MEMBERS of a congregation have given an empty church in the heart of Linden a new lease of life after five years of sitting empty.
St Stephen's Church in Bristol Road has been vacant since 2009, when it joined with St Paul's Church in Stroud Road.
Over the past few years the main church area has been used as storage by the Diocese.
The main hall is used by a playgroup on a regular basis and the Linden Residents' Association holds its monthly meetings there.
Now City Church is moving into the building on a temporary basis.
It previously used the site at the George Whitefield Centre but it will use St Stephen's until its new home at Star 66 in Seymour Road has been completed.
Ben Preece Smith, diocesan secretary at the Diocese of Gloucester, said: "We are delighted City Church will enable St Stephen's to again be regularly used for Christian worship. Members will share the building with other local groups, who will continue to use the building during the week."
Members from the City Church have been working hard to restore the Star 66 building and they hope to move in there in the next 18 months. City Church leader Matt Williams said: "St Stephen's is a great space but it has been empty for a while so we have been sorting out the heating so we can use it.
"We have noticed an increase in the number of people in our congregation, we do put on a lot of events. The Christmas carol event was popular."
Resident David Ackroyd said: "We heard that the church building might close last year, which would have had an effect on the playgroup. There were talks the group would have to move to a different area but it is good to see the church being used by City Church and the playgroup can stay where it is, as it is a local group."
He added: "It is nice to see the church being given a new lease of life. The church was built in 1931 so the building is not old."
