Category: Heart of the Community

Prophetic word for Heart of the Community

Posted on by Laura Thomas

At the recent Church Weekend, the following prophetic word was given:

“I want to share picture of a brick wall being built by two people kneeling side by side, one crying and one laughing. Psalm 126:5 “Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.” As you build sacrificially and joyfully side by side, there is a promise of a harvest as you sow into the Kingdom of God. It’s the offering of your lives and not just your skills that brings this about. I saw grass growing up through the bricks and the concrete. I felt that this land was once ‘common land’ belonging to the people. There are three levels of ownership on the land:

1. We own it.

2. The ‘people of the community’ own it – it’s for them.

3. Jesus is the ‘Land-Lord’ – He owns it and claims the right to it.

If you remember this, He will bring life to this project. Remember this and you will be like living stones, built into a holy priesthood. Each of us are like stones with a unique offering to bring.”

There are four types of stone in the wall (people who are needed):

Some people who are called to be ‘reassuring’; those who say, “it’ll all be alright!” (When money is tight and chaos breaks out, they will be saying, ‘it’ll be alright!’)

Others are those who ‘see’ – people who see a vision for what is possible.

Yet others are people who will labour in prayer.

Lastly, there are those who will weep with those who weep, and live alongside them and carry them.

 

Heart of the Community project updates

Posted on by Laura Thomas

Construction and costs 

Rebuilding of the north wall is nearing completion. The steel frame of the new building is now complete, and work on the roof has begun. Internal and external walls on the ground floor are now about 50% complete. Corridors and rooms are taking shape, and work has begun reconstructing the internal arches. We anticipate the shell of the building will be finished by the end of July. 

Savings of about £20,000 have been made on the cost of the north wall, and further savings are expected to be made as disruption costs are minimised by a smooth continuation from phase 1 to 2. 

Finance

Following the DCC decision at their last meeting an application is being pursued for Heritage Lottery Funding via the ‘Grants for Places of Worship’ programme. We will be bidding for a grant of around £225,000 which will cover most of the work which needs doing in, and to, the church building. 

Outreach

We have recently awarded just under £15,000 to our mission partners working with Family Impact, to build a classroom block at a rural school in Zimbabwe. The current classrooms are mud huts with no desks or seats. The new classroom block, containing two classrooms to accommodate 80 children, will be built of bricks, made by the local community. There are plans to build three other similar classroom blocks so that the entire school can be re-housed. 

Events for the diary

Phoenix Trading – Coffee and Cards

Saturday 26 April 

Sue Woodhead Marsh is hosting an open home during the morning on 26 April. This will be an opportunity to drop in, drink coffee (or tea), eat cake, meet people and browse some high quality, good value, greetings cards and stationery. All proceeds to go to the Heart of the Community. (For more info please contact Sue on 07525 929085) 

 

Band Night

Saturday 10 May

Back by popular demand. More details to follow. 

 

Colour and Style evening

Tuesday 10 June 

If you are interested in the finding out more about personal image, and how to choose colours and clothing that will flatter and enhance your look, then pop this date in your diary. All proceeds from the evening will go to Heart of the Community. More details to follow. 


Archbishop’s visit

Saturday 13 September

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, will be visiting the new Church and Community Centre to bless the project. 

Heart of the Community project updates

Posted on by Laura Thomas

Project finance

The shell of the new church and community centre, which is due to be completed in mid-July is expected to cost £2.5m, which combined with an estimated £2.1m to fit out the new building, takes the total cost to £4.6m. 

The project Steering Group has been considering various options of securing non-commercial loans to cover an immediate shortfall of £300k and the cost (approximately £700k) of installing mechanical and electrical fittings. This would avoid the substantial costs associated with the contractors leaving the site between phases and enable us to use the additional space as soon as possible. 

Any such loans would be secured with very favourable repayment terms and/or rates of interest, and represent a low risk. The DCC (church council) econsidered this issue at their meeting on 10th March and agreed unanimously (subject to auditors’ review and legal advice) that loans costing up to £1.6m (including cost of interest and repayments) be sought. This represents the maximum amount that can realistically and feasibly be repaid over 10-15 years. As well as covering the M&Es, it will contribute to the cost of fit out, but will not enable full completion of the building. 

Further funding

The DCC also approved a recommendation from the Heart of the Community Steering Group to seek grant funding from four extra sources, “Grants for Places of Worship”, “Our Heritage”, “Awards for All” and “Reaching Communities”, through the National Lottery. The DCC has had to recognise that this is the means by which the Government now funds many cultural, community and heritage projects and that funding from non-congregational sources has been less than anticipated. 

The House of Bishops Policy states: “Sometimes the Church resists proposed changes in our society, but when the decision is made we have to live with it. In this instance we recognise that the Government has made it clear that the Lottery is the way it will increasingly fund heritage and charitable and other matters. The decision whether or not to apply for such help is a matter for the responsible body in each case.” 

During discussions at DCC it was acknowledged that: “ i) all money is God’s money; ii) God can redeem all things, including money some of us might see as tainted; iii) we would rather National Lottery money be used for projects which have the explicit aim of advancing the Kingdom. We believe that the good that can be done with the funding outweighs the potential negative elements.” 

Heart of the Community applications would focus on grants from the Heritage Fund to repair and refurbish the existing church building. The DCC and Heart of the Community steering group were agreed that this is a “fall back” option should there be no miraculous intervention for funding needed. Even if “reaching communities” funding is granted, the funds allocated do not have to be accepted if the funding has come from else- where in the meantime. The recommendation was approved by a majority vote (15 for; 1 against; 1 abstention).