Two months of daily activities are planned at a historic Baptist church to celebrate major refurbishments.

A variety of events will hopefully attract Haworth villagers to the West Lane church, as well as boost a £50,000 appeal to help meet the costs.

The sale of land around the building to North British House Assoc-iation for retirement homes has provided the congregation with £150,000 towards the final bill. Already around £2,500 has been donated by well-wishers, businesses and people connected to the church.

Members are currently sharing the premises of their neighbours at West Lane Methodist Church but hope to be home by the end of April.

Pastor David Warrington says there has been a chapel on the site since 1752. "We are very proud of our heritage and history but even more excited about the future and the changes we are beginning to see take place," he says.

Those changes include moving the sanctuary area upstairs and bringing both the original pipe organ and the 19th century pews back into use. This new area will also double as a theatre in the round.

The building will have a stair lift enabling disabled access. There will also be facilities available for hire on the ground floor, including a church lounge, new kitchen and amenities for residential stays by groups such as Cubs and Brownies.

Mr Warrington says: "We would like to see these premises used to serve the community's practical needs. We especially want to encourage links between the Christian faith and the arts, and we hope that members of the local community will want to be involved in this new venture."

Among a series of around 20 events planned for the first two months following the re-opening will be a banner workshop forging links with the local textile industry and providing a permanent display, a session on poetry and drama in worship and a drama workshop for young people which may lead to the formation of a youth theatre. Christian musicians will stage concerts and Haworth's Gilbert and Sullivan Society will present items after a formal evening meal.

The congregation plans to open the church every Monday between 10am and 3pm for drop-in sessions at which people can enjoy light refreshments and possibly on another day too. The chapel sanctuary will be available for prayer and meditation. And there are hopes of restarting a mother-and-toddler group and launching a meeting place for people with disabilities.

"We want to make the church in general more open to the local community," says Mr Warrington. "We believe the step of faith involved in taking on a project like this by a congregation that is both small and largely elderly is a risk worth taking for the benefits which will accrue. We don't just want to have a lovely building. We want the community to tell us what is needed and want to see the building used."

The future is exciting."

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