Building Developments - November 2009 to September 2010

We have thought about the refurbishment of our church for many years and we were able to begin practical consideration to it in 2001, when Revd Martha McInnes was our minister. We looked at a number of plans and after considerable delays we finally decided to go ahead in the Summer of 2009.

The total cost of the project was approximately £750,000, and the money was acquired through a legacy from a former member, grants from various Trusts and considerable fund-raising by members. Part of the money has been spent on the church itself but most on access and the development of the Church Centre.

Our buildings are extensively used by community groups of all kinds, in addition to our own members and friends, so we set out these factors as the basis for the development.

  1. A single entrance to both Church and Centre, showing the two are linked.
  2. Easy access to this entrance for people with disabilities (this involved relocating the present Church office to one side).
  3. A larger, more welcoming concourse inside the main doors.
  4. Development of the Sanctuary to allow for greater flexibility in use and easier access to other parts of the buildings.
  5. Unifying the different floor levels on the ground floor of the Church Centre to allow for easier access and flow for all members and users.
  6. Lift for easier access to first floor.
  7. Relocating the kitchen to enlarge it and allow for easier movement with accessible serving counter and coffee bar.
  8. Passage connection between sanctuary gallery and first floor corridor, for easier access and emergency exit.


Our architects translated our ideas into reality and we are very pleased with the result. We have had many visitors since we re-opened fully and everyone has been very complimentary. We had to use various parts of the Church Centre for our services and activities but we were able to continue functioning fully, apart from the loss of various lettings during the contract.

As we are situated right in the middle of Sutton Coldfield we consider that after our worship our best service to God is service to our local community. We feel that these refurbishments to our Church and Church Centre have enabled and encouraged us to carry out that service as fully as we can in the future.

Last Updated: 31/03/2011