St Helen, Ipswich

St Helen is usually dismissed as being of no interest, and its stubby little Victorian spire does not inspire excitement. It was rebuilt on the site of its medieval predecessor in several goes between 1830 and 1870 although you may notice that the 15th century porch of the former was retained. This is not one of the best, but adds a nice touch of continuity. It is used as the entrance for services, but the main entrance to the church now is in the south transept.

Hemmed in on St Helen's Street. The graveyard extends behind.

However, this is a church worth seeing inside, for it has been completely modernised, in a most unusual way.

Looking towards the north west corner from the gallery. The north facing altar, flanked by piano and OHP.

Firstly, a huge gallery has been built over what was the chancel arch. This houses storage space now, but may have been intended as an organ gallery. You step beneath it, through into a large, modern space, the former chancel. This room is used regularly for meetings, playgroups, and so on. The 19th century east window survives.

The nave is most striking. It has been carpeted, and a small table altar has been set towards the north wall, turning the orientation of the church 90 degrees anti-clockwise, and doing away with the eastwards position. This, I know, shocks many Anglicans of a less evangelical humour; but actually, many Catholic churches have done it as well, as a response to Vatican II. So it isn't entirely anti-sacramental.

Modern chairs sit in a semi-circle around it; an overhead projector stands against it, and a piano and electric guitars await their musicians. The walls are lined with banners produced by members of the parish, and you would be a bit harsh if you thought it wasn't all done rather well.

Among the fixtures and fittings there is no trace of anything before, say, 1970. The Victorian windows sulk in the walls - they know they're not wanted here. As for the porch, well, you can imagine that it must feel quite uncomfortable about what is going on behind its back.

But me, I liked it. Here is a faith community reordering its church to suit its liturgical requirements, as the English Church has always done, whether Catholic before the Reformation or Protestant afterwards. And the people here were warm, friendly and let me look wherever I wanted.

The district of St Helen's is now a largely Bengali area, and the Asian shops add a hint of the exotic to the setting. Rather less happy is the attempt to turn the northern part of the graveyard into a leisure facility; the wooden benches and flowerbeds make it seem like nothing so much as a pub beer garden.

St Helen has recently been taken into the same benefice as Holy Trinity and St Luke. I am sure that it has injected new life into the Anglican faith communities of east central Ipswich.

Like nowhere else in Suffolk.

St Helen, Ipswich, is located in St Helen's Street, a short walk from the town centre.I think it is kept locked; except that it is often in use, so you might get a look inside if you are polite and ask nicely.