Two weeks ahead of schedule!

The builders are currently two week’s ahead of schedule! Have you ever heard of a building project being ahead of schedule? We give thanks to God for the good weather that has enabled the crucial stage of digging and filling the foundations to progress easily, for the steady building progress without complications, and for Ralph May’s positive attitude and relationship with everyone from the church.

Current position: The foundations have been completed, and the steel frame for worship space and entrance area is in place - it looks like a massive frame tent at the moment. The frame only covers half of the final building size as the children's classrooms, corridor, meeting rooms and toilet don't require a steel frame.

Next steps:
The concrete floor and drainage services will be laid week beginning 14th October.
Week beginning 28th October the outside brick and block work will start to be built.

How it all began...

“Now it seems real – now I know it is actually going to happen” is how one member of St John’s put it to me after seeing the shell of the new church building on the Coventry Road site. And I know exactly what she meant. The old building was demolished at the end of August 2007 and the site cleared, ready to start.

The plans

After much thought, planning and prayer, the floorplans were finalised. Although, as a "design and build" option was chosen these plans can be subject to minor modifications as we build. The multi-purpose worship space will accommodate 250 and can be used for meetings, parties and functions. There is classroom and meeting room space for playgroup, youth groups and children's activities, as well as space for counselling and individuals.

The old St John's Building

Built circa 1952, the building had reached the end of its useful life. The church was faced with a decision - keep repairing it piece by piece, or be bold and rebuild. It was also too small (praise the Lord) for the growing congregation (@100 adults and 30 children), and the children's work was housed in a series of old portakabins.

Thus, in 2003, it was decided to explore options for rebuilding. An architect was commissioned and plans came back with a cost of over £1Million. How was a congregation with no great financial resources and only 100 people to raise this kind of money?

Once again the we prayed and carried on fund raising. With some scaling back and with the help of a Christian builder, costs were re-calculated at £615,000.

Still we prayed and still we gave. Sacrificial giving brought the total in the bank to £250,000. And by the summer of 2007, we had a loan agreed from Leicester diocese, plus pledges from the congregation of over £120,000. Applications for grants were made and grant-holders began to support our project too.

And so, in the summer of 2007, the decision was made to step out in faith and trust in God that the rest of the money would come in. Contracts were signed and we were on our way.