A TEIGNMOUTH Church made headlines in 1979 because it was too popular.

The Baptist Church was said to be bulging at the seams, and to solve the problem the old Carlton Theatre was hired for Sunday services during the summer.

Instead of the usual dancing girls, comics and singers on stage, the spotlight would be on the minister, the Rev Ian Burley, who would no doubt lead the prayers and hymns with just as much gusto.

And an organ was to be brought in to make the congregation feel even more at home.

The church was thought to be making religious history as the first established church in the country to hold services in a seaside theatre on a regular basis.

While church attendances were dwindling in many places, local Baptists were said to be overjoyed at the situation.

They joked there was no business like Baptist business, and the Rev Burley insisted it was not a gimmick.

He pointed out it was the only choice because the only alternative was to put up ‘Church Full’ notices or hold two morning services.

Neither solution was satisfactory and it was decided to hire the Carlton, which was the biggest public building in the town with a capacity of 280 – double the church limit.

Apparently holidaymakers liked the Baptist Church so much, many of them booked stays in the resort for the following season so they could attend again.

‘It is a very happy situation to be in. Our congregation increases dramatically in the summer months, and all the regular churchgoers agreed that moving to the theatre was the right thing to do,’ said Rev Burley, 36, whose only previous experience of ‘show business’ was as a contestant on the ITV Generation Game show.

‘I see no problems with preaching in a theatre. The place does not really matter. We have an informal style and aim to bring joy into our services.

‘I think we may attract a lot of people who would feel inhibited about entering a church, but would not mind attending a service in a theatre.

‘The dressing rooms will be used for the Sunday School children, and we will laying on a mini-bus for people who want transport from the church to the theatre.’