Blog:
We’ve got keys!

Posted by Alina Kalnina-Kalnaraja
on 29th June 2015

We have just completed on the purchase and are now the owners of a new building!  WOOOHOOO!
 
During the autumn term of 2014 we, as a church, asked God for something silly. Something only achievable by His grace and His generosity - a base for mission.  We asked God for a place to serve the cities of Leeds and Bradford from, for a place where people could find peace, for a place to sing, pray, plan, eat, bless, launch new gatherings from - a place to call home.
 
When we planted The Oak four and a half years ago we said we were here for the long haul.  We said we would buy houses - we’d put our roots down and serve God.  Buying this building on Bradford Road is us saying to the communities of West Leeds and East Bradford “we are here to stay”.
 
Why on Bradford Road?  Because it’s right in the middle of the area we are serving - Rodley, Farsley, Thornbury, Pudsey, Bramley - West Leeds and East Bradford.
 
The journey of the last 6 months has been tough and patience testing.  We have had to wait.  We have had to pray.  We have had to trust that God knows what he’s doing.  And here we are - at the start of the next part of this adventure.
 
Thank you for your patience, prayer, generosity and the countless volunteer hours that have gone into getting us this far.

Building work starts on Monday 29th with Craig Bowstead and I taking hammers to walls and beginning to put steels and walls up.
 
What next...
 
Well we hope to be at decorating stage mid August but there is a lot of work to do until then.
 
If you can help at the Practical Oak Community that would be a huge help!  Saturdays 11th and 25th July from 9am.
 
Also there will be painting and decorating afternoons on Sundays 9th, 16th, 23th and 30th August.  We will gather in the mornings during August for a short gathering (health and safety permitting it will be at The Oak) followed by food and then decorating - it should be a blast!!!
 
The next few months are an opportunity for everyone at The Oak and the wider community to get stuck in.

Paint something, fix something, tidy something, do something to help get the building useable to use for September. 
 
After that?  Enjoy, bless and serve the cities!
Thank you for walking the journey - here’s to the next leg…
 
Chris Mason
On behalf of the Leadership Team
 
P.S.
If you have some time or some skills you’d like to offer, please let me know and I’ll try and put it to good use - there is a lot to do!
 

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