A REDDITCH church will be pushing out the boat to welcome Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, who will be meeting families in the town on October 8.

The inside of St Stephen's Church will be decorated to look like a giant boat on rolling waves for the event, which will include crafts, stories and refreshments for families, with a bouncy castle and games for the children.

It will set the scene for the archbishop to tell the story of Jesus walking on the water.

People are invited to attend from 1.30 to 3pm.

The Archbishop will arrive in Redditch through the Kingfisher Shopping Centre, walking to the church and chatting to shoppers as he goes.

When he reaches St Stephen's he will tell the "walking on the water" story from Matthew's Gospel in a "child-friendly" way.

There will then be a chance for visitors to chat informally to the VIP guest over tea and cake.

The Rev Paul Lawlor, vicar of St Stephen’s Church and town centre chaplain, said: “We’re really excited that Archbishop Justin is coming to Redditch. It’s a chance to show how the churches in the town are working together to serve our community as well as offering a fun afternoon to families in the local area.”

The Redditch event is part of a three-day visit by the archbishop to the Worcester Diocese.