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Our Halls Project
November 1, 2006
Dear Friends,
This month I thought that you would like to know the
progress with our Halls Project – so here are a few
thoughts:
• Encouragement. Derek Baxter shared at the October Church
Council that despite some considerable delays we are now
moving forward and real progress is being made. Roof,
walls, electrics are now in place and each room can be seen
for what it will be.
• Excitement. This has been the feeling of those who have
seen the building from the outside (Try looking form the
Tennis Courts in the Recreation Ground and you get a very
good overall view) and those who have been able to see
inside. Most people are feeling this is bigger than
expected, which, of course was one of our aims to maximize
the wasted space that we had at the side of the old
building.
• Enormous Task. Although we have come a long way there is
still a great deal to do in the next few months. These
include all the practical tasks that Mike Harris has been
heading up and in addition we are now thinking of the
internal fittings and furnishings and preparing ourselves
for the work we hope to undertake in this new facility.
Once the building is complete there will still be a great
deal to raise to repay the loans that have been made.
• Enveloped in Prayer. At the Autumn Synod for the whole
Methodist South East Region we (Margaret Matthews, Rosemary
Cracknell and myself) were asked to make a presentation
about our Church and Halls Project and we chose to begin
with the importance of prayer in every aspect of Church
life including the Halls. We did that because we believe it
is true and that we are a praying Church. However, we need
to be ever mindful to continue in prayer, remembering our
dependence on God at every stage we reach and please do not
leave that to others, for we are ALL called to be praying
people.
• Everyone on board Many people have been giving regularly
by Standing Order each month and this involvement is
crucial to the whole project – its not too late to join if
you are now able to. Individuals have been raising money,
with smartie tubes, tomatoes and all sorts of things. We
are now at a stage where “hands on” help can be given by
those who can paint walls etc (see Margaret Nickson or
Rosemary Cracknell to offer help) Although we were not
able to take up the offer of a ten year old member of the
Junior Church on a working site, the offer itself was a
sign of a heart wanting to help and a role model for all of
us to use our different gifts in different ways. There will
be the opportunity for us all to share in the furnishing of
the buildings with our “Christmas Gift List for the Halls”.
There will be more details coming soon but the general idea
is that we can donate a Christmas Gift for the Halls
(actually the money to buy it rather than the item itself)
and perhaps if others ask us what we would like for
Christmas we could suggest an item from the list.
• Estimated Celebration Time We are now planning the
fortnight of events to celebrate the opening of the Halls
beginning on Saturday March 17th . Please put Sunday March
18th in your diary now, as we hope that will be the day to
have a Special Service at 5.00pm with invited guests to
official mark the Halls as Open and we would like all the
Church Family to be there. (More details later – as it is
Mothering Sunday do bring your mother/relatives with you)
November tends to be a month when we look back … Remember,
Remember .. with Guy Fawkes and then Remembrance Sunday. As
we do so with gratitude and awareness in our hearts, we
also look forward by learning the lessons of the past and
seeking the new things God is leading us into. “To be alive
is to change” and our desire is that that change may be
into the likeness of our Lord Jesus Christ. Unless Jesus is
the builder of our own lives and Church life then all the
building of our Halls will be in vain but I pray (and
indeed am confident) that will not be so.
With warmest Christian Greetings
Kath Pawlett
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