08/05/2026
What a welcoming way to introduce young people to church! 🍕🥛
Every weekday afternoon, students from Wildern and Deer Park secondary schools pass by St Luke's Church Hedge End. Around ten years ago, the church opened its doors to them with a Youth Café offering pizza, toasties and milkshakes. Today, more than 100 young people gather each Thursday!
Rev’d Ben Jones explains “Many wouldn't go into a church otherwise, yet we hear them saying things like, ‘this is my church’, or ‘I'm going to church on Thursday’. Maybe it’s that first step of being in a church where they feel welcomed and accepted that might help them take tentative steps to begin exploring the journey of faith.”
💬 Lydia, 12, said, “I like coming because it’s nice. You can express your feelings and talk about anything.”
💬 Emily, 13, adds, “I started attending Sunday services after coming here. I talked to the old youth leader Maddy, and she invited me to ‘Junction 7’, and I found my faith here. It’s a really important part of my life.”
💬 Reece, 16, said, “It's just beautiful here. The environment is so good, everyone is so nice. I speak to the team quite a bit and the food is amazing.”
👉️ Read the full news article, linked in the comments.
