A small group have been meeting to discuss and plan for some much needed refurbishments of the church building. The building is 18 years old and has been used hard and well and maintained by willing volunteers who donate time and energy to complete necessary maintenance work. I, and the whole congregation, are grateful to these people for the work that they do on our behalf.
The group is currently bringing together some concepts to put to the congregation. These include:
Signage – improved street signage to help guests find our building and then improved signage within the building to help people find their way around.
Hall – fixing the acoustics problems so that we can have conversations in there. Also installing new carpet.
Auditorium – new chairs, carpets and painting. An architect has volunteered his time to present us with a coordinated colour scheme that will be contemporary and timeless. We will also look at the layout of the stage, along with better lighting, sound, acoustics and placement of the data projector and screen.
Office – improved security for Helen when she is alone. We are also looking at how this space can provide a better first impression for people who come to do business in the church office.
Entrance, foyer and outdoor space – in practice the front door of the church is the Laurel street entrance. However, the building layout does not convey this. It is confusing and unwelcoming for guests to find their way from the car park to the church building. The foyer should be a place of warmth and welcome, however, it is not. For many years people in the congregation have talked about a covered area outside the hall, but nothing has come of this. All these issues are being discussed with a view of making a cohesive plan for providing space for people to be welcomed and to gather in community.
Solar panels –data has been gathered that indicates that we could make substantial savings by installing solar panels. An investment in the immediate future could pay for itself in 3 – 5 years and then lead to savings that can be directed towards ministry after that.
One idea that has been talked about by members of the congregation was to insert concertina dividers into the hall (to create smaller meeting spaces whilst not losing the large hall space) or adding an additional level. Technical constraints put these ideas beyond any reasonable amount of money that we could spend. Therefore we will not be considering them again.
Our building is a resource that helps us achieve our purpose of Growing Disciples who Exalt, Explore, Embody, Engage. It functions as a venue in which we conduct our worship, meet in groups and from which we are sent on mission. It is also a building to which we invite our community so that they may experience the community of God’s people. The building must be fit for these purposes. This will involve us in change. The way we did church 18 years ago has changed, the building needs to change to keep up with this. It will involve us in some expense. We have not spent much on the building in the past; this has now crept up on us. But most importantly, it will speak of our desire to follow after Jesus and deepen our relationship with God, each other and the community.
Grace and peace
David Fender
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