Parishioners raise money for church

Daniel and Emelia Nalbantsky asked for help to raise £11,500

Parishioners in Suffolk have raised more than £10,000 needed to build a church in a city in Bulgaria.

Four years ago, St Mary the Virgin church in Bures began a link with a Methodist church in Russe on the Bulgarian/Romanian border.

This summer Pastor Daniel Nalbantsky and his wife Emelia, from Russe, asked for help to raise £11,500 to buy land and build a new church in the town.

Parishioners managed to raise the money with the help of the churches of Assington, Bures and Little Cornard.

Reverend Robin King, of St Mary the Virgin, said: "People were moved to respond when they saw such a need.

"After the service when we counted the money I was amazed we'd reached our target in just one go.

"The wonderful thing is that the amount represents real generosity from all members of our churches."

Pastor Nalbantsky thanked parishioners for their efforts.

"This is indeed an exceptional generosity of your people," he said.

The church will be built next year and will serve a deprived area in the suburbs of Russe, an industrial city with a population of about 200,000.