The majority of people living in the United Kingdom no longer describe themselves as Christian, according to figures from the recent Census published last month.

The figures led to a national debate about the role of the Church in a country that can no longer be called Christian. However, for Esther Foss, reverend at St Andrews Church in Coulsdon, there is no reason to despair.

“ There's a lot of people who would say that they are spiritual people but not religious,” said Foss in an interview with Young Reporter. “But I don't think that there was any option to tick that on the census. So I’m not sure it really is giving us the full picture.” 

Reverend Foss acknowledged that from the outside the church can seem like an institution stuck in history with difficulties adapting to our modern day society. 

‘“They might see it as being a very prejudiced institution which you can’t really argue with,” she said.

In spite of this, Revd Foss exemplified the value of The Church in society. Volunteers at St Andrews Church, for example, make sandwiches for homeless people. The church also offers drop-in sessions for adults who need a chat and parents with children. The people who come are not regular church goers, said Revd Foss. 

“For a lot of people it's just about linking into a community,” she said. “I think in our society that’s really important because there's less and less places where people can be together .”