Salford church joins Oasis on 100th anniversary
Salford Central Church will celebrate its 100th anniversary next weekend and embrace its future as it becomes part of Oasis UK, the charity founded by Steve Chalke MBE in 1985.
Posted: Saturday, October 13, 2007, 10:57 (BST)
Salford Central Church will celebrate its 100th anniversary next weekend and embrace its future as it becomes part of Oasis UK, the charity founded by Steve Chalke MBE in 1985.
The church, one of Salford’s major landmarks, was established in 1907 as Salford Central Mission, part of the United Reformed Church denomination, and was a thriving congregation that played a key role at the heart of the community.
In 1937 alone, more than 1000 people received treatment at the on-site medical facilities, and more than 1,500 benefited from legal support. With a five-a-side football pitch, a gym, and a range of other facilities and events on site, it was a true community hub.
The journey towards recapturing that role will be marked this weekend as the church’s new ‘shop front’ opens, bringing new services to the community. This will include the Hub Café, a drop-in centre and a new church office.
The church will be led by new leaders, Mark and Jessie Greer, who have moved from Florida to take up this role. While the congregation size has decreased in recent years, Mark Greer, born in Leeds, has said the church will build on its past to rediscover its role at the heart of the Salford community.
“The history of Salford Central Church is one of a congregation engaged with its community. Now we are faced with the challenge of how to recapture that original ethos and vision for the 21st century. Jessie and I have felt so welcomed by the church and are excited about it moving forward into the future,” he said.
Oasis already has a significant local presence, as it is sponsoring a nearby Academy, which will replace the existing Hope High School, and be rebuilt on Salford Quays as Oasis Academy Media City UK. It is due to open in 2009.
As part of Oasis, Salford Central Church will work towards becoming an open and welcoming presence 24 hours a day, seven days a week, offering holistic care and support to the community.
Steve Chalke MBE, founder of Oasis, said the church presented an exciting new challenge: “Four years ago Oasis became responsible for developing and leading a church in central London, Church.co.uk/Waterloo, at the time known as Christ Church and Upton Chapel. Its small congregation was looking at the possibility of closure but over the last four years we have seen the church grow and flourish with a thriving and diverse congregation of all age groups and ethnicities.
“Salford Central Church presents the team at Oasis with a new challenge, but one which together we look forward to.”
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Added: Tuesday, December 11, 2007, 9:25 (GMT)
I thought Christian Today readers might be interested to know the current status of the actual build for MediaCity:UK in Salford Quays.
The site now consists of 6 cranes with a 7th on the way (crane base in place). Most of the concrete cores of the new BBC building look to be in place or started, rising to 9-10 stories (maybe more) for the highest cores.
The land for the taller buildings off to the side of the main BBC building (right from the Lowry Centre side) is still being dug and prepared but more temporary cabins are in place off Broadway (the road that runs through the back of the Quays) presumably to house more MediaCIty:UK project staff and a contingent of the BBC (cameramen) looking at the latest articles across the internet.
The current phase of the build occupies 35-40 acres (next to the City Lofts flats) with other phases planned across the water on the Imperial War Museum side.
The overall site is something of the order of 200 acres but no visible signs of development has started outside the main phase 1 area currently. No doubt this will depend on discussions with other media companies being persuaded to join the MediaCity:UK estate.
For a photographic timeline for November / December and beyond (and pictures back to June of this year), go to Google and search on 'media city uk salford quays timeline q4'.
Judging be the pace of the development, there is a big push on to meet the 2010/11 date for the first phase completion.
Those currently thinking about a career in the media by way of a chosen degree (media studies, photography etc.) might be one of the 15,500 new jobs to be created between now and 2011 in the first phase of this build. Also, the price of properties (and especially flats) in the area will almost certainly rise as a result of the considerable development occuring in this location with new flats being built currently.
I have worked as an IT Manager in Salford Quays for 12 years and live in North Bolton. When I first came here, the skyline of the Quays area was relatively flat but now houses such buildings as The Designer Outlet (80 outlet stores), The iconic Lowry and Imperial War Museum Buildings and new flat developments which continue to be built in anticipation of the BBC move and general growth in this area.
Mark Whitfield, Salford Quays, UK
