A THRIVING Oldham church is praying to emerge victorious after their community-spirited actions landed them in the finals of a national award.

Greenacres Congregational Church has been shortlisted for a Congregational Federation Serving the Community award which recognises a whole variety of ways in which churches serve their neighbourhoods.

The Galland Street congregation is well versed in reaching out through a host of weekly social events and fundraisers including a Friendship Centre where people can come and chat, play games and have a nourishing meal.

Vitally, they can speak to minister Rev David Lampard and other church members if they need help in any way and those suffering loneliness are often referred to them by Oldham Early Help.

It also includes a sing and rhyme session where parents and carers can bring their toddlers for 30 minutes of nursery rhymes and reading and every week they stage Pilates, Zumba, social table tennis plus monthly social evenings, quizzes, games and trips out.

Rev Lampard has also reached out to Greenacres Primary School with pupils regularly popping in to learn more about the church and in December treated church-goers to a 'memorable' nativity.

To highlight the good they do in the community they recently handed over £400 to Martin Sutton, from Oldham Young Carers, from funds raised by their monthly social events which is split between a local charity and their own church funds.