by Rachel Hovenden

rhovenden@thekmgroup.co.uk

A church released balloons after attaching the names of people they'd like to invite to a guest service this weekend.

Members of St Barnabas Church, in Upper Avenue, Istead Rise let off the balloons in preparation for the national event Back to Church Sunday.

The annual service encourages people who stopped going to church to return again.

The service, which starts at 10am this Sunday, is also aimed at people who may never has been inside a church.

Parishioners have recently welcomed new vicar, Rev Andrew Vaughan, with his wife Catherine and three-year-old son Joseph.

Mr Vaughan, 47, a former building surveyor, said: "The balloons have the names of people we have invited back to church attached to them.

"It is like a symbolic prayer.

"The service is for a mixture of people. From people we know who have been coming to church and stopped, and for new people."

This Sunday will also be the last Harvest service of retiring rector, the Rev John Peal at St Peter and St Paul, in Church Road, Ash.

The Bishop of Tonbridge will conduct a thanksgiving service at 10.30am.