Since the development project for the church was given approval at a Special Church Council on 29th November 2016, preparation work has been undertaken on how to manage the overall project which is likely to cost a little under £1.6million. Whilst this sum seems incredibly daunting at this stage, the plan is for much of it to be raised through obtaining grants and taking a loan through Chapel Aid as well as by direct giving and fundraising events.
The first big push to raise money for this project will be undertaken on Sunday 2nd April 2017 when a Gift Day will be held that will be linked in with our regular worship for the day. The whole of this project is focused on God and our desire to serve Him in the community around us, demonstrating our faith in the process. We believe that we need to think ‘big‘ and trust in God as we embark on this project. The aim is for the church to raise either in actual cash or in firm commitments a minimum of £150,000 between now and the end of December. Why has this sum been chosen? It is because this is the anticipated cost of all the planning and preparation work prior to the main building phase and is expenditure that we need to incur during this year – so it seems like a very good target to aim for.
There is a further reason why we need to think and act ‘big‘ in our fundraising. We are seeking a significant grant towards this work from the Circuit and the District, so a significant and substantial sum being raised at this Gift Day will send out a huge message when we go back to the Circuit in June for a decision on the level of grant that will be made available to us.
There are nearly 200 members of this church as well as many others who come regularly to a wide variety of different groups that meet here. This can be done. Everyone can work together to achieve this.
Anyone wanting more information, please contact me on neilrog62@aol.com and I will gladly help with ways in which you can give and in enabling your gift to be increased by using Gift Aid, if applicable.
Let us go ‘Forward in Faith‘!
Neil Hitch
Church Treasurer