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'.

A Step Further in the Rich History of St Luke’s Linch.....

After a lengthy journey Planning Permission has finally been granted for the much needed annexe to St Luke’s Linch. Ptolemy Dean, our very distinguished conservationist architect spoke very eloquently and convincingly in favour of the beautiful new design (shown on the right) at a Planning Hearing in Chichester recently.

Prior to his presentation Mike Friend and Stephen Saunders spoke regarding the need for such an annexe and the beautiful design... St Luke’s Linch church attracts support from a wide rural area and its worshipping life is vigorous and strong. In the past few years, our congregation has grown and more younger families with small children are now worshipping with us. At busy festivals, our Grade II listed church is very full. There is a very real need for basic amenities and a church room annex and this has now received overwhelming support from both our own parishioners and the local community including those who spoke out vigorously against a previous design. We have new off road parking facilities and now we must make our precious little church 'fit for purpose' to accommodate the growing needs of the 21st century.

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. When on duty at a wedding or a funeral the first question asked is where is the loo? We do need to provide running water and a loo both for visitors and regular worshippers .....the nearest public loo is in Liphook some three miles away! With the annexe we also would have the facilities to teach the growing number of children in the same building and for them subsequently to join the main service....we have a wonderful opportunity to meet the needs of 'the next generation'.

The annexe is designed for flexible use, has facilities for the disabled, a small kitchenette and an outdoor paved terrace. Included amongst its many uses will be: an ante room for Weddings & Funerals, space for education courses, Sunday School, Bible Study, choir practice, youth groups, PCC meetings, as well as an overflow seating area for the larger services. Essentially and very importantly the room also will provide, every Sunday, a much needed 'meet and greet' area and a sensible space for social interaction post services.

We need to look to the future, to consider the next generation, and to cater for the social aspects of rural Christian life. We do need basic facilities and a slightly enlarged storage space.The churches that provide for these and other things, with facilities on the spot, will be the ones to survive into the future. We have received a beautiful church from the past; it is now up to us to hand it on fit for purpose and suitable for our successors in the 21st century and beyond. Our forbears had that wonderful vision in 1700 and during the various additions since added to the church. We believe that we will be matching up to their priceless legacy by building this carefully designed annexe which will be beautiful, appropriate and importantly at one with the mother church...we wouldn’t have it any other way! With this exciting project we are not just preserving the past but importantly ensuring our future!

The unanimous decision by the Planning Committee of Chichester District Council to permit the application was the result of having a beautiful design that came about by consultation and consensus.

We now need to go forward with the Chichester Church Authorities to achieve our aim as soon as possible......and, of course, to raise the necessary funds. Exciting times....Onwards and Upwards!

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