Pastors Letter 2015 – Building Project and Gift Day
Dear brothers and sisters I want to thank you personally and on behalf of the leadership team for all you support and sacrificial giving towards this project.
The brickwork on the new build should be complete in the next few days weather permitting and then work on the roof should start straight afterwards. We are having a competition on the 1st of November to guess the total number of bricks, including breezeblocks. Our scheduled completion date is the end of January / beginning of February 2016, with a possible formal opening day for March 13th.
Now to the costs. At the moment we will be having a mortgage of around £315,000 over 16 years. This is our borrowing capacity from the bank. Our annual mortgage is in the region of £31,500. This is a step of faith for us to make these payments. In addition to this we need to find an additional amount of £10,000 for the retaining wall. We also need to purchase additional chairs and PA equipment as the equipment we use is generously provided by Peter Denscombe.
With the scheduled target payments to the builder we will now be starting to draw down on the mortgage this month and therefore paying interest. We have put aside £26,000 towards paying out first years mortgage and it is important that we do this because we don’t know how the commercial mortgage rates will change over the next few years.
With regard to the old building there are a number of things we are also trying to do. Firstly we need to replace the windows and put in a fire exit. This will be about £10,000 of which we have been able to raise £7,500 towards this. It would make financial sense to surround the existing building with the same brick as the new building and make the old build look good. To do so will cost between £22,000 – £24,000. We also need your help to build a bigger kitchen inside, decorate and put in new flooring. We have some money towards this internal refurbishment. But again this is a financial step of faith for us.
On November the 1st we have our gift day and we would ask you to firstly pray with us for the finance we need and to sacrificially financially support us as you are able. Please also use the gift aid scheme if you are a tax payer. Please put all monies for the building project in the envelope provided together with the slip explaining how your money is to be allocated.
If we have enough money given we will surround the old building with new brickwork, however, if there is a significant shortfall all the monies will go to reduce the capital of the mortgage and or the internal works of the old building. If there is more money given than is required for this the difference will go to reduce the capital of the mortgage or the revamp of the old building.
Example 1: Giving = £18,500. All is given towards reducing the mortgage loan and or the internal works of the old building.
Example 2: Giving = £22,000. All £22,000 will go to re-brick the old building.
Example 3: Giving = £30,000. £22,000 will go to re-brick the old building. £8,000 is given towards reducing the mortgage loan and or the internal works of the old building.
If you wish to support the mortgage payments on a monthly basis then please let us know on the pledge form and return this in the envelope.
Sometimes people have been generous and offered us an interest free loan. This has been great in the past but as we are at our borrowing limit this will make it difficult to repay in the short term. If you are thinking about this it needs to be for a minimum repayment term of four years. Again you can let us know about this on the pledge form and place in the envelope.
We thank God for bringing us this far. He has blessed us in so many ways and we have seen his amazing provision over the years. In 2016 we will celebrate 40 years and we will do so in our new building. I believe that this will be a very significant year for us.
Peter Denscombe will be doing the electrics and the alarms. I will be helping him from November onwards until it is finished as well as project managing the new build and the refurbishment of the old one. I would personally value your prayers as I’m sure Peter would.
Let’s press on together to see this building completed ready to be used for his Glory. We believe that our community will be really blessed by our new and refurbished facilities and that many will come to know Jesus as their personal Lord and saviour.
It is vitally important that we pray, fellowship and work closely together to nurture unity. We cannot allow the enemy to destroy, steal or rob us of what we have waited for, for so long. He is just waiting for an opportunity to do so.
Please look out for new people, make them feel welcome, valued and wanted. Look out for those who miss fellowshipping with us and make contact with them.
Meet for prayer with us and with others as often as you can. We cannot underestimate the power and necessity of prayer.
On behalf of the church leadership, thank you again for all that you do within and outside the fellowship Let’s believe together for great things ahead.
Every Blessing
Pastor Robin
You can now receive updates from our website through twitter and Google +
You can now receive updates from our website through twitter and Google +
Pastors Letter 2015
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ there are few important things that I would like to communicate to you for information, prayer, consideration and action.
