We’re Moving Forward

So what’s happening at All Saints NOW?!

As a building, All Saints appears to be in a pretty good state. However, this is something of an illusion. The lift (disability platform) has been broken beyond repair for several years, the main church heating system has been condemned, the roof is leaking – and this is just the big ticket items!!

Looks bad doesn’t it? – And indeed it is.

So what’s to do? First of all, let’s be clear – there is not a big pot of money available for us to dip into. Some grants may be available but every Church of England church has to stand on its own feet. Nor has any church the right to exist because ‘it’s always been there’.

Is there a need for All Saints church in Marlpool?

As things stand, All Saint’s congregation is small – the building is capable of holding ten time the average congregation, There are a few groups using the building during the week but these are also small, in total the building is used on average for between 10 and 15 hrs per week in total (there are of course exceptions to this but these are infrequent). The cost of running the church is around £27,000 pa excluding the the vicar and the vicarage, which are funded centrally. The cost of carrying out all the remedial work required is estimated to be somewhere in the order of £250,000.

Looked at from this perspective suggests that making a big financial commitment to the All Saints building, even if the money was available, would not be a very good investment. But ……

What of its potential?!

Rather than wring our hands in anguish we at All Saints have grasped the nettle and initiated a course of actions:

1. We have taken a leap of faith and invested in the installation of a new lift. We have funded this partly though a grand, partly from personal donations and partly from our own limited reserves. This will be installed on 6th-7th July. By taking this action we open up the first floor hall to users who are unable to use the stairs.
2. Once the lift is in place we will actively be seeking out groups for whom this would be an ideal space.
3. We have invested in a feasibility study to establish the viability of a carbon neutral heating system for the whole building.
4. We have carried out a cost v benefit analysis of installing a PV (solar) system for electricity generation
5. We have considered a number of possible options for operating as a church without the existing building
6. We are currently carrying out a Mission strategy initiative which we have called ‘Reaping the Harvest 2026’ to identify develop and implement a means of effectively presenting the Gospel message in our communities. We’ve included ‘2026’ to remind ourselves that this is not a talking shop looking towards an ever moving future but a call to imminent action.

By the end of 2026 we expect to have moved forward significantly.

Will we manage this?

WATCH THIS SPACE!!