 Home
Current
issue
Previous
issues
Noticeboard
Discussion
board
About
CTiB
|
St Michael’s New
Community Centre
on site at last
by Peter Howe
'To change is to live.' These words of wisdom were imparted to me by
the late Rev. John Kingsnorth, whom some of us will remember was our
assistant priest at St Michael's (as well as being my neighbour) for
some years after his retirement from the Church Missionary Society.
Being a widely read man, he was also able to tell me that the originator
of this phrase was the Chinese philosopher, Confucius (551-479 BC).
Anyway for Confucius, John and me, St Michael's at the moment is very
much alive, and I would say kicking. After many years of delays (the
reasons for which may be the subject of a later book) work has at last
started on the new vestry extension and community centre.
The change after just a few days on site is quite remarkable, although
as someone pointed out to me, all building jobs go well at the start.
Whilst there will inevitably be problems down the line, after a six
year gestation period, involving two Faculty applications, two planning
applications and a hearing in the Consistory Court, let's just enjoy
the moment.
Work on site is estimated to take between six and nine months and
we have already moved out of the old choir vestry in preparation for
its demolition, which is due to start in the middle of August. The server's
vestry and sacristy will continue to be usable for a while yet but by
Christmas we may all have to cram into the new temporary "shed" (aka
the confessional) that has been erected in the South Aisle. This should
make the preparations for the children's nativity service even more
chaotic than usual.
Once demolition has been completed and following a period when nothing
much will appear to be happening (because everything will be happening
underground) the new building should begin to take shape fairly swiftly,
as the bricks are now on order. Finding a suitable brick to match the
church has been a bit of a project on its own as St Michael's is built
of three completely different bricks. This perhaps is why the best match
we can find is also a mixture of three different coloured bricks, which
the Furness brick company have never been asked to supply before, and
which they have christened the St. Michael's mix.
Provided we don't suffer too much bad weather before we get the roof
on, work should be completed by Easter, a fitting time to open the new
building on which the inscription will read "Behold we make all things
new" (Revelations). I think Confucius and John would have approved of
that too.
Peter Howe is Chairman of the Building Committee,
St Michael’s Church |
|
