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Church blows up for the convenience of worshipers
2003-096-2
5/5/2003
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[Episcopal News Service]
If you can't get people to come to church you can take the church to the people, believes Michael Gill, a British events organizer, who sees his inflatable church that can be put up anywhere as a fun way to draw worshipers.
The air-filled structure is made of fire- retardant PVC, and its steeple stretches to 47 feet. It has 'stained glass' windows and even an inflatable altar.
'Traditional church buildings don't compel us to come in. They simply say, You know where the church is if you want to come,' Gill told ENI. 'The inflatable church is in-your-face. It says, Get involved!'
Gill sees the inflatable church as an answer to falling religious attendance in the United Kingdom and other countries. It could be carried around and used for impromptu services anywhere, from town squares to deprived municipal housing estates.
Gill, aged 34 and a father of two, is especially concerned that traditional churches are ceasing to be part of children's lives, and sees his design as a way to put this right.
'It will be a pied piper for children,' he said. 'They will think it's a bouncy castle, although in fact it's a rigid structure. It will be an opportunity, however, to combine religion with fun activities.'
Gill said the church can be assembled in three hours and dismantled in fewer than two. With a popular Web site and media coverage around the world, Gill says he has received many inquiries from clergy, particularly in the United States and Britain. Now he aims to persuade church leaders to put their weight behind the project.
The Web site states: 'No problem with high heels - our church has a hard floor. But please, No Smoking!'
The building, which measures 175 square feet, will be made in Belgium and offered for sale or hire. The purchase price is $35,000. Gill is also dreaming of other inflatable buildings. He is planning an inflatable pub which can give a touch of England anywhere, from the North Pole to the Sahara Desert.
(The inflatable church can be found at www.inflatablechurch.com.)
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