It was in the Rector’s Letter for November last year that I wrote that we would shortly be launching our Restoration Appeal for St James. This we did in December, and set the target of £110,000. I would like to say a huge ‘thank you’ to everyone who has responded to that Appeal in any way. Nigel Bromage and the Appeal Committee produced the brochures, set up the organisation and have administered the Appeal. David Mercer has overseen all the work on our behalf, and liased with the architects and builders. Not only was Phase One successfully completed in August, but with minimum disruption, with David’s eagle eye picking up any snags, omissions and queries. Alf Croston has identified and followed up, possibilities of grants and corporate donations. There have been many special efforts such as the Three Peak Challenge, which raised about £5,000 in sponsorship. Gillian Brackenbury, Christine Abrams and Janet Milton got together and each contributed £25 to put on various events which together have raised over £1,000 – Christleton’s modern Parable of the Talents!
As a result of all this, and with the generous response from so many individuals, our total has passed £85,000 already received, with more promised through Bankers’ Orders. We have decided to postpone Phase Two of the work, which is on the Tower, till the Spring of 2004. This has enabled us to apply to English Heritage, who will not make any grants for work already started. So we have set our sights on reaching our target of £110,000 by the end of 2003 and hope we can all make a final ‘push’ to achieve this. It would be a real achievement to have completed the task within one calendar year.
Once we have achieved our Appeal Target we can put that behind us, and get on with the task of being the Church. The building is a wonderful heritage, but is only there to enable us to function as a Church in all our worship, work and witness in Christ’s name. That is why it is so important not just to raise money for the Church building, but to reach out in practical ways with the message of Jesus, and help to bring people to faith. I believe it makes an important statement about our priorities and purpose as a Church that all the money, raised through our Christmas Fair is given to outside Charities. This year the PCC has decided one third (international) of the proceeds will go to UNICEF. We particularly wanted to support this because of their work with children in Iraq. As we observe Remembrance Sunday this year the war with Iraq will be greatly on our minds. We best honour and commemorate those killed in war by working for peace, and replacing the evil and hostility which leads to war, by creating social justice and better living standards and conditions for those who are deprived and suffering. Another third (national) of the proceeds will go to the Salvation Army, who do such selfless work among those who are most deprived and in need in our country. The other third (local) of the proceeds will go to Chester Fourgate Club. This Club provides social amenities for adults with learning, and in some cases physical, disabilities. So we have a chance to identify with what is being done locally to work for social inclusion for those who are sometimes left on the margin of community life.
I really do want to say a huge ‘thank you’ to all who have helped us to do so well in our Restoration Appeal, and invite us all to help in the final ‘push’ to reach our target. I also invite us to display our determination to use the wonderful resource we have in St James Church, to enable us to be the Church, both by what we say and do, to build up God’s kingdom.
Yours sincerely
Peter Lee
