Dear People,
Since 2003 the former Anglican Church in the Community of St. Philips has been closed because the congregation decided to build a new Church and Parish Centre to meet the needs of a growing congregation and community.
A condition imposed upon the parish by our Diocesan Synod was that the old church building would be taken down. For the past six and a half years there has been opposition between a group of people who wish to preserve the old building and those who wish to honour the condition given by Diocesan Synod. At several Annual General Meetings the congregation has affirmed their wish to have the old building taken down. Both sides have worked with the local Town Council over the years but no agreement could be reached. So the drama has continued into 2015.
Structurally, the old building is really unsafe. The building has been unheated since 2003 and is now full of mould and it is unhealthy to go inside of it.
I have enclosed some pictures which show how the building has deteriorated over twelve years of being unoccupied and unheated. These pictures help to show it in its present condition.
Rev. Ed. Keeping
Rector