VIDEO An Ipswich church is celebrating today after the much-anticipated official opening of a new £1.1million church centre.Burlington Baptist Church in London Road has been hoping to build a centre next to the church building since 2000 and its dream has finally come true.

AN Ipswich church is celebrating today after the much-anticipated official opening of a new £1.1million church centre.

Burlington Baptist Church in London Road has been hoping to build a centre next to the church building since 2000 and its dream has finally come true.

To mark the opening parishioners young and old enjoyed a party with music, food, games and lots of balloons.

Rev Simon Harris, senior minister at the church, said: “There is a lot of excitement about the opening. We're really pleased.

“We had land at the side of the church to put cars and we built a three-storey church centre. It gives us a new welcoming entrance and lots of offices that can we used.

“We'll be more professional and more welcoming for people and it will give us much more space for community events.

“Traditional churches are all about sitting in pews but this is different.

“In recent years we've certainly bucked the trend because congregations have been growing so we need more space.”

Mr Harris said he was extremely grateful for all emotional and financial support from the congregation at the church.

He added: “The Church Centre is a sign of God's great presence.

“The existing church building might give the impression that the church's best days are over.

“The new build alongside the old is a reminder that the community within is anything but dwindling or diminishing, but rather alive and looking to the future. God is not dead, or locked in a bygone age, but very much with us and changing lives like he always has.”

Is your church celebrating? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.