For many years the land next to the Free Church building in Coatbridge was occupied by an unsightly derelict office. This was cleared by North Lanarkshire Council and offered to the congregation at a very fair price.
Seeing this as a providential opportunity and aware of the need for more space for a growing congregation, with ambitions to provide greater access to the local community, it was decided to seek plans for an extension and refurbishment from architects, Angus Design Associates of Hamilton.
These were approved and after a period of fundraising the contract was awarded to RS Builders of Wishaw. It is hoped the work will be completed by spring 2023.
The congregation is very grateful to the Board of Trustees of the Free Church, and Stewardship, who have made loan funding available and the Free Presbytery of Glasgow and Argyll who made a most generous donation. External funders such as The Benefact Trust, The Garfield Weston Foundation and others have also made much appreciated contributions to the project. And many Free churches, and other friends outside the congregation, responded to our appeal for funds with one off donations, which proved a huge encouragement.
In all this the professional support of Rod Morrison of Arniston Consulting was invaluable.
Minister, Rev Ivor MacDonald, said: “We are immensely grateful to Almighty God for his leading on the Hope Church extension project. Although many churches in Coatbridge have been obliged to close, we believe that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is advancing in our area and that our expanded and refurbished building will not only provide more space for our worship services but allow us to offer better facilities for community use.”
The photo courtesy of John McIntyre/Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser/Reach PLC shows Rev Ivor MacDonald with the directors of RS Builders, Mr Stephen Smith and Mr Raymond Kane, and members of the congregation at the site.
An article on the project appeared in the Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser and can be accessed here.