A CHURCH group has renamed itself after 46 years to show their commitment to being a positive influence in the local community.

The Richmond Pentecostal Church was named in the mid-1960s as it moved into its home in the town’s Zetland Street, creating the Zetland Christian Centre.

Now church members have decided the time is right for a new direction and have renamed the church, and the church centre, Influence Church.

Ben Dowding, senior minister at the church, said: “There was nothing essentially wrong with the names Richmond Pentecostal Church and the Zetland Centre but we believe those names were just for a season in our church life and that, under the identity of Influence Church, we are stepping into a new season of our church’s journey.”

Mr Dowding said that the name Influence Church is an indication of members’ desite to be a positive influence on Richmond and become part of the community.

Mr Dowding added: “Our change of name is not a change of our beliefs. We believe that although our commitment to Christian beliefs, values and morals is traditional, our expression of church doesn’t need to be.

“We may have drums instead of organs and YouTube videos instead of hymn books but our beliefs are the same as any other Church, just expressed in a modern way.”

As part of their re-naming & re-branding the church has invested in a number of new designs and artwork both inside and outside the building.

There is also a new website that provides information on all of the church’s services and programmes as well as videos and podcasts of what is happening in the church at www.influencechurch.co.uk