New Year 2012 will mark the beginning of a new chapter for All Saints and its mission to serve the people and community of Penarth.
The re-ordering of All Saints Church is on track for completion in early December and will offer a variety of community venues that can be used for a multitude of purposes, writes Peter Trott.
The Parochial Church Council of All Saints Penarth, and its incumbent The Reverend Peter Cox, are pleased to announce that the first phase in the redevelopment of the main church building is progressing well with completion expected in early December, just in time for Christmas.
The major works, which began in June, are to install a new mezzanine floor in the west end of the church, and include a lift access, a new servery, more meeting rooms, a new crèche and toilet facilities within the church. The church will also have new lighting as well as having its decoration refreshed.
The re-ordering of the west end of the nave is the first step in the redevelopment of All Saints to enable it to offer more to the town as a place of worship, and to play an even greater role within the wider community of Penarth. The completion of the re-ordering means that All Saints itself will be available for use by church and community groups and it will be able to support a wider range of uses, alongside the two halls in Victoria Square.
The church and the two halls will form a complex of community venues that can be used for a multitude of purposes, from local societies and group meetings to concerts and the regular services that mark the rhythm of the Church in Wales year.
Existing church services will also change, with the introduction of the new facilities allowing the church to offer new experiences of worship. The first of these will begin in the autumn with the introduction of a Messy Church service for children and their families, held once a month in the re-ordered All Saints. This service will compliment the highly successful Saturday morning Toast events held for young families in the Lesser Hall.
Through the installation of the mezzanine floor, lift and servery a new space is created to enable receptions and group meetings to be held within an elevated area separate from the main church while experiencing the wonderful surroundings of All Saints. The meeting rooms will mean that the Sunday School will be able to meet during services while remaining in the church throughout each service.
All this has been possible through the generosity of the members of All Saints congregation, residents in the parish and the wider community of Penarth. Significant grants have also been received from a number of local and national bodies, for which we are very grateful. Our huge thanks go to everyone who has contributed or helped raise the funds to enable us to undertake this work. A key event for 2011 will be an Auction, Dinner and Dance held on 19th November at the Paget Rooms.
Throughout the Christmas period a complete calendar of Christmas events will mean everyone can come and enjoy these new facilities. A celebratory service of thanksgiving to open the new facilities will be held early in the New Year.
More details on the progress of the re-ordering, our Christmas services and events and the service of thanksgiving, can be found on the All Saints Penarth pages of www.churchinwales.org.uk as well as on Facebook at All Saints Church, Penarth.
