‘Tis the season to talk to strangers' by Alan Garrow Vicar of St Peter's Church in Harrogate

These findings have been widely reported in recent years, but it can still take quite a bit of courage to put the theory into practice.

This is where going to church can really help.

At St Peter’s, the Harrogate town centre church where I am Vicar, we have a regular pattern of talking to strangers. We call it The Three Minute Rule.

This is where we take the opportunity to talk to someone we don’t know well for the first three minutes after the 9.30am Family Communion service.

Because this is just part of our regular culture it doesn’t feel strange – it’s just normal.

And the benefits are huge.

Sandstrom’s and Epley’s research suggest that talking to strangers boosts happiness, reduces loneliness, builds confidence, broadens perspectives, and improves social skills.

It creates unexpected opportunities for learning and makes life richer and more connected.

It reminds us of our shared humanity and helps build and strengthen community.

If you’ve never tried it, Christmas is a great time to begin.

This is not just because churches are especially used to welcoming newcomers at this time of year but also because taking down barriers and creating connections is what the Christmas message is all about.

Jesus was born as a frail human being and died on the cross to re connect us with God.

If talking to human strangers is good for you, imagine how good it is to strike up a conversation with God.

In Jesus, God reveals himself as the God who loves us more than we could possibly imagine and who stops at nothing to come out to meet us and draw us home.

This is the season to talk to strangers.

Try it, the benefits are amazing.

You might even find they last for ever.

Harrogate is full of great churches – you can find a list at: https://netmakers.org.uk/churches/