Plans have been unveiled to re-energise an historic Victorian church in Southport, creating a series of new community events and making it “a church to serve all”.
It includes “a vision to re-awaken St George’s Church, to meet the spiritual needs of its members in Southport and to engage new people from the community”.
A planning application has been submitted to Sefton Council to make changes at St George’s United Reformed Church, which is situated next to Sainsbury’s supermarket on Lord Street in Southport town centre.
The changes would see the removal of the grand organ and church pews to make an ‘open plan church space’, the creation of a new bookstall and baby room, and the addition of a series of events aimed at people of all ages.
Shoreline Church is seeking Listed Building Consent for internal and external alterations to the Grade II Listed building, which stands within the Lord Street Conservation Area.
They said: “To create flexible space for events, the removal of the pews and organ will facilitate an active church hall, to be used daily, not just on Sundays.”
The former Presbyterian church which opened in 1873 with a tower and a spire which are very distinctive Lord Street landmarks.
A church hall was added in the 1930s.
The plans, drawn up by Andrew Cunningham Building Design on behalf of Shoreline Church, aim to modernise the existing Church.
The changes would include:
In the Lobby:
Addition of removable partition walls, to create a bookstall and baby room at either end
In the Main Hall:
Removal of pews, levelling of floor, removal of grand organ, addition of suspended heaters
In Rear Hall:
Addition of a new WC, reconfiguring of existing WCs, addition of removable partition walls to subdivide the minor hall into classrooms, addition of suspended heaters, introduction of a demountable suspended ceiling across the main activity space to mitigate heat loss and set at the finished floor level of the upper balcony, addition of a partition and door at foot of rear stairs At 1st Floor:
Reconfiguring of the upper mezzanine level to create an office, WC and waiting area with timber decorative screen to remain in-situ
Externally:
To install low-level ASHP units to supply new heating, modify one window in the (front) north west elevation to create a new fire exit door in timber to match existing external doors and steps down to grade level.
The planning submission says: “The applicant, a local Christian church, is taking over the former United Reform Church, so the use of the church remains as is.
“The local church has a vision to re-awaken St. George’s Church, to meet the spiritual needs of its members in Southport and to engage new people from the community that may wish to join the church and take advantage of the proposed community events. It will be a church to serve all.
“As part of this expanded programme of activity, the church is seeking some minor external alterations to the Listed building, and a number of internal alterations.
“The proposed ‘open plan’ church space, with flexible loose seating instead of pews, will enhance and allow the church more opportunities to meet the diverse needs of the church members, and the local community through both a formal Sunday service with traditional mass seating arrangement facing a stage, and alternative flexible layouts to allow for events, activities, small classes etc.
“The proposed church programme is to serve, support, impact and give back to the wider community through the church’s Community Social Responsibility projects.”
Initial events would include the following:
Sundays – main church service. At present there are c.120 people in regular attendance including children. (A typical Sunday service requires 6 hours per volunteer, and with c.40 volunteers performing various tasks eg: set-up/ set-down team, band, choir, Sunday School helpers, kitchen volunteers etc).
Wednesdays – midweek bible teaching and prayers service, with c.50 members in attendance. (4 hours per volunteer, with c.30 volunteers).
Every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday the church will be open to the public for counselling sessions from 10am to 4pm.
Every second and fourth Saturday of every month the church will be open to the community giving out foodbank donations. (4 hours per volunteer, with c.10-20 volunteers).
Every December – annual, one-week Christmas event that attracts a lot of people from the community, with c.200 in attendance. (8 hours of volunteers daily).
Other proposed community-based activities are as follows:
Quarterly – a buffet banquet in the main hall, hosting church first timers and new members of the church, but open to all the public to come in and enjoy. This will include a ‘meet & greet’ with the church leadership team and other members of the church. (8 hours per volunteer, with c.20-30 volunteers).
Fridays – youth prayer and interactive sessions for 2 hours, with up to 20 students in attendance. This will be open to the youth within the wider Southport community.
Three times a year – community inclusive initiatives, such as Family Fun Day, to which members of the community are invited, and all undertaken within the main hall. And another reason why the removal of pews will allow different layouts/ configurations.
Christmas – various community events, from reaching out to the homeless within the community, inviting people in for Christmas carols, and participating with a Christmas grotto for elderly and children within the community. Expected to reach 100-200 people.
Easter – Children’s church events to which they invite their friends from within the community to celebrate Easter.
Children’s Day – indoor activities to celebrate Children’s Day, which is a community-inclusive event, celebrating all children within the local community.
The planning document says: “To facilitate the above programmes and to create flexible space for other incidental events, the removal of the pews and organ will facilitate an active church hall, to be used daily, not just on Sundays.
“The proposed family-centred church, and the kind of activities it organises and engages with, requires a main church hall free from constraints, with flexible, open plan space to allow for different seating / table setups – all to benefit the local community.
“This planning application, if approved, will allow the church building to be revitalised and used in new ways, fit for its purpose – serving the Southport community.”
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