The Glow event space on Aycliffe Business Park includes a modern coffee shop called Trio , which is open to the public six days a week .
Glow features a second auditorium ( with capacity for 250 people ), professional office space for meetings , comfortable rooms for private discussions and ample free parking space .
Play ” sessions for parents and toddlers , and on Fridays , up to 70 youngsters attend a youth group to play games and have fun , while also learning life skills , and discussing challenging topics .
“ When I was a kid , we had an amazing youth club at South Bank Baptist Church . That helped shape who I am , and that philosophy is what we ’ ve got here now at Glow ,” adds Ian .
There ’ s also a bereavement support group ; older , vulnerable people ’ s group ; older men ’ s group ; and fitness groups , as well as outreach work to spread the support deeper into the community .
“ One thing that lockdown showed us is how lonely and isolated a lot of people are . Some people have no one in their lives and we feel it ’ s our calling to reach out to them .”
Examples of our outreach include Christmas hampers for prison officers in recognition of their contribution to society , and a fundraising campaign was launched after the start of the war in Ukraine .
The vision is to go on growing both the church and the business , and plans include the addition of a special needs sensory room .
Everything that happens at Glow is built around three words “ real bold love ” – and they sum up the values that were instilled into Ian by his parents . Both have now passed away , but their influence still guides him .
Real , bold love was what they were showing when they went out to people at the bus stop – and that ’ s what ’ s on offer at Glow a generation later .
“ WHATEVER IT IS YOU NEED FOR AN EVENT , MEETING , OR ACTIVITY – WHETHER IT ’ S SMALL AND INTIMATE , OR UP TO 1,000 PEOPLE , WE CAN LOOK AFTER YOU .”
To find out more about events , meetings and activities , go to : www . glowvenuehire . co . uk To find out more about Glow Church , go to : www . glowchurch . com / durham
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