England's World Cup games to be screened at Trinity Methodist Church

Posted by The Journal on May 28, 10 10:32 AM in Churches

Churches are places traditionally associated with praying and celebration.

And there could be plenty of both at one Northumberland church over the coming weeks after it announced plans to show England's World Cup matches in a bid to get footie fans into its pews.

Rev David Flavell of Trinity Methodist Church, Hexham

Trinity Methodist Church at Hexham will be showing games on a big screen, taking the opportunity to also hold a number of World Cup-themed services and also to raise money for a charity in South Africa, where the tournament is being staged.

At half time bacon butties will be served, alongside Fair Trade tea and coffee and there will be a tuck shop.

Minister at Trinity, Rev David Flavell, organised similar screenings at the last World Cup and had planned to do the same for the European Championships two years ago before Steve McClaren's men failed to qualify.

He said: "It is to offer an alternative especially for families to going down the pub and the chance for people to get together. We expect lots of people to come and support England.

"People are looking forward to it, I hope it will be a real smash hit."

Rev Flavell is also hoping local Scottish, Irish and Welsh people will come out to support their traditional rival.

And he is also extending a warm welcome to any Americans, Algerians and Slovenians - England's opponents for their group matches - who might be in Hexham during the tournament.

Three regular churchgoers at Trinity are American, as is the minister's wife Martha.

He said: "She is coming along to the first game so there is divided loyalties in our house."

The minister, who has been at Trinity for five and a half years, is hoping England will meet Brazil in the final.

He said: "I am pretty optimistic, once we get to the knockout stage it is a bit of a lottery. I think we will at least make the quarter finals, then hopefully the semis and who knows.

"Everyone here's looking forward to following England all the way to the Final on July 11. We do not want penalties."

To link in with the World Cup, the church will be giving a series of football themed sermons, entitled Match of the Day.

They include Kick Off, which is linked to Acts 26:1-8, Red Card, inspired by Romans 6:15-23 and Don't Leave At Half Time, inspired by 2 Peter 1:1-9. The sermons will be delivered every Sunday evening over the course of the tournament.

Rev Flavell said: "We're using the football theme to get the Gospel message across.

"We hope lots of people will come to listen to our contemporary band and be challenged by the thought-provoking dramas and sermons.

"Football matters, but this is even more important."

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