CONGREGATIONS are rapidly growing at a bi-lingual Great Yarmouth church.More than 120 people filled Park Baptist Church on Sunday as the English and Portuguese speaking congregations came together for a bi-lingual service which included five baptisms.

CONGREGATIONS are rapidly growing at a bi-lingual Great Yarmouth church.

More than 120 people filled Park Baptist Church on Sunday as the English and Portuguese speaking congregations came together for a bi-lingual service which included five baptisms.

Those baptised were Carlos Moreno, Eunice Caixenha, David Minister, Flavio Pontes and Christiane Herlan.

This was the highest number of baptisms in a single service in this growing Christian community for many years - and the first to include Portuguese speaking believers since the regular Portuguese language service began around two years ago.

The service was led by Pastor Derrick Hill, supported by Pastor Jorge Damasceno from Dereham, and included musical contributions from both English and Portuguese musicians. A buffet lunch with contributions from both cultures followed.

The church, on Crown Road, is seeing increasing attendances at both its 10.45am English and 4pm Portuguese Sunday services as well as at its Tuesday Friendship Centre.

Pastor Hill said: “Church members are working hard to demonstrate the real unity that exists in the church across the wide range of cultures represented in the congregation. As a result of the increased activity, the church is currently seeking to increase its staffing through the appointment of a bi-lingual Associate Pastor, a post partly supported by national funds from Baptist Home Mission.