New Life Middlesbrough – Praying On
Back in March we reported that New Life Church in Middlesbrough were hoping to buy the Methodist Church building they have been meeting in. Though this update isn’t the news we wanted to bring, please pray on.
For the church at New Life, it seemed the perfect fit when the building they’ve called their home since 2014 came up for sale in March.
Pastor Ian Williamson said:
“This led to an excitement of thinking ‘Awesome! Let's buy the building’ then a fear of ‘What if we can't raise the money, where will we meet?”
So, what followed was articles in the evangelical press, blogs on websites and a huge fundraising project to try and find the money needed to make an offer for the building.
Nine months’ on, New Life had a cash deposit, a very generous mortgage in place from Stewardship and expert support from Christians who in business, property and finance. A full business plan was produced and the church offered 43% more than the building’s asking price to try and secure it.
Sadly, it still wasn’t enough.
Ian added:
“Our planning was top notch, it was gospel focused, it was professional, it was exciting and it was in the hearts and prayers of New Life Church and hundreds of other Christians who had been following and supporting us on this journey. On Friday 1st November, we were informed that we had failed in our bid to purchase the building, that a higher offer had been accepted and that the plans in our hearts had failed.
“Obviously when we heard the news we were disappointed and we had lots of questions, why, who and for what reason? Yet we also had peace.
“It is good to remind ourselves that God is good and although our plans fail, His never do, His purpose will prevail and although we are unsure to what his purpose is at the moment, we know for sure, that it is better than ours.”
New Life are now beginning to look at alternative venues for their ministry and will continue their mission to reach Middlesbrough for Christ. Please continue to pray for them – and a number of folk from New Life will be at the Leaders’ Conference next week if you want to connect with them.
Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.
(Proverbs 19:21)
Please pray that:
- New Life can find a suitable building to purchase.
- For New Life to find somewhere short-term to meet until they purchase a building.
- In the meantime the church would stay focused on its mission.
- They would stay focused on their Saviour.
- They would see salvation and baptism in Middlesbrough.