Heating at St. Peter's Church
4 Oct 2017 • St Peter's Parish News
19th September 2017
Dear Friends,
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE HEATING AT ST PETER’S CHURCH
It is not going to be an easy few months for us as a church family. Over the course of this year, we have been undertaking an extensive review of health and safety matters concerning our two buildings. As part of this, it has emerged that our boiler is unfit for use and turning it on would immediately invalidate our insurances. Quite simply, it does not meet the required legal standards and we have a duty to act. We are working hard to have a new system operational by the end of November, if permissions and installation goes through at the pace we believe possible on advice from the Diocesan authorities.
This has two immediate implications.
Firstly, we are looking at a substantial financial outlay, expected to be in the region of £30,000. Although we have funds in hand, this will represent a significant depletion of our reserves. On Sunday 15th October we will therefore be holding a Gift Day, where all members of the church family are encouraged to give as they feel able. If donations received exceed the actual expenditure, then they will be treated as part of general funds.
Secondly, church is going to become really very cold, very quickly. From Harvest Sunday, 1st October all Sunday services will be in St Peter’s Centre. This means that Sunday breakfasts will have to be put on hold during this time. However, we will be offering tea and coffee between the 9am and 1030 services, and as usual after the 1030 service. We will also have to make alternative arrangements for Messy Church, children’s ministry, school visits, and for weddings, funerals and baptisms. During this time, Wednesday Communions will all be held at St Andrew’s in Wollescote.
Buildings really do matter significantly. They are powerful symbols of our life together. I have always thought of churches as sacred space and common ground. We are stewards in each generation for those who come after us. However, a church is not it’s building; it is the people gathered together in the Lord’s name in a particular community. We come as living stones. Over these next few months let us hold in mind the encouragement offered by the writer to the Hebrews who says:
“Since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10: 21ff)
Pray for the team who will have the responsibility of managing these couple of months and all the unexpected stresses that it will inevitably bring.
Every blessing, my friends.
Sarah
