How fantastic to see progress! Geoff and Barnaby have been working hard during the due diligence period to undertake assessment of the site. We have had meetings of both the Project Board and the Latimer Church Trustees in the last week, and all are encouraged by the progress achieved so far. Geoff has commented that there have been some delightful surprises, with a number of ‘positive bonuses’ about the property that a quick visit does not yield.
The architect, Harvey Duncan, has also been working hard – this is not to design a building, but to ensure that what we want can fit on the site. The Project Board was shown some concept drawings yesterday – these will definitely change over time, but it was so exciting to see what will be able to be achieved. It will be a wonderful base to reach out to others and invite them in to hear about the Lord Jesus. I look forward to showing you these on Sunday at the online services, and I think you will be excited too.
We are now in the serious business of fundraising. The great need is $2m by November 8th so we can purchase the site. This is all the more important because the amount that has been promised from overseas after that to build the buildings is extremely generous (nearly $3m), and money has been coming in for the end stage of the project – in other words, all we need to do is raise this first part and we really are most of the way there towards the end! We have so far had $477,649 pledged from 67 different donors. This is wonderful and I thank every one of you. We now have a little over $1.5m to go.
For us to achieve this goal, in the grace of God, we will need to give widely (ie as many people contributing as possible – hopefully every person at Latimer can give something), and give deeply (ie we will need those who can to put in larger amounts).
So I do ask you – what can you give? what can you reasonably stretch yourself to? Noone needs to go hungry, but it will need us to give sacrificially, motivated by a passion for people’s salvation in eternity. For myself, I see this as a ‘once in a lifetime’ project – and at a cost of an initial $2m, it is absolutely cheap at the price.
September 6th is the last day when we are asking for pledges to be made by – you can do this by filling out our online form here. I encourage you to give as much as you are reasonably able, and to do so with your eyes fixed on eternity as you do so. I am convinced that what feels a lot now, will seem much less when we look back on it from heaven.
Finally, thank you to all 187 of you who filled out the survey. The factual results can be found below, and we have carefully read and taken note of all the comments, many of which contain really helpful and specific suggestions – thank you very much for these.