Christmas Food and Toys
Thank you everyone who helped with the Food and Toy Project. People’s generosity and acts of kindness provided food for over 500 people and brand new toys for over 276 children. Our Redditch community has been truly blessed by this.
Corporate study on James
On Sunday mornings we are going to be studying the book of James in a 14 part series.
| 1 | Introduction |
| 2 | James 1:1-12 |
| 3 | James 1:13-18 |
| 4 | James 1:19-27 |
| 5 | James 2:1-13 |
| 6 | James 2:14-26 |
| 7 | James 3:1-12 |
| 8 | James 3:13-18 |
| 9 | James 4:1-10 |
| 10 | James 4:11-17 |
| 11 | James 5:1-6 |
| 12 | James 5:7-12 |
| 13 | James 5:13-18 |
| 14 | James 5:19-20 |
Please make it a priority to take time to personally study this amazing book. Sermons will be available on the website.
We will then continue with an eight part series of 2 Peter after the summer holidays.
Supporting Elim Missions
Throughout January there will be the opportunity to support Elim Missions by buying various items provided by Elim Missions. All these proceeds will go to helping people rebuild their lives in other countries.
There are also Elim Missions globes that can be brought in on the first Sunday of the month and placed in the missions bucket. We encourage every household to have one. Please ask John Hill for one if you don’t have one already.
Stratford Upon Avon
David Cunliffe the Elder at SuA has asked our regional leader Gordon Neale if Oasis Christian Centre can once again take Pastoral responsibility for the church.
From the 11th of January I will become the official senior pastor to support John and Cara who will be leading the church. There will be no change to my ministry as Senior Pastor at Redditch
John Martin is currently studying Theology at the Elim Bible College as well as working for Elim Missions and will be applying to become an Elim Pastor.
Please pray for them as a family as they transition into this ministry and pray for SuA in this new season for them.
It would be good if at times you are able to support John, Cara and SuA. Please let John or myself know. The Sunday service is at 4:00pm – 5:30pm.
Home Groups
We will continue to study the book of Mark and use the material by Keith Warrington.
We will need another house group leader and venue on a Wednesday night. If you would like to be considered for this then please let me know.
Elim Celebrates 100 years
Elim celebrates its 100th anniversary on January 7th 2015. On this day all Elim ministers will attend a special service at Birmingham Christian Centre where we will meet at the beginning of the year to rededicate our lives and ministries to God. Please will you take time to pray for us. I would personally value your prayers for me as we enter this amazing season in history.
On September the 19th we will be joining with other Elim Churches in our region in a special centenary celebration service in Birmingham. Please put this in your diary today. We will be hiring a coach that will be free of charge to you. However advance booking will be £5.00 per head to help finance the day as Elim will be hiring the Town Hall that holds1200 people. There will be special events for the children and youth as well. If you would like to volunteer to take bookings for this then please see me as soon as possible.
Stay and Play
One Saturday every month we a stay and play event for parents with young children. This is an opportunity for the children to play together and for the parents to support each other in the challenges and responsibilities of parenthood.
The next one will be held on Saturday the 10th of January, 10:00am till noon at OCC.
Finally…
The building work should commence in the first quarter of this year. We have experienced some delays waiting for permissions and various reports but God willing before Christmas we should be in our new building.
Our next financial milestone is that we would like to raise another £20,000 by the end of March and a further £30,000 by the end of July. This will enable us to have nearly two years mortgage payments once the building is complete. Please join with us in prayer. Thank you again for all your sacrificial giving so far.
It is vitally important now that we pray, fellowship and work closely together to nurture unity. We cannot allow the enemy to destroy, steal or rob us of what we have waited for, for so long. I want to ask every person to:
Get to know at least seven people at OCC and have regular fellowship together.
Look out for new people, make them feel welcome, valued and wanted. Look out for those who miss fellowshipping with us and make contact with them.
Pray, meet for prayer with us and with others as often as you can. We cannot underestimate the power and necessity of prayer.
Every Blessing
Pastor Robin