Moving Forward

Our aim is to provide a good Christian environment in which everybody can grow in faith, enjoy each others company, develop christian education and very importantly be a valuable asset for the local community.

Founded for a static community, our church now serves a much more mobile one. People often come from a distance especially for baptisms, weddings and funerals. It is vital that we provide running water and a loo both for visitors and regular worshippers. The major opportunity and challenge for us is to attract families and children to come to church.

This can only be effective if we plan for and build a church room.We have now a growing family service. More young families are moving into the parish and there is a real opportunity to meet the christian needs of 'the next generation'.

GREEN SHOOTS at St LUKE’S LINCH

Following unsuccessful attempts to obtain planning permission last year to add an extension the community at St Luke’s Linch appointed a new architect to draw up new designs taking into account previous objections.

An open meeting was held at St Luke’s Linch, last Sunday, where Mr Ptolemy Dean, the new very distinguished architect, presented his plans for the Grade II 300 year old beautiful little church. Ptolemy Dean specialises in historic preservation as well as designing new buildings that are in keeping with their historic or natural settings. He is best known for his appearances on two BBC television series....‘Restoration’ and ‘The Perfect Village’.

Mike Friend, spokesman for the Project Team says:- ‘The need for an adjoining church room, with loo and catering facilities, had been accepted over the last months by the overwhelming majority of the community....but the challenge still remained the design! It was vitally important for us to obtain a consensus on the design and to start planning / building to make our precious little ancient church ‘fit for purpose’ to accommodate the growing needs of the 21st century.There was an absolute and total desire at St Luke’s Linch to find a suitable design that was acceptable to the vast majority of the community.’

A full church, made up of regular church goers and members of the local community, listened attentively as Ptolemy outlined his rationale and vision for the extension. Many of those who attended had raised objections to last year’s initial planning application. His comments, ideas and sketches were fully endorsed.

Mike Friend added ‘The Working Group were delighted by the reaction to Ptolemy’s presentation and will now press forward, with community support, to achieve the building St Luke’s Linch deserves and needs’.

Find out the current total of monies raised by visiting the Raising the Roof page.