Ilfracombe

I recently spent a few days in Ilfracombe, a hilly town blessed with 3 Anglican churches, all of them open each day.

St. Philip & St. James, Ilfracombe

‘Pip and Jim’s’ or ‘The Harbour Church’ is in a prominent position in the popular harbour area of Ilfracombe. There is a welcome sign outside and it is a church well worth looking into. Inside, I found some good prayer ideas set out with some prayer ribbons to use (to remember loved ones) and some things to take away and a book in which prayers can be put – all placed in a prominent position.

Children’s work was also displayed and this is a church which actively prays for the town – there was a display about this too. There were 40 + entries in the visitors book for October so far.

All in all an interesting church to visit. The church website at – http://www.pipandjimschurch.org doesn’t have any visitor info on it.

St. Peter’s, Ilfracombe

St. Peter’s sits high above the town and it is quite a climb up to it! Again, there is a welcome board outside. Inside, there is a flexible space which gets used for all sorts of events as well as for worship.

St. Peter’s has a ministry of praying for peace and there is a good display about this with some prayers to take away. There was also a good welcome leaflet as well as one about the stations of the cross to be found here. A prayer board and votive stand are both well used.

There is a website at http://www.mychurchindevon.weebly.com but it is still under construction and doesn’t have much on it. St. Peter’s is a church that is well worth a look.

Holy Trinity, Ilfracombe

Holy Trinity is also open each day. There is some building work going on at the moment there. Again, there is a welcome board outside. Inside there is a guide book @ £2 and some post cards for sale. Some ‘bats’ giving details of the church and some cards also to carry about. One interesting feature here is that the loose leaf visitors book asks for suggestions on how the church could develop it’s ministry to visitors. I have not seen this done before. It is also placed on a table in the porch so you can’t ignore it!

This is a very good idea and shows that this church takes it’s visitors very seriously.

There is a good prayer display again (with a focus on bereavement and remembering) with some leaflets and prayer ideas to take away. Also a votive stand to use. The church website at http://www.mychurchindevon.weebly.com has clear visitor information.

It is so refreshing to find a town in which all the churches are open for visitors. It is often just one of two. Each church is worth a visit and they are all holy places which are available for the pilgrim, tourist or local who just wants some time with God.