One month after our community consultation, the Re-ordering group thought you would appreciate an update following our meeting last night. Your prayers, encouragement and comments are especially appreciated as we enter a very important week.
Thank you to all those who have already written and communicated with us about the re-ordering project. Please could we ask that any further written comments be received by this Thursday 25th March 4pm to allow some space before the Parochial Church Council meeting on 29th March. Please send them to Revd Simon Stevenette or Peter Ford, PCC Secretary or Ailsa Palmer, Parish Administrator.
1. Meetings have been held with our architect Antony Feltham King which have been very constructive and helped us see how we can move forward.
2. An intensive training and planning day has been arranged for Saturday 27th March 10am-4.30pm in the church centre with Gill Moody, our fundraising consultant for 12 key stake holders. This is being financed by an anonymous donation.
3. Sara Tye, chair of our Campaign Board has had many encouraging conversations with parishioners and community friends who are keen to be involved in helping us in our fundraising.
4. Our Archdeacon Alan Hawker , chair of the Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC) has been in touch: ‘many thanks for the re-ordering papers. It was a good read. Could I suggest that once the PCC have agreed the option they wish to follow they then put an outline on paper and then send it to the DAC for information and initial comment plus an inquiry as to the best point in the process for the DAC to meet Church members involved in the project. It all sounds very exciting.
5. All of the groundwork has been put in order to help our PCC came to an informed decision when they meet on Monday 29th March 7.30pm in the church centre.
Our key bible reading in preparation for our PCC meeting is Nehemiah chapter 1 verses 1-11 – you may like to read this prayerfully.
Our PCC agenda is as follows: – To consider the next steps in the re-ordering process: In the light of much prayer, reflection and the community consultations over the weekend February 27/28, the Standing Committee offer the PCC the following integrated motion, which will be fully discussed before it is proposed by Lynda Fisher and seconded by Pam Bridgeman.
The PCC excitedly accept the vision behind major re-ordering of Christ Church and the building of a new church centre next to Christ Church
The PCC instruct the Vicar and Standing Committee on their behalf to form a fundraising board working with our architect, Antony Feltham King and our fundraising consultant Gill Moody and the Bristol DAC towards the launch of a fundraising campaign as soon as possible.
The PCC will do all they can to support the campaign by earnest praying, practical encouraging, supportive team working, sacrificial giving and careful communicating to the wider congregation and community.
The PCC call on the wider congregation and community to follow their example helping them in whatever way possible under God to meet our objective of creating a fully renewed church and site so that our Christian mission and ministry to Swindon can be advanced in this 21st century.
The PCC fully endorse the opportunity provided to give immediately to a designated campaign fund for the sole use of working towards the launch of the appeal in paying professional fees providing written resources all carefully scrutinised by the Standing Committee on their behalf.
Our architect’s working drawings and the content of the fund raising campaign will be brought back to the PCC and congregation on a regular basis. When the time comes the PCC will need to fully endorse changes to the Christ Church
We hope you have found this communication update helpful. Please pray for all those involved in the re-ordering process. We are team mates together.
Simon Stevenette - On behalf of the re-ordering group.
