Work begins soon on new £1.7 million Telford Minster church project
Construction of a pioneering church in the heart of Telford - which is being backed by the Archbishop of Canterbury - will start within weeks.
Development of a flock for Telford Minster is well under way and now work is scheduled to begin on the £1.7 million worship centre inside Southwater's Meeting Point House.
The building work is due to start on September 1.
It is being created from warehouse space, along with an extension, and will feature a contemporary 350-seater auditorium.
Vicar the Rev Matt Beer said: "We are ready to go on the building work which is scheduled to take 100 days to complete which sounds a bit scary, but we're going for it.
"The area is growing in population and is among the least reached places for the church. For that reason it is getting noticed and the Archbishop of Canterbury is very keen for a minster to be opened here."
He added: "The development of the minister is the precursor to Telford one day becoming a city.
"We want Telford to grow and to have that Christian presence that comes from being in a community."
The minster project has replaced the former Springfields congregation which met in rooms at Meeting Point House.
While the building work is being carried out the new congregation will meet at St Leonard's Church, in Malinslee, from August 30.
Rev Beer added: "Some of the people who previously attended Springfields have remained, while others have moved on to other churches across Telford. We have has grown to about 45 people who were meeting at our home at one stage.
"The idea is to create a church where we can reach out to the whole of the borough and to across Shropshire.
"The coronavirus crisis has not affected our plans at all. Our forecasting for growth has continued even though we have moved online. Covid-19 hasn't not hindered us, it's been quite the opposite actually with people connecting with us.
"We will be launching the new church on December 20, starting with a carol service in the town centre.
"We will be inviting some bishops, MPs and civic dignitaries," Mr Beer added.
The church is part of a project to pioneer a new model where it will look to set up congregations in homes, coffee shops or at mother and toddler groups.
There are also plans to set up congregations in up to ten areas, including Sutton Hill, Oakengates and Lawley.
A minster is traditionally a large city centre church with a mandate to reach out to a local area, but it is not a parish church. It is operated to be outward looking in approach.
