One Church 100 UsesManchester 25th March 2011

Here today from Trinity:

Pastor David Bedford

Chris Lincoln - Centre Manager

Colin Gregg - Chairman Centre Team

Trinity

In Gosforth there used to be three individual Christian churches on one High Street

Decided that they would combine, from a position of strength into a single Christian congregation

In 2000 this happened and then a period of combining the three congregations before consulting with the Gosforth Community

Appointed architect Much consultation both within the Church and the

Community Eventually – about 18 months later the final plan Then we needed to raise £3.25m

The Change Graph

FEAR

DENIAL

BLAME

SELF-BLAME

ACCEPTANCE

FRUSTRATION

PROBLEM SOLVING

CHANGE HAPPENS

PERFORMANCE

TIME

Trinity

What was the vision of Trinity? First and foremost to bring God’s love and the message of

Jesus Christ onto the High Street by our example of service to the Community

Change the High Street back into a caring community High Street where people would stop, talk and care about each other

Help to re-build the economy of the High Street – more people onto the Street and they would shop

Add vitality, colour and vision to the High Street To become a real partnership with as many people who

use the High Street as possible

Trinity

So how did we raise £3.25m – this includes the build, professional fees and fixtures and fittings

We had a vision, knew what we were going to do and did a great deal of planning – professional help -communication

Sale of the Churches - £1 190 000 Trusts and Foundations - £1 046 000 Congregational Giving and Fundraising £700 000 Grants from URC and Methodist Churches £204 000 Bequests £68 000 Loan £50 000 If God wants it to happen then with hard work, planning

and organisation it will happen

Trinity

Trinity

Trinity

So what have we got now ?

• A growing non-judgemental church with ragged edges with a congregation of 350+

• A Christian presence in the middle of the High Street

• A dynamic Church Council with written 5 year goals – not left to our Staff Team – some copies are available from Trinity Stand

• Listening to and leading the community• Up to 2500 people a week attending over 100

community activities • Strong partnerships with local councillors,

businesses and many community groups – details in handout from Trinity stand

• Helped in the start up of about 8 small businesses

Nkulumane - Zimbabwe

• Activities from the very young to the elderly• Youth club, Brownies (x2), Guides• Lunches for older isolated people• Mother and toddler – and father and toddler (Sat am)• Men’s Breakfasts• Alpha and Challenging Lifestyles• Keep Steady• Adult Education• Welfare Rights• Yoga x 3• Hunts for children and families in shop windows• Community History• Pushy Mums, Music Bugs, Ballet School, Sing and Sign• Talk to our Centre Manager – Chris Lincoln

Just a few of the ‘activities’...........

• Monthly Jazz series

• Monthly Lecture series

• Concerts – Salvation Army International

Songsters

• Northern Sinfonia Chorus and Junior

Orchestra

• Host business conferences – NHS etc

• Change the cafe to meet the competition

• Alter the main hall to be more like an events

hall rather than a sports hall

• Seen as the centre of the community – Gosforth Mini Bus

What are we planning?

• JOE outreach Bar B Q

• Help to Lead a BID (Business Improvement

District) for Gosforth

• Looking at setting up a Centre for Health and

Well Being for isolated elderly and chronically

sick people to GP’s

• Build a Town Square for Gosforth – Trinity

Square – we have about £220 000 of £400 000

needed

What next for Trinity?

However at the centre of Trinity we wish:

• To bring God’s love to our High Street

• To help our neighbours

And in serving them be served.........

In loving them find love.............

And in knowing them know God......