South Norfolk church celebrates finished repairs 

A South Norfolk church has celebrated the completion of  phase 2 of a major project to repair the building walls, reports project co-ordinator Beryl Dawson.

On September 23, around 70 people gathered at Carleton Rode Baptist Church to mark the completion of phase 2 of a major project to repair the church walls. 
 
Members and friends of the church gathered outside, and minister David Humphries welcomed everyone and opened with a prayer of dedication. He invited Paul Shaw (contracts manager for M S Oakes Ltd) and Rob Pearce (architect) to cut the ribbons across the door and welcome everyone inside.  Paul and Rob commented on the amazing support given to this project over the years by the church members and the local community (and the welcoming Coffee Shop staff!!).
 
The service of thanksgiving included lively songs of worship, prayers of dedication led by the deacons, and presentations about the progress of the project by Barry Gotts, and Beryl Dawson. 
Barry explained the extent of the problem - the deterioration of the brickwork, the render on the outside of the church and the solutions needed to rectify it. He spoke of the frustrating delays and difficulties, and thanked the builders and architect for their ongoing professional support. 
 
Beryl talked about the funding of the project - how daunting, or almost impossible, the task seemed to be and how God’s faithfulness had been proved time and again.  As each new invoice was received, there was always sufficient money in the building fund to settle the accounts. 
 
We are so grateful to the grant providers who supported our project;- Congregational and General Charitable Trust, Garfield Weston Foundation, Benefact Trust, Norfolk Churches Trust, Geoffrey Watling Trust, and the Paul Bassham Trust and the many members and friends who continue to give so generously.  There is also a loan from Baptist Building CIO. 
 
Our celebrations continued on Sunday September 24 as around 55 people gathered to continue our thanksgiving through our Harvest Festival. Gifts of food were brought for the Foodbank Appeal,  The financial offerings will be shared between the BMS Harvest Appeal for agricultural work in Uganda and our own Building Repair Fund.
 
Pictured above are some of the Carleton Rode congregation outside the repaired church, pictured below.