A Bingley vicar who fears the town is at risk from “death and decay” is holding a special service to pray for economic resurrection to be attended by the Bishop of Bradford and MP Philip Davies.

The Reverend Beverley Mason took over All Saints Parish Church last year and is keen to inspire a new spirit of optimism and involvement in Bingley. The service, entitled Catching the Vision, is aimed at getting to the heart of financial woes which, she says, threaten to drag the town down.

“Bingley is an amazing place, but there seems to be a broken link,” said Mrs Mason, a former City of London stockbroker who moved to Bingley from the diocese of Southwark.

“There is a sickness and a sense of death and decay because the town is under the shadow of the empty and crumbling Bradford & Bingley building. This overshadowing has shaped the rhetoric for too long. People are constantly looking back to the glory days. We need to change the rhetoric, put our prayer into action and work for a new vision of Bingley.”

The service will pray for shops, market stalls, pubs, clubs, restaurants and all other businesses in the town, and will also be attended by the Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Khadim Hussain.

Mrs Mason said: “There is so much to be positive about – Bingley Show, Bingley Live and the excellent theatre. This is a great place. We still have great shops and even still have a swimming pool – just! We must work together to make good things happen.”

A Post-it wall will be part of the event where people are invited to write down their ideas and hopes which will then be collected and presented to politicians and planners.

The Bishop of Bradford, The Right Reverend Nick Baines, said: “I applaud this move to engage heart and will imaginatively to shape Bingley’s future, and to inspire creative co-operation by all who wish to see Bingley thrive.”

Shipley MP Mr Davies said he backed any attempts to promote growth.

* Catching the Vision takes place at All Saints Parish Church, Old Main Street, Bingley, on Sunday, October 13, from 6pm.