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Church won't be closed for a Pentecost bicycle race

St Peter's is in the centre of Nottingham, where there are two big Sunday races each year. The Robin Hood Marathon passes through the city centre but not close to the church. We simply warn our parishioners to allow extra time to reach us. But for the past few years the Milk (bicycle) Race has come right down the side of the church on Pentecost Sunday, lasting for much of the day. The crowds of excited people make it impossible to hold a service inside.

The Eucharist is therefore moved to All Saints', our sister church in the parish, and the choir and most of the congregation go there. However the excellent* Esther Elliott (the Lay Minister Officer in neighbouring Derby diocese and a Licensed Reader at St Peter's) didn't like the idea of the church being closed on Pentecost Sunday, and of us not taking any part in this important and joyful City event. So for the past two years she has organised a little 'outreach'.

Just outside the church there is a 'crossing point' where pedestrians can cross the track, but people can be 'kettled' in the area immediately around the church for twenty minutes at a time while the bicycles go past. During these times Esther and her helpers gave out drinks and sweets, put up balloons and bunting, and gave balloons and colouring sheets to the children. The church was also available as a 'loo stop' and a 'tea stop' for security staff manning the crossing point, as well as a place where they could take a break from the frequent verbal abuse they receive. A short service of morning worship was held, which twenty people attended. All told Esther and her helpers were there for about four hours.

Esther also found that by just standing at the top of the steps, smiling and saying hello, she got a lot of positive response from the people using the steps as a short-cut. With more volunteers from the congregation, preferably including some extroverts, she hopes to do more next year.

*Esther would be the last person to claim excellence for herself, this is only my opinion.

Michael Leuty
St Peter's
Nottingham, UK
mike@leuty.eu
26 August 2015

(Editor: have you considered including a retired doctor amongst Esther's helpers?)

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We launched our 'Letters to AO' section on 11 May 2003. All published letters are in our archives.