Pickering Church Photography Project

The Pickering Church Photo Project was undertaken over a 4 day visit to the parish. The visit was planned well in advance to ensure maximum exposure to as many services throughout the Sunday: starting at 8:00am Holy Communion (BCP), then followed by 10:00am Parish Eucharist, 11:30am Family Church service and finally the 6:00pm Youth (YOOF!) Group.

Sunday school is held in the church rooms nearby; splitting the time effectively between the key elements of the main service and the interaction of the children is vital. Spending time in advance, talking with the youth and Sunday school leaders, saves considerable time on the day. Everyone was prepared and aware of the photographer's visit and parental permission had been sought during the weeks leading up to the visit. The 'feedback' session the children undertook when they merged back with the main service in the church created some wonderful images. Fr Antony's blessing of the young child captures the wonderful blend between a child-friendly atmosphere and the more traditional elements of the service.

An important feature of the website needed to focus on the ancient medieval wall paintings within the church. Tourist ministry for Pickering Church is a vital part of its ministry within the local community. It attracts tens of thousands of visitors every year: the website is an integral part of communicating the appeal of the wall paintings to those planning to visit the area on holiday. The wall paintings were photographed on one Saturday afternoon, enabling us to engage with the visitors regarding their thoughts on how the website could be used to attract new visitors.

10:00am Parish Eucharist		Sunday School in Action
Sunday School Take Over		John the Baptist at Herod's Court
Fr Antony and Marbecke		Fr Antony Giving a Blessing
8:00am Holy Communion		Youth Involvement During Service
Byland Abbey (Holy Places Feature)		St Edmund the Martyr - Wall Painting