It seems hard to believe that it was all the way back in March 2015 that PCC first discussed the possibility of alterations within the church, to accommodate the needs of our growing Outreach Project, and to improve our worship space. Even since those first conversations, the Outreach Project has continued to grow, and to become a major feature of the life of this church and of the community. Since then, there has been much discussion and prayer, architects and the diocese consulted, congregation meetings were held in the autumn of 2015, and this year we formally applied to the church authorities for permission called a Faculty.
At the beginning of November, news came through that we had been granted a Faculty to do the alterations. This allows us:
a) to convert the current Lady Chapel area into a café space, with a kitchenette;
b) to remove some pews from the front of church and extend the chancel step, and move the altar rails, so that we can have a nave altar;
c) to put in a disabled toilet, by the choir vestry.
In addition, we have also been granted planning permission by the council for an external disabled ramp up to the external door to the choir vestry, to give extra access to this disabled toilet. (Plans can be seen in the church foyer).
We now need to ensure we have funds in place to do these works, before we proceed with them. The funds for these building alterations are held completely separate from both the funds used to run the Outreach Project (ie to employ our Outreach Workers), and from the general account used to pay the day-to-day running costs of the church, including any ongoing repairs needed on the church and hall. Out of various estimates we have received for the work needed, the top one was for a total of £50,000. There are several grant making bodies which we will be able to go to once we have half of the funds in place. At time of writing, the fund for the building alterations stands at just over £5,000.
Therefore, we need to raise £20,000 to be able to do these alterations. That could be achieved by say 200 people each giving £100 (or 100 people each giving £200; or 50 people giving £400…)
This is something that – after a lot of prayer and thought - as a church we believe God is wanting us to do, to make our beautiful building of Holy Trinity on Norris Road viable and fit for purpose for future generations. Will you help us work for this church to become what God is wanting us to be? Hopefully (if printers deliver on time) included with this magazine is a leaflet which is going to be distributed around the area inviting donations to this project, and as church members you are invited to join also with supporting this project. We stress that we do not want to put people who are in financial difficulty under any extra pressure, nor is anyone under any obligation to give.
Please pray about your giving, and whether you are able to donate something as a one-off to this special project. If you can, cash or a cheque payable to ‘Holy Trinity PCC’, and marked ‘Building the Future’ can be handed in to the church, or posted to:
Building the Future,
Parish Office,
Holy Trinity Church,
Norris Road, Blacon, CH1 5DZ.