How does the Barns site feature in the future of St Michael's Church?
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The Story so far.....
St Michael's Barns Site - History
Mid - late 1980's A flurry of prophecies saying that St Michael's would be a light on a hill, seen by all the surrounding area as a beacon for God; a vision of Christ on a large white charger (horse) with a gold sash around him, with an army following him, based on the Green.
1989 Chris Bradley (CB) and Dave Carey (DC) both sensed that one day, the Western Trailers site would come into the possession of the church for a new centre
Mid 1990's - CB and DC had a series of conversations with Mr Davis (owner of the Western Trailers site) about the possibility of one day the site continuing to be used by God in this place
Mid 1990's to early 2000's - Mr Davis made three unsuccessful attempts to gain planning permission for residential development
2005 - Various discussions with Mr Davis, who became willing to sell the site to the church at less than market value. Various DCC meetings, whole church meetings, many prayer meetings, felt that we should proceed in a partnership (probably with a Care Home) to secure the site.
2005 - Many ideas for how the site might be used, included, community workshops, a bakery, skills training, craft workshops, children's work, and gallery etc. - real community centre, with café etc.
Early 2006 - The possibility arose on a particular Friday that we could be offered part of the site for about£500k but we had to move quickly (within a month). This opportunity was then presented to the church. From a cold start on the Sunday 8am service , to the final 6.30 pm service that Sunday, over£136,000 was pledged towards buying the site.
Early 2006 - The DCC and OSRT agreed that if we bought the site, then we had options. If we did not buy the site, then we had no options. The decision was made to proceed and in the site was bought for£525k, with substantial gifts from the congregation and a contribution of£189k from the Windfall Gift Fund from St Michael's church funds.
Feb-April 2006 - God dramatically cleared Chris Bradley's work diary so that he had the time to co-ordinate and facilitate the purchase in conjunction with the Bristol Diocese, DCC and OSRT, as well has handle the negotiations and legal transactions involved.
2005-2006 - David and Becky Widdows strongly felt that the congregation of St Michaels' was in danger of “getting too comfortable” with keeping things as they are – lack of risk-taking, vision or significant pushing of boundaries.
31st March 2006 - Barns site purchased by OSRT.
Mid 2006 - It was still thought that the Preschool would need to expand into the Barns Site, and that the new Vicarage might need to be built on the southern end of the site by the Bristol Diocese.
Early 2007 - The rest of the site was bought by McAlpines and then by Churchills. McAplines had two failed attempts at gaining planning permission.
Early 2007 - Much work done on creating the Parish Profile and the key factor in Simon accepting the position (being unanimously selected by all the interviewing panel) was the exciting prospect of the Barns Site growth development Project.
Summer 2007 - New Vicarage secured, and the new prospect of using the Old Vicarage for continuing and expanding the Preschool and Nursery envisioned.
Autumn 2007 - Old Vicarage secured on a 6 year lease from the Bristol Diocese as a Preschool and Nursery, thus freeing up more opportunity for the use of the Barns Site.
2007-2008 - Thinking and all visioning work on the Barns Site suspended. Reasons included that neither McAlpines and Churchills could get planning permission so the external pressure was off.
2007 - The internal pressure was taken off due to the Interregnum and that it was considered essential that the Vision and the Barns Project needed to be carried forward under the leadership of the new Team Rector.
Sept 2007 - Simon Jones and family arrive in Stoke Gifford!
2008 - Much work and consultation done on discerning the new vision for St Michael's Church - arriving at "Living to make a Difference", by being "a Christian Heart at the Centre of the Community".
Autumn 2008 - Len and Kate Collacott introduced to the site and eventually they bought the site. Care Home building started in February 2009, to be completed October 2009.
Early 2009 - Project Team formed to re-start the project to ensure that our planning application would be targeted for completion in November 2009.
Spring 2009 - Various consultation meetings with the OSRT, DCC, the congregation, local neighbours and the Planners to discuss the latest variation of the Barns Plans which now included a basement for Young People's work.
Easter Day 2009 - CB shared at the evening service where the project had got up to, followed by a prayer time for the Barns Site and the people involved.
Spring-Summer 2009 - Productive meetings / discussions with the planning authority with a clear way forward. The arrival in the parish of Sarah Wells, who has written Travel Plans for her previous employer. Derek Kemp continues to support this project at significant cost to himself with no immediate prospect of any return. He is walking with us in this venture because he sees God in it.
June - Aug 2009 Estimated Planning Application Costs escalate from£30k to£50k due to extra surveys and professional reports required due to ground conditions. These reports are needed before the new plans can be finalized. .
Sept 2009 - Urgent meetings of the OSRT with the DCC to discuss and seriously pray about this project. DCC agree to support planning application up to£10k from legacy donated to church.
Nov 2009-Planning application is submitted by Derek Kemp our architect.
