16th October 2016 - REMEMBERING

Simon Benham                                                                                                                               

   16^th October 2016

Remembering

[This preach relies more than most on slides and pictures, so you’ll benefit from going online and looking at the podcast!]

There are different ways of remembering:

·         Nostalgically, to a time when people were friendlier, the summers longer and the snow whiter and deeper

·         Scathingly, to a time when PCs and mobile phones didn’t exist

·         Defined by the past – things said to us, done to us that may hold us back

Today we’re ‘remembering forwards’ – remembering the past in a way that influences the future.  That’s not a Biblical phrase, but it is a very biblical approach (see Ps 78^1-7).  For example, the Israelites looked back to what God had done for them in bringing the m out of Egypt, and as Christian we take communion together to remember Jesus’ death on the cross for us – and to remind us to follow Him.

On the 6^th November 2016, is will be exactly 135 years since seven people got together and started a church, Bracknell Congregational – the church that has now become Kerith.  In many ways the timeline of that early church shows much of the same character that is part of Kerith today:

·         1886: the church, now 29 strong, has a vision statement that looked for:

o   The salvation of souls, and

o   The upbuilding of believers

·         1889: – the church, now part of the Baptist Union, looks to buy a plot of land on which to build a chapel.  They are encouraged by the Treasurer, CH Spurgeon (who was also one of the greatest preachers of our time, regularly speaking to congregations of 5-10 thousand) to think bigger than their first plans, and he gives them money to help towards the goal.  Much of the money, though is raised by the community; one incident that got recorded concerns a Mr Slyfield, who sold his bee-hive for 10 shillings, and donated the proceeds to the church.

·         By the early 1890s the chapel had been built, and in 1895 a bazaar was held to extinguish remaining church debts.

·         At the 60-year point of its history, the church was looking back at faithful and fruitful service, and looking forward to the arrival of a permanent pastor. – up until now students came for short placements from Surgeons College.

·         1964: that vision was realised when Ben Davis came to lead the church through 40 years of change and expansion.

·         As Bracknell redeveloped, the chapel was compulsorily purchased

·         Eventually a new church was built on the site of what is now K2, at a cost of some £25000.

·         By 1979, the church had grown and was holding two Sunday morning services

·         1989: the current church building was opened; it cost £3.1m, and was almost entirely self-funded.  The opening made national news, with BBC, ITV and Sky News watching on.

·         1993: the remaining debt was paid off

·         1999: K2 was completed

·         2013: we expanded to Sandhurst.

We can learn lessons from the past so letting history shape our future:

·         A building is only a tool to get the job done – we have moved before; we may move again.

·         Costs often go up, but we can still meet them (this building was originally estimated at £1m, far short of the eventual £3.1m)

·         We need to stretch our faith and believe God for more

·         We may need to live sacrificially, and

·         See this fund-raising as an investment for future generations, building on the investments past generations have made in us.

Now we are looking to expand again, because we’re limited by a lack of space, both in Bracknell and at Sandhurst, which stops us from doing more – more kids work on a Sunday, more mid-week activities, more social justice work, more space for church staff. 

In Bracknell the plan is to expand K2 into the space of the caretaker’s house behind. We’ve yet to make firm plans for how that space might best be used, but thoughts include:

·         A café at the front?

·         A second floor in the hall?

·         A multi-storey building behind

·         An access ramp from the College par park to Kerith

At Sandhurst, we’re looking for the right space for mid-week activities – and also wondering what needs to happen when Sandhurst school gets full.  In the short term, we’ll continue to improve the schools site, for example by doing something about the lack of heating in the school hall – giving this gift to school.

Then there’s Windsor, where we’re looking for funding to rent and equip a Sunday venue.

To resource these plans, we’re launching the Kerith Vision Fund, “Helping people find their way back to God by generously giving our money to provide excellent meeting places where lives are changed”.  Online giving for this is already live, and there are gift days planned for 30^th October and 6^th November, with a target of raising £200K.  We’ll give away 10%; about £140K will be used to pay off most of the K2 mortgage (which we have to do before we can renovate); and the rest will be used to seed the development of Sandhurst and Windsor. User groups will meet to share their dreams about how things could be different in the future.

Our giving should be wrapped around by prayer.  We’re planning a 24/7 week of prayer, starting at 3pm on the 30^th October and finishing at 3pm on the 6th November.  Please sign up, and join in praying for personal growth, Kerith growth, and Kingdom growth.  We’re also going to reinstate a monthly prayer meeting at Bracknell and an evening prayer meeting once a month at Sandhurst – watch this space for details!

To conclude thanks for 135years of our church journey, and for every life that has been touched and transformed by Jesus. Today is the next chapter and we can each help to play our part whether large or small. Get involved through prayer; cheerful giving; being part of a user group discussion.