Electricity is the biggest running cost - being off the gas network, and not used enough for storage heaters, the on-demand electric heating is pricey. But the church site, and the angles of the hall roof might have been designed for solar panels. And so I suggested, nudged, encouraged the congregation and they agreed to their minister's mad idea and amid conversations where they decided that there was a long term future for the church being there despite limited numbers at the moment voted to take out loans to install solar PV.
No cats harmed by being swung here! |
The original entrance and kitchen |
A kitchen is one thing but the old cooker wouldn't suit the new finish and so it was back to funders for support for the church and the youth project for kitting out the kitchen, cafe seating, pool table, changes to lighting and an integrated speaker system (the youth leader is a trained electrician so knew what he wanted and the contacts for deals, as well as spending a lot of time in the very low loft cavity putting them in!)
After a late summer of building work, and the slow process of volunteer painting the finished look was unveiled to the community on Saturday 2nd Nov, and The Hub officially launched. The usual youth nights being added to with 3 after school sessions, one with homework support. The youth leader also works with the local school and there will be integrated referral and support.
Now the next step for us as the church is to sift through the cloud of ideas about how to use the shiny new kitchen and the refreshed hall when it is not needed for The Hub in creative ways with other christians in the town to serve our community and share God's love.
Saturday though was simply a day of celebration (the left over tweaks forgotten for the day) and I caught a few pictures when I arrived first before the crowds arrived and I was too busy for photography!
Yes, a good day - a dream reaching reality, and now the real work begins!
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