Page 12 - link magazine

The beginnings of Freshbrook
Church were born out of a belief An End an(
by a very small band of people in
1980 that a plot of land at the
Village Centre should not be sold Rev. Peter Grainger, Pastor of Freshbrook Church
PERRY PLANT HIRE by the Thamesdown Council, just
because a 'church' organisation had the life of Freshbrook Evangelical The induction ofa new minister,
DIY & Contract Plant
not emerged to make a bid for the Church. The membership, which Rev. Peter Grainger, in September
"We're glad to have site. After all the first residents of had grown from its beginnings with 1988 marked the beginning of the
Freshbrook had only arrived barely nine members in 1983 to around building project as the land was
helped Freshbrook
two years previously. forty faced a crisis. levelled and cleared for a marquee
Church" On learning of the proposal to The life of the church was for the service.
Unit 9, dispose of the site for commercial flourishing - two services on Another gift of Z100,000 plus
River Ray Industrial Estate, development, the group made it Sunday, a midweek meeting, many smaller gifts enabled the work
activities among ladies and children,
of the foundations to begin in
clear to the Council that there was
Barnfield Road, Swindon a need for a church and, one way or along with the support of a full- January 1989. A company was
Tel: (0793) 534203 another, it would be provided. time minister. However, a decision formed to expedite the building
1987 was a significant year in had to be made about the piece of work which was supervised first by
land which the Council was offering Mr Ian Phillips, a student from
for sale for a church building. This Newcastle Polytechnic, and then,
M.W. Bath was the location we know today, for the last year, by Rev. Bernard
opposite the Village Centre,
Welch, an elder of the church. His
identified by the Council as an vision and drive has brought the
Carpenter & Joiner alternative to the originally work to the edge of completion.
designated, much smaller site. The work has proceeded on an
The members wanted a building, unusual basis of 'build when you
"We're pleased to have helped but the funds were not available. It can'! As gifts have continued to
was with great reluctance that they come in, so the different sub-
Freshbrook Church withdrew from the purchase in July contracts have been granted,
1987. completed and paid. At present,
create its new home" Three months later, an more that 80% of the building has
anonymous donor gave a gift for been completed in this way.
the land, negotiations were re- Looking back, it is difficult to
For High Class Carpentry & Joinery opened with Thamesdown explain how such a large sum of
Council, and planning permission money has been raised, other than
Tele s hone (0793) 874464 for a building was granted in in the church verse for 1990 - 'the
January 1988. Lord has done this and it is
Work nearly completed. Just some of the volunteers from the
P.W. COLLIS congregation who have worked with site contractors on the building
Electrical Contractor
for
APPROVED CONTRACTOR
Freshbrook Evangelical Church
Congratualates them on the completion of their church
and wishes them continued success
Orders taken for industrial and domestic installation work
Contact
P.W.COLLIS
Electrical Contractor
1 Winwick Road, Freshbrook, Swindon
Tel: 612205 • 0836507571 • Fax 0793 491121
•S' '. ..
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