For the past few years we’ve been looking for a fresh home for signals to set it free of the constraints of being located in my home. We have, I’m certain, become greatly hampered by the lack of space available and inability to have relaxed and simple to organise open days.
After a couple of false starts, including us seriously considering an awkwardly located crumbling ruin in Stowmarket, we happened across a 1992 Catholic church in nearby Trimley st Mary. The fact that it seemed the right size, albeit needing some internal reorganisation, and was named after St Cecilia, the patroness of music, made us feel that it was ‘meant’.
We would need to get change of use, so instantly made an offer based on getting this. Sadly, it became quite evident that this was not really an option. If we wanted it, we needed to offer a tender via sealed bid and to gamble on getting planning sorted later. Figuring that our respective pensions already invested in shares were pretty vulnerable anyway, we made the best offer we could back at the end of October. This was accepted and the purchase process seems to have broken all records for inexplicable delays.
Anyway, as of 15.25 hrs June 1st 2016 we apparently own a church. It’s deconsecrated and there are no bodies, at least no official ones.
We can’t actually use it either, of course, and the possibility remains that the council will not play ball in the change of use front. Should it all work out, I think we will have a very appealing and definitely unique listening and working environment. I’m quite excited, too, at the prospect of also getting the Ikea trolly in the picture. Is this evidence of God working in mysterious ways?
Here, ladies and gentlemen, is the first peek at what we hope will be the first phase in developing our small but 23 year old business. Still, for now we have a worship area, how neat is that? 🙂
