Redevelopment
June 2024 update showing progress.
March 2024 update provided for the church council shows our progress to date and how your money is being spent
February 2024 Update on church building redevelopment
You will see copies of this poster around the village. It gives important information and advice on the forthcoming closure of Christ Church building and churchyard.
Copies of this have been posted in the village. This explains the requirement for loans to secure the future of Christ Church.
December 2023 update on Step into the Light; construction to start 15th January 2024
October 2023 update on Step into the Light construction phase
This update is from June 2023 and the drawings illustrate the latest plans
Step into the Light-Redevelopment for Christ Church-
You will see the drawings of the plans for our Church Building further down this page and simplifications made in June 2023 above. The reason for this is that we believe we are coming to the end of a journey which has lasted many years.
This is an opportunity for you to see these plans and imagine how some of our mission action plan can be enabled through them. Building Development Group, the PCC and the Diocesan Advisory Committee agree this is the best way forward for our Church.
Thank you to all the church members who have contributed to our consultation which ended on November 17th 2019 and more recently in December 2022. This will be used in the applications for grants to make this a reality,
Christ Church obtained the legal permission from the Church of England to go ahead with this work.
Previous consultations over many months have led to adaptation of the earlier plans which were much more radical, having a greater impact on the historic fabric. This is a more conservative approach we have now will be less expensive. However, this still allows us to adapt the interior of the Church for many different uses, to enhance the heating and lighting, making it more energy efficient and keeping many of the beautiful features bequeathed to us by our Victorian and Edwardian forefathers.
There will be a new entrance through the west wall of the tower and this area will be transformed to be light and airy, with a view straight to the altar. It is why we call our project "step into the light." It is an invitation to you. The entrance will be more welcoming and we will use the existing space more effectively by providing two toilets to the left and a meeting room to the right as you walk through. A kitchen servery will be to the right as you walk into the meeting room. There will be more space in the chancel, to the right hand side where the pipe organ is now.
What is different in this version of the reordering plans from the last in March 2019?
Over the three years there has been a dialogue between PCC and the Diocesan Advisory Committee to adjust our plans. The PCC has accepted that a more modest scheme is appropriate to our present circumstances.
We would like to draw your attention to areas where the plans have changed:
The Chancel will not be extended
As the St John the Baptist window is now on the north side of the nave it made sense the baptistry and the music group have changed sides in the nave.
The Decalogue Plaque (ten commandments) becomes a more prominent feature in the Chancel.
What will the interior look like?
The plans of June 2023 show the kitchen area to the side of the meeting room. Please see above. The later plans of October 2023 incorporate the kitchen servery in the meeting room.
When permission was given by the Chancellor it was with the condition that the choir stalls remained in situ in the Chancel. This is the only change from the plans which were submitted in Summer 2022.
The Step in the Light project is an exciting opportunity to offer a welcoming sacred space which can be accessed by all our community and for future generations.
We would like to thank the following organisations for supporting us with Phase 1 of our reordering project;
Sheffield Church Burgesses Trust
Congregational and General Charitable Trust
Phase 2 fundraising is underway and we have received financial support from many individuals, recently from events such as the History Tour, Bistro, Garden Party and Counting Nature, Teddy Zip Wire, Safari Supper and Step into the Light Show have helped significantly.
In addition thank you to:
The Cutlers Combined Charitable Trust
The Benefact Trust
Laing Family Trusts
Sheffield Church Burgesses Trust
Gavins Foundation
Dore School and Charity Land Trust
Trust 130 Home Insurance Campaign
Sheffield Diocesan Board of Finanace
Garfield Weston Foundation
Earl Fitzwilliam Trust
Dore Village Society