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REDEVELOPMENT
UPDATE
Our major redevelopment
scheme is now well under way, and the main phase of the project is due for
completion in January 2010.
The final phase of the
project will be completed during January-March 2010
We are planning a Celebratory
Rededication Weekend on 24-25 April 2010
Thank you to all those who
continue to support our exciting plans in so many ways.
Andrew Sails (Minister)
REPORT ON PROGRESS (DECEMBER 2009)
As we approach the end of the contract
with Arque Ltd, the situation is as follows:
·
The Rowe block
with the new kitchen, new toilets, new lift and new stairs to the re-arranged
ground floor, will be handed over on the 18th December. All rooms
will have been redecorated, and will have new heating, which is zoned for
greater economy and efficiency.
·
The main worship
area will also be handed over with the new balcony, and the new link will be
open from the existing foyer, with the glass screen separating it from the
worship area.
·
We will have to
wait until January for the new Social Area & Reception to be completed and for
the changeover from the existing Main Entrance to the new one. This is due to delays caused by the
difficulty in demolishing the tower and the knock-on effects of this.
A number of other improvements have taken, or will be
taking, place such as:
·
New heating is
now in operation in the Schoolroom, Room 6, the stairwell near the Mint Lane
door, and the Schoolroom block toilets (including hot and cold water at all
times).
·
The heating in
the worship area should be functioning properly from December with the new
radiators. Three roof fans to push hot air back down will also be installed in
due course
During January, February & March further
developments will take place as follows:
·
The redecoration
of the worship area and the installation of a new lighting scheme.
·
The installation
of the multi-media system with sound, vision and camera capabilities, as well
as the ability to relay sound, and on occasion, vision, to other parts of the
premises.
·
The completion of
the Social Area and Reception and its equipping with suitable furnishing.
·
The completion of
external work such as the paving of the courtyard and path between the Social
Area and the Bike Shed, and resurfacing the area in front of the new main door.
·
The erection of a
car park barrier to control our reduced parking area more effectively.
·
The second floor
of the Schoolroom Block will be radically altered to accommodate the District
Office & Resource Centre, which will also include replacing the old lift
with a new one serving all floors, and the redecoration of the whole stairwell
from top to bottom.
So, much to give thanks for, quite a lot
still to be done, but the end is in sight when we shall be able to use our premises to the full for the work of
God and his Church, and put into practice some of the exciting ideas that we
have been discussing in the last few months.
We
will be able to celebrate this new opportunity at the special weekend planned
for the 24th & 25th April.
Peter Coleman
REDEVELOPMENT
BRIEFING PAPER – JAN 2008
Introduction
The Mint is the largest Methodist Church in
Exeter. Over the past five years, the
work of the Church has grown significantly, membership has grown from 170 to
215, and average Sunday morning attendance from 120 to 180. The Church occupies a prime site in the
heart of the city, but its buildings, many dating from the 19th
Century are now seriously inadequate for our work. The congregation has committed itself to
remaining in the city centre and redeveloping our premises.
Our Vision
Our
vision for the Mint is of a large, thriving and influential Church community
committed to social concern, open debate and Christian witness. In particular we seek to develop further
our growing work in these areas:
·
An International
Church. Our regular Church Community
now includes those born in more than a dozen different countries, including
Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, India, the Philippines, Ghana, Kenya,
Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Australia and the USA. We have a particularly large Korean group
with our own Korean Pastor and regular Korean language services. We hold a monthly service in
Cantonese. Building on this strong
base, we seek to develop a fully international community at the heart of the
city.
·
A Church for the
local Community We have a strong
tradition of work with elderly people living in the city centre, including the
neighbouring Homecourt sheltered housing complex. Our Luncheon Club has received excellent
reviews and praise in the local secular press. We serve coffee every Wednesday, and open
our premises for coffee and conversation for clubbers from 11 pm to 2 am on
Friday nights. We are building
increasingly fruitful links with the Islamic community in the city, and taking
a leading role in developing interfaith dialogue: the Mint hosts the monthly
meetings of the Exeter Interfaith Group.
We give financial support to the ecumenical St Petrocks project for the
homeless. We are the Methodist
University Chaplaincy Church. We wish
to build on all these areas, and also to develop our city centre chaplaincy
role significantly in coming years.
·
A Church
committed to justice and peace We are
a Fair Trade Church and regularly raise money and campaign on behalf of many
national and international charities such as Christian Aid. We host events sponsored by groups such
as the Exeter Global Centre. We have
particularly close links with past and present Mint members working for peace
and justice in Zimbabwe. Through a
growth in our conferencing facilities, we aim to develop our reputation as a
centre for social concern.
·
A Conference and
Arts Centre Our main auditorium has
an excellent acoustic and our premises are excellently positioned for
conference style events, though currently our ancillary premises limit the
service we can provide. Our Sunday
programme already draws members from a wide area beyond the city, and we want
to develop this across all our activities.
Our Premises
Much of our recent growth and
development as a Church has been in spite of - rather than because of - our
existing buildings, which are currently inadequate for the demands of a modern
and thriving city centre Church.
The Initial Scheme (2002-6)
Initial feasibility studies
and detailed planning for a development scheme were drawn up between 2002 and
2006, and gained the approval of, and the promise of funding support from, the
Connexion and the Rank Trust, the District and the Circuit. Sadly, this scheme (involving major demolition
and selling off of part of the site to fund a new build) proved to be
financially unviable. The Church
congregation had worked very hard to realize this scheme, yet remained
determinedly steadfast, enthusiastic and committed when faced with the need to
rethink the project in a major way.
The Current Scheme (2007-8)
Many
lessons were learnt from the development of the first project, and as a result
we have worked with a new architect to put together a new scheme which builds
on and enhances our existing premises rather than demolishing them prior to
rebuilding.
In
line with this new approach, the congregation has used its own labour to
redecorate and refurbish several rooms (structurally sound but in poor
decorative condition), as well as reviewing the whole fabric and addressing a number
of maintenance issues which had been put on hold prior to anticipated
demolition. However, it remained clear
that many of the issues limiting our work could only be addressed by a major
redevelopment scheme.
With our architect we have
thus developed a new scheme covering the following key areas:
·
a remodelling of
the front of the premises to provide a new entrance, foyer and meeting spaces
for coffee, conversation and informal meeting – a focal point for all entering
and leaving the premises, and easily visible from the street.
·
Easy access to
all parts of the building from a single entry/reception point, including
provision of a new centrally situated lift.
·
Full facilities
for the disabled including toilets and loop sound systems.
·
New catering facilities
at the heart of the premises serving upgraded meeting rooms and the central
auditorium/worship area.
·
Upgrading to meet
all current fire, safety and access legislation.
·
An enhanced and
flexible central auditorium area with high quality lighting, staging and audio
visual facilities suitable for Sunday morning worship as well as concerts and
other large meetings and events.
We believe that this new
scheme is financially achievable, whilst at the same time meeting all the key
objectives for mission and outreach which informed the earlier proposals.
Andrew Sails
January 2008.
FUND-RAISING GROUP
This group meets to
think up and plan good ideas for fund raising - Concerts, Auctions, Meals,
Quizzes, things top sell or sponsor, we've lots of ideas - why not come
along? Please contact Andrew Green or
Liz Sails with ideas and offers or for more information