Following on from our Autumn 2012 ‘Dreaming Together’ and subsequent partners’ meetings for progressing our church’s vision and values.  We’re now entering into a new season of ‘Walking Together’ in which our focus will be to talk and pray about where we feel God is leading us as a church community. We’re asking all church partners to attend these sessions, but they will also be open to all who feel they have a growing desire for commitment to/involvement in our church’s future.

We have four areas of church life we want to focus our vision and have produced some helpful cards to help us articulate our thoughts. These can be found on the table in the refreshment space and will be a great way for you to engage in the developing vision process.

Our next ‘Walking Together’ will be on Sunday 17^th May following the morning gathering and after we’ve had lunch together. Towards the end of this session we will move into our annual partners’ meeting (for partners only).

Those at our most recent ‘Walking Together’ session now have more details of our thoughts for redeveloping our building in order to substantially extend seating capacity of the main worship hall, renovate ancillary spaces, & upgrade/update our facilities. Elim’s in-house architect Peter Webley has done much work on our pre-planning application to Worcester City Council which has been submitted. On receipt of that application we now have a series of meetings before applying for listed building consent.

So please continue to pray God’s wisdom & strength into the project, especially while we await project costing’s from the quantity surveyor! Being a listed building within a conservation area, we can expect the planning process to be demanding so please also pray that it will be smooth & for good decisions to be made.

With some disappointment the outcome of our bid to central government for a grant towards essential roof repairs, was this time unsuccessful. However there will soon be another round whereby we can resubmit our application to the same fund which was doubled after the last parliamentary budget. So, continued prayer for a successful outcome will also be greatly valued.