Building For A New Generation!
An overview of our immediate building works schedule, associated costs, and financial planning for the future.
WIN: What's Important Now:
- First, let’s keep restating our vision - GEM: to Glorify God, by Edifying Believers, and Multiplying Disciples. Like following a compass, we need to keep refocusing on this, to keep on track.
- Gospel need is urgent: without Jesus, people are spiritually blind and perishing, but when anyone turns to Jesus, the veil is removed (2 Cor 3:15-16), so we must be about multiplying disciples.
- Gospel growth is ongoing: we’re increasingly transformed into Jesus’ image as we see him in his word (2 Cor 3:18-4:2), so we must be about edifying - each person growing more like Jesus.
WIN: What's Important Next:
- Second, let’s each recommit to play our part in this vision, in our individual situations, and together as a church.
- The harvest really is plentiful! - hundreds of children and adults gather across numerous activities every week, both believers to edify and unbelievers to introduce to Jesus, not to mention the contacts and conversations we’ll all have, in all of life, every week.
- Below is the pathway diagram which breaks down GEM into individual steps. None of us can do this alone, but together this is already happening, and can continue to happen, to the glory of God.
GEM: Our Discipleship Journey
GEM stands for Glorify God as we Edify believers and Multiply disciples.
Contact
People encounter Christ through our community
Hearing
Of God's saving message through Jesus
Conversion!
Trusting Christ as Saviour
Established
Building foundations through Bible study
Maturing
Growing in
Christ-likeness
Serving
Using spiritual gifts in our church family
On Mission
Disciples making disciples, continuing the cycle
WIN: What Investment's Needed:
- For this vision to continue and grow, we need to invest in our buildings and staff.
- Most of this gospel ministry happens in our current building; this space also gives incredible gospel openings with our local community, which we’re trying to maximise.
- We need operational staff to enable these activities to happen practically, and pastoral staff to oversee and lead ministries, train & disciple teams, and teach, pastor, and care; not to do ministry for us, but to equip each of us to play our part in seeing this vision realised, going deeper and wider.
- There’s more below about investing in our buildings and staff for a new generation.
A building fit for a new generation!
Over 30 years ago, there was a once in generation commitment from a small number of people, with a shared vision, to buy this building!
Through that vision, the generosity of God’s people, and God's faithfulness, the work grew and this building, that God gave us, has been used in so many ways.
Over those 3 decades, the gospel has been faithfully proclaimed, and through the grace of God, we have seen God bless us abundantly. GEM!
What people invested in a generation ago is still bearing fruit today!
And now, we have the remarkable opportunity to do the same for the next generation!
Over the past few months, we have:
1. Explored possibilities:
Sell
Demolish
Sell Part
Stay and repair
2. Come to a conclusion:
As elders, we are united in believing God is calling us to stay here and:
Reinvest in the site and building.
Invest in the staff team .
So, let's go on this journey together!
Immediate Works Schedule - One Off Costs
Total Estimated Cost
The approximate total (where we do everything that needs doing) is £300,000.
Immediate Costs
We need to commit to spend £150,000 in the next 12 months or so on immediate work that is required because of Health and Safety compliance or public liability
Cost Variables
Final costs may be lower/higher depending on:
1. How far we decide to go with some of the work (lintels around entire site)
2. How many fire doors we can repair instead of replacing
3. Scaffolding costs
4. If any unforeseen work is required as a result of starting some of these jobs.
Car Park Repair
1
Booking Status
This work is booked for Saturday April the 12th.
2
Contractor
The contractor, Premiere Roadways will do the car park repair and re-line the car park.
Morris Hall Repairs
1
Provisional Dates
Pencilled in for mid August
2
Further investigation to support truss
3
Provisional sum for support ties to stabilise trusses
4
Morris Hall - 12 lintels in total
5
Replaster blown wall plaster
6
Exterior rendering
7
Important Note
Builder assured us that there will be no need to close the Morris Hall for church services
Additional Repair Works
Lloyds - To be arranged
  • Further Investigate leaning wall assumed to be corroded wall ties
  • Repairs to wall and lintels if corroded ties proved
  • Potential for new windows requirement - No costing for that, depends on success of removal
Fire Doors - To be arranged
  • External (Main Kitchen, Booth Hall, Staff Entrance)
  • Internal
Heat Pumps
  • In corridor ground floor inc Booth Hall
Funding the Building Works - Phase 1
Years 1-2.
£150,000
We propose to start a Building Fund to raise at least half of the amount that we need to spend in the next year.
The remainder will come from our reserves.

Building Fund
£75,000
(If 150 households gave, that's £500 per household, on average, in the first year.)

Contribution from reserves
£75,000
The more we raise from the Building Fund, the less of our reserves will have to use!
Funding the Building Works - Phase 2
Years 3-5
£150,000
(To be raised over 3 years)

If 150 households give, that's £1000 per household, on average, over the 3 years.
Additionally, we also want to grow the staff team. In order to do that, our regular income needs to increase.
Financial Projection - Ongoing Costs
for 2025/26
£654,000
Total Budgeted Operating Costs
£344,000
Projected Centre/ Esther's Income/ Other Income
£296,000
Projected Giving
Based 2024/5
-£14,000
A small shortfall.
We also want to grow the staff team. It's exciting that our projected outgoings for 2025/6 above includes funding an extra member of staff for the year. This means we're in a position to look at adding an extra member of staff this year!
It's important for us to remember that, for us to balance the budget and for the staffing to be sustainable, our regular income must increase to cover our outgoings year on year.
If you'd like to make a one off donation to a staffing fund, then that would be great!
Areas for us all to prayerfully consider:
If you consider that Bridge is your home, maybe this is a good time to consdier to start to give regularly.
Gift aid - please make sure you're registered - you can do this on our website and it does make a significant difference.
We review our regular giving annually, to keep up with inflation and changes in our own circumstance.
Consider leaving a legacy gift. We had one recently and it made a significant contribution to the gospel work here.
How you can begin to give regularly
Gift Aid is the best way to give to Bridge Chapel. It means every £1 you give is worth £1.25 to us!
How you can give to the Building Fund:
Bridge Chapel
Account number: 23640515
Sort Code: 20-51-08
Payment Ref: Build25
How you can give to the Staffing Fund:
Bridge Chapel
Account number: 00081260
Sort Code: 40-52-40
Payment Ref: Staff25