Tony Idle: Embracing change

What do you think of the new developments that have been funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund?
Hilary, I think it’s a lifesaver without doubt. The only alternative is, when people say to me “they’ve changed our church out of all recognition” I say to them – yes, but it might well have been changed into a supermarket, or a grocery store, or any kind of a meeting place other than a Christian church.
So, really, to save it for worship in that area is very important.
Because you see, when the new Quarter is built down in the North part of the town – what’s called the North Quarter – there will be a lot of people there and as it stands we’re just about their nearest church – we and the Baptist Church are pretty near, so on the assumption that nothing new will be built, we can expect to welcome many new people.
That is what I try and encourage people to see as the aim of this re-building.
A Church should always be looking to the future – always looking to welcome new people in – and that is what we aim to do – all the time.