The 3 Osborne Road Project
JPC COLOURED SUPPLEMENT - March 2003
by Jonathan Pryke
In an extraordinary way, God has opened up an opportunity for us to purchase 3 Osborne Road. 12 years ago he worked in a similar way. Frequently, even now, when I walk past Eslington House, I am reminded of what he did. As I think about all that has been made possible as a result, I am filled with thanksgiving.
The Growth of JPC since 1991
In February 1991 God wonderfully made Eslington House available for us to purchase and our gift week in May of that year raised the sum needed. A great deal of renovation was necessary, but we were able to start using the building in early 1993. The total cost in the end was £290,000. Since then Eslington House has been invaluable as the church has grown and so many different areas of ministry have developed significantly.
For instance, Focus now has a membership of 120 with its own network of small groups that meet all over Eslington House. The Globe regularly attracts 150 international students and as a result many other groups need to use Eslington House on Monday evenings. Neither Focus nor the Globe had even started in 1991. Our parish assistant team has increased from 2 to 8. The music group has grown from 30 to 80. The orchestra needs to use Eslington House for its rehearsals. Parenting and Learning to Care courses meet in the building. Around 50 people each year now do Moore College Correspondence Course study. Home group membership has increased from 340 to 600. Overall youth work attendances are up from 160 to 230 and CYFA membership has risen from 25 to 70. The number of different people attending JPC on Sundays was 650 in 1991 and is now 1050. Overall, the church has grown by well over half in these last 12 years.
All of these ministries and many others make extensive use of Eslington House for seminars, meetings, office space and groups small and large, just as we envisioned. It is very difficult to see how they could have grown as they have if God had not provided this additional space. He knew what we needed, inspired us to pray, give and work, and gave us the necessary resources. Now, once more, he is meeting our needs for the coming years.
3 Osborne Road is a large four storey double-fronted terraced building, dating from 1867 and extensively refurbished about 15 years ago. It has been for a long time the offices of the National Farmers' Union Mutual Insurance Company. It is at the southern end of Osborne Road, just 2 minutes walk from JPC. Its location makes a triangle with the church and Eslington House, with Jesmond Metro station in the middle. There is no underpass on the route, and there is a pedestrian crossing ideally situated on Osborne Road. It has a few parking spaces at the front and rear. There are excellent rooms, small and large. The biggest, on the first floor, is twice the size of the largest room in Eslington House. The building's floor area is 5120 square feet - over half as big again as Eslington House. Overall it is in very good condition. We would not have to do any significant work on it to start with. We need to complete the purchase in early April in order to secure the building. We could begin to use it after Easter.
What will the project Cost?
The cost of the 3 Osborne Road project will be around £725,000 in total. This will give us a flexible investment for the long term future. The purchase price is £675,000. Then also there will be costs associated with buying the building, with the loan used to complete the sale (but which will be paid off as quickly as possible as our giving comes in), and with equipping the building. This total sum could be raised, for example, by money given either immediately or over a period of time, as follows:
5 gifts of £20,000
15 gifts of £10,000
30 gifts of £5,000
60 gifts of £2,500
and 500 gifts from £20 to £2,000 totalling £175,000.
The Gift Aid scheme enables us to claim back tax from the Inland Revenue.
A New Beginning for JPC
As I said in my Giving Review presentation, explaining the need for our faith-stretching target of a 25% increase in normal income for this year, I believe that we are at a turning point in the life of the church. It has been wonderful to watch what God has done at JPC over the last 15 years. And now we are at the beginning of a new cycle of our life. God has only just begun all that he plans to do in and through us all.
Now God is working to meet our need for space for the next phase of growth. That need is already acute. To give one example, Ken Matthews has been telling us for some time that CYFA is at the limit of what is possible with its current facilities. Many ministries, including new areas of work that have not even started yet, are going to need more and more room.
God wants us to reach our community with the message of the gospel. He wants to make us more and more like Christ, serving him in an ever-expanding network of ministries. That is surely why he has worked in such an amazing way to provide a property for us that is so suitable for our needs both now and in the coming years. God always does his part. And he gives us the privilege of working with him. We now need to do our part.