22nd September 2017
Building
The fine details of the contract for purchasing the building continue to be negotiated between solicitors. We have also commissioned a building survey, which took place in August, for which we now have the report. This is primarily an assessment of the condition of the building – similar to the sort of structural you would have done when you buy a house, but on a larger scale. The survey covers everything from major issues and defects, through to very minor concerns and then lists them according to priority, and seriousness. The good news is that there were no major issues which we weren’t already aware of or expecting. This allows the purchase process to continue as planned. There are various other searches/surveys now being arranged.
Design
Now that we have this condition report, we have begun to contact both architects and renovation contractors, to design and plan the next steps for the building, once we have taken possession. Some of the work required is simply bringing the building back up to standard, whereas some of the work required will be major re-building and development works.
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Continue to pray that we would identify and recruit brilliant minds and highly skilled people to guide us through the early stages of planning renovation works.
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If you have your own ideas and dreams for how we could use the space, and how you envisage the appearance/function of the building, then please contact us. You can send these under the heading DESIGN to phil.hicks@leedsvineyard.org
STEPS
With regard to funding, we don’t currently have the funds we would need from pledges alone to complete the purchase. We know that pledges are still coming in now, and this is wonderful, but we will probably need to seek the balance of funds in the form of a mortgage. The more money we can raise ourselves, the less we need to apply for as a mortgage!
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Continue to pray that more money will come through in the form of pledges. Pray that all of those wanting to ‘be a part’ of this will have the opportunity to give generously, and contribute to something truly life-changing and amazing.
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(If you haven’t quite managed to submit your own pledge, you can still do so via the website, or as most people have, by filling in the forms available from either Headingley Methodist on a Sunday morning, or from the church office through the week.)
Big Rocks
As we consider the building and its potential uses for serving this community and extending the very real impact of God’s kingdom throughout Headingley and beyond, we are developing a clearer sense of the ‘Big Rocks’ which would form the core of these various projects and ministries:
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24/7 Prayer Room – If this particular ROCK excites you, I would encourage you to consider the Prayer Room small group, which will start meeting on Friday 29th September at 6pm. This small group will start to lay/pray the foundations for the actual Prayer Room to be established in Vineyard House. Sign-up in the usual way on the website.
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Pray for the Prayer Room!! Specifically, we are excited to see hearts and minds fired and inspired in the coming weeks and months to run with the dreams that God has placed in their hearts, to be actively involved in shaping Vineyard House and the projects which will define it.
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Ask God to reveal to you the particular ways that you may be able to get involved now and once the new building is established. Has God placed an idea for a ‘Big Rock’ or even a ‘Small Rock’ on your own heart? Firstly, we would encourage you to share this idea with someone close to you, but to also get in touch, and share it with us, so that we can consider all possibilities!
Ideas
I have been blessed by a great many contributions already - If you have your own dreams/visions/prophecies for this project, then please contact the Leeds Vineyard office, so that we can continue to gather inspiration and understand better what God may have planned for us in the coming months/years, as we tread with excitement and anticipation down this path.
Phil Hicks