Lighthouse Church
Gerry Walden | Southampton, Hampshire, United Kingdom
Photographer: Gerry Walden
Exhibit Title: Lighthouse Church
Location: Southampton, Hampshire, United Kingdom
The Lighthouse Church in my home town of Southampton is an evangelical church reaching out to all denominations and spreading the word of Jesus to them. I photographed their activities as part of a long-term project on religion,
I am not a member of the church (in fact I am of no religious denomination) so was looking in as an outsider.
There is something about religion which draws me to it. I am not a religious person and I have no particular faith not have I ever really understood those that have, but I have long been intrigued by their devotion. It is a devotion which leads to man killing man despite the teaching of their prophets, to families being rent asunder from their loved ones.
All religions have birth ceremonies, marriage ceremonies and death ceremonies, and I have wanted to do a project to show the similarities rather than the differences for many years. It should therefore come as no surprise that when I was offered the chance to photograph the life of a small local free church I jumped at the chance.
Lighthouse is a Christian group which aims to outreach in an inner city area, especially to members of the strong Asian Indian community. Formed 30 years ago by two like-minded people, it has grown to a congregation of up to 300, and because it was their thirtieth year I was asked to record some of their year. I centered on 3 main events, a study group looking at ‘Why Jesus?’, a Passion Play, and the thirtieth celebrations themselves (which were held in a ‘borrowed’ church because of possible numbers). These images are from those three events.
I want to thank all those who assisted me with their patience at my intrusion into their devotion.
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