We need to begin at least some of the project by Jan 2025 at the latest otherwise we will lose our planning consent.

Minor works are expected to start in December 2024, and the main work to start by the end of February 2025.

As some work is needed to replace the whole kitchen, and as there are plans to renew all the heating and mechanical systems, it is likely the kitchen, café and building will need to be closed for at least some time.

We are working on the assumption that we will need to be out of the building for 6 months.

We are exploring options around the town centre for Sunday services and mid week meetings which are affordable, accessible and safe. We expect to move out for approximately 6 months, but will be able to tell you more by the end of 2024.

We will need your help with running things off-site and we’d love the whole church family to get involved and be the team.

During the previous building project (in 1989/90), the church met for worship in two different locations for morning and evening services, and a full programme of children and youth ministry continued.

The heating systems of the church are extremely inefficient and costly to run. They cannot be smartly programmed or zonally operated so are either ON or OFF in the whole church, and draws on a very old and inefficient boiler.

The new plans will replace the existing boilers with a significantly more efficient system, including the controls that will enable these new more efficient boilers to heat the church far more effectively.

This will make a significant improvement to our carbon footprint, and should secure our Bronze Eco Church Award.

New windows will be at least double glazed and there may be an option to replace some existing windows.

Solar panels could have a slight impact on energy costs but permission to install them would be needed.

Yes, there will be more space and it is anticipated that the new rooms will be fully utilised, although the exact use is hard to predict at this stage. We are aiming for all new rooms to be multipurpose.

A new moveable screen between the café and the Nave will add flexibility to create more worship space.

Accessibility will be improved with level disabled access to the Youth and Community Centre. There will be enlarged and improved toilet facilities, including new disabled facilities.

The Nave decoration will be refreshed and wiring installed for updates to the sound system in the future.

Please continue to PRAY for the project. We believe this project will enable us to better the fulfil our God given vision to be a church of Worship, Witness, and Welcome to Woking and the World. We will only complete this project if “the Lord builds his house” and provides for what we need.

Please GIVE to the project – we will only complete the project with the sustained, generous and sacrificial giving of the whole church congregation, with gifts large and small. Every gift matters!

Please HELP support the project – this could be by lending your time, lending your skills (creative, practical, professional), or supporting fundraising efforts.

We would love your help making church happen off-site, so let us know what you can help with.

Every offer of help is gratefully received.

The Gateway Project came out of recognition that the church needed more SPACE through the week for its growing ministry to the church and mission to the town through the week.

At the same time, it was clear many of the key systems in the church were beginning to breakdown and need replacing (est. cost £1.8m), so there is now an urgent need to UPDATE the building to be fit for purpose and become far more environmentally friendly.

We want to create dedicated space for youth and community work, to better reach out to the young people and vulnerable of the town.

We also want to improve our welcome in the church and café area to help connect people in the town to the church and enable better access.

To do the whole of Phase 1 of the revised plans (updated facilities and systems, Youth & Community Centre, refurbished nave, welcome and entrance improvements, new rooms and offices) will cost an estimated £5m*.

The cost of the Community and Youth Centre will be approximately £1.3m*.

The cost of essential upgrades to the church's systems will cost approximately £1.8m*.

Improvements to the access, visibility and refurbishments throughout will cost approximately £2m*.

*Estimated costs.

These prices* are professional estimates. The actual cost will be discovered when the project goes out to tender and contractors submit firm proposals for the cost of the project.

Tenders can come in under or over the estimated costs, but the estimates do include an amount for inflation into next year, and also include a contingency amount.

Our aim is to raise the majority of the funds through congregational giving, gifts, and legacies.

We also may be able to raise a smaller amount from grant making bodies. As of October 2024, we have raised £600k in grants.

We could take out a loan on 4 Orchard Drive, though we want to keep the amount of money borrowed to a minimum.

In 2016 an initial Gateway Gift and Pledge Day, including Gift Aid, raised £2m in a variety of pledges, gifts and promised standing orders. Around £1.2m was given in gifts and has come in through standing orders.

Money has been spent on professional fees, including architect’s designs (which were revised once to alter the design, and were revised again due to a post-Covid re-evaluation and escalating costs).

Following Gift days in October 2023 and April 2024 we £3m raised so far through congregational giving and interest earned on savings (as at October 2024).

We have planning permission from Woking Town Council for the full project, which lasts until Jan 2025. The planning consent is being amended to take into account the phasing.

We have received permission for the internal changes and external extension from the Church of England by applying for a Faculty (planning consent for churches, granted by the Church of England).

Later minor updates will to plans are also being submitted for approval through both the council and the Diocese.