CONGREGATION members in a York community now have their church back - after a major revamp costing nearly £250,000.

St Thomas's Church, in Osbaldwick, has been closed for almost six months because of a large refurbishment project, and services have been held in the local village hall and its sister church, St James's, at Murton.

But the church has now been reopened, with a new meeting space available for the whole community to enjoy.

Now the church, previously kept locked except for services for security reasons, will be open to visitors between 10am and 4pm every day.

The Rev Andrew Clements, parish vicar of Osbaldwick with Murton, explained the cash for the revamp had been raised after the church sold its former hall - now home to Tiddlywinks Nursery.

The rest was raised thanks to gifts and grants from the Big Lottery Awards For All programme, the Dioceses of York, the Ilkley-based Sir George Martin Trust for the rural community, the Norman Collinson Trust and the All Churches Trust.

Work to the church has included knocking down the old porch, and building a new entrance and vestibule block, with a newly-fitted kitchen and toilet.

The old nave pews have been replaced with comfortable chairs, the building has been redecorated, there are new carpets, a renewed heating system, and disabled access facilities, such as a hearing loop, have been fitted.

Mr Clements said the newly-refurbished church would give a meeting space, which it was hoped local groups would use.

He said: "The idea is to bring the church nearer to the people and serve the community.

"We hope to start a mother and toddlers' group. We'd like to start various additional things, not only church meetings, but for other people to use it as a place they can come to.

"It's a blank sheet of paper. Regular churchgoers are absolutely amazed by what they have seen.

"It's been a wonderfully exciting time for us - the biggest thing we've done for 40 years."

Some 200 people admired the completed work to the church at an open day earlier this month.

The building and its congregation are due to be specially dedicated by The Bishop of Selby, the Rev Martin Wallace, at 7.30pm, on February 2.

Updated: 10:47 Wednesday, January 25, 2006