This last few months have been horrendous and regular readers may have noticed that posts have become less frequent.
I have to keep reminding myself that this blog is a hobby. I don't receive any income from it and am not employed by the church.
Nor am I paid to manage complex building programmes. Nor have I got any experience or expertise to draw on. My entire life for the last year has been dominated by a belief that God has called me and my colleagues to keep the roof on City Road Methodist Church. By the grace of God we are succeeding.
Two years ago we said farewell to the sort of Minister who is only able to work with people who will say "yes minister". The result was a failing church. Membership had fallen, we had British Gas demanding an £8,000 back payment, a quinquennial surveyors report had noted the poor quality of maintenance, we were spending £4,000 a year heating a building used once a week by 25 people, and we were often in arrears with our assessment.
Two years later and we have sorted out the issue with British Gas, we are undertaking a good quality scheme to replace the roof, the congregation is growing slowly, heating costs have been cut to less than £1,200 a year and we are still (occasionally) a bit slow with the assessment. We are still not out of the woods and I must make an especial thanks to our circuit, those individuals who have donated some quite extraordinary sums (keep them coming I've got to find another £6,000) and Methodist Chapel Aid who have granted a very helpful loan.
So those projects seem to have taken every waking hour. I never ever thought that I'd spent a large period of my Christian life sorting out a 100 year old building. But that is where God called me and that is where I am now.
The roof project will be complete within the week and I am hoping to get back to something approaching a normal life. I'm certainly looking forward to getting in some more work. I find my professional life very satisfying but feel that this gap in orders has been an opportunity to do something special.
God bless you all, back in September.
