Pat Ellis was recently asked to discuss this question in our Thursday evening course "How Christians Grow in Faith". Pat explained; "When asked to discuss this question my immediate response was Yes of course we need churches. However, when I tried to explain why, I found that the reasons were wider than I had ever considered before. The church is a place where people can come together to worship but it is so much more than that. In a time when people confuse being moral with being a Christian the church offers direction and guidance alongside a place to be closer to God. To be part of a Church family offers quiet times, friendship and joy, and a time to sing praises to God. People today say I am a Christian, but I do not need to go church. But that is simply untrue.  Yes you can lead a moral life without church but the essence of Christianity includes decent values alongside worshipping with others in church. When a Christian enters a church it feels like they are entering a sanctuary. In our church, despite often noisy events there are always moments to find a quiet time between oneself and Jesus. As we know, in our own church, the prayers and support given to people who are ill or in any way distressed is so very important, and it is when people are together, in one place that the strength of combined prayer can be felt. The church offers a meeting place for various organisations, ie scouts, brownies, toddler groups and many more. It also offers respite from loneliness and the troubles of every day life. The support that worshippers bring help to keep the church alive both spiritually and financially. I strongly feel that I get far more from the church than I give. Our Christian way of life is already being eroded due to falling numbers and divisions of faith. So we must stand up and say we are proud to be Christian. And as a Christian, I say, Let the Love that we have for Jesus Christ be shown, where ever we are, by going to church."