Crabtree Church Building Project
History of the building
A few years after the end of the Second World War, as the estate around the Crabtree Church was being built, a Baptist evacuee called Mr Locke offered the land on Crabtree Lane to anyone who would build a church on it. The Brethren bought it and built an interdenominational chapel with room for the 160 people associated with the church. Various additions were made through the years and there is currently a front hall where the Church meets for worship and a rear hall which is used for Noah's Ark Playgroup and smaller gatherings. Three port-a-cabins were added in more recent times and they were used as crèche and Sunday school class rooms, but as they became less weather proof they were used primarily as storage facilities.
What has been done about it?
For some time the church has discussed building a new church hall at the current site to serve the current and future needs of the church as it reaches out to the community around it.
In 2002 the Church took the decision that the 'time was right' to build the new Church hall, a building committee was appointed and the long job of planning started. The design of the building was produced and planning permission was granted in August 2003.
When was it finished?
The new church building was completed in time for Easter Sunday 2005 - a very appropriate occasion for it's first service. Since then we have continued using the new building for our services, Cosmic Zone and Breakout sessions, Two by Two, Crusaders and Little Fishes, where it is providing us ample space - although the church has already started growing to fill the new room!
We miss the old built-in baptistry, but we have a portable unit which we set up for baptisms - five in autumn 2005 and others in 2006.
Ps 127 says "Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labour in vain". Crabtree Church has experienced God at work in the building of the new church building, and the building of the Church of people too.
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