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PA/PA Wire
UK News

Birmingham church credits Pokemon with increased attendance

Hundreds of people have visited Birmingham's City Road Methodist Church to catch the online creatures as the game takes off across the world.

Church steward David Hallam told Premier four new people attended the service on Sunday with one person offering to give a talk on the game to help others understand.

"It was all quite exciting," he said. "We've had a steady stream of people coming to the church with their mobile phones."

PA

He added: "We decided right at the start that this was an opportunity to talk to people about Jesus, let them know we are a church, not just another building.

"We remind them that Jesus cares for Pokemon players.

"We had our service yesterday and we had four people turn up who don't normally and one young lady offered to give us a talk on what Pokemon was.

PA Wire

"Then a reporter turned up from a news agency."

He said the church doesn't "bang them across the head with a Bible" but when people arrive to catch Pokemon they engage in "friendship evangelism".

Responding to suggestions it was unspiritual he said: "I don't see that much difference between people playing Pokemon and young Christians putting on a rugby shirt on a Saturday afternoon."

Last week the Church of England encouraged its parishes to use the game to evangelise.

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