spaces rather than remaining in the four walls of our churches. We encourage the young people who attend our church to get involved in Lightbox where they can meet different people and build a community for themselves.”
Isaac is the youth lead at St Peter’s Baptist Church. He said: “There isn’t a lot of provision for young people and what Lightbox offers is so necessary. It is great to be part of something that has serving the youth of our community at its heart.”
Debra Hill is the Children and Families’ Worker for the Worcester Southeast Team and St Barnabas. She encouraged some of the young people she works with to come and help. She said: “We have recently started a youth group at St Martin’s Church with young people attending from different churches. It is great for them to come along and see the bigger picture and also be part of serving others. I believe in being a church without borders and that’s what Lightbox is all about.”
