The church is a dying institution, a Thame area clergyman has claimed.

Too many churches have a cold, formal environment, distant clergy, wordy and complicated services and unwelcoming congregations.

And that, said Haddenham vicar the Rev Chris Denham, has meant the church has alienated itself fom young people who find nothing to attract them.

He said: "Our church today is a dying institution."

He said the church had to be more welcoming, provide inspiring worship, use small groups to get the message across, use people's gifts properly and become more dynamic.

He said churches employing full-time youth workers attracting young people grew faster than those which did not.

He said: "We want to find ways to make the young people our church of today, not tomorrow."

Haddenham church has just employed its first youth worker, Madeleine Williams, in an effort to reach out to young people in the village.

Mr Denham said in his church magazine that if the church was to survive, then work must be done now to boost congregations and lower the average age of members.