Evangelist Andy is aiming to Sort 'em

Andy Milne, 28, born and bred in Bradford, hopes to create a youth church called Sorted.

This will be the first of its kind in the district - a church run by young people for young people.

Keen skateboarder Andy will be based at Immanuel Community College but also hopes to "hang" with the youth of Greengates, Idle and Thorpe Edge in his former stamping ground.

He said: "We hope to form a youth church eventually but initially we want to set up some groups. They can choose their own activities and run their own church. A lot of young people want to do their own thing, but they need support as well. Teenagers could see church as a bit traditional and that could put them off."

Andy will be moving back to Bradford with his wife Tracy and new-born son Sam next month.

He has visited other youth church projects around the UK and said he was relishing the challenge of helping to create one in Bradford.

He said: "The youth church will be called Sorted, which is a bit of a play on words, because as well as being a trendy, youth culture word, 'soter' is Greek for salvation.

"So instead of saying to teenagers, 'Get to know Jesus and get saved', we might say, 'Get to know Jesus and get sorted!"

The Reverend Dr David Johnson, vicar of Holy Trinity, Idle, said: "It's crucial that we actually start where young people are, rather than being constrained by the way churches traditionally operate, and see what kind of church might emerge in those circumstances with the appropriate guidance."

The "yoof" initiative has the blessing of the Bishop of Bradford, the Right Reverend David James, who hopes to see 100 youth workers in the diocese by 2010 - almost one in every parish.

Andy, who has just finished three year's training at Church Army College in Sheffield, was licensed as a youth evangelist by Bishop David at St Cuthbert's Church, Wrose, on Sunday.

His wife Tracy will begin her job as reader to Bradford Hospital Chaplaincy at the end of September.