Sams's Space official opening - at last!!!

What do you do with a 400 seater pew filled church?

It was only really used for a couple of hours on a Sunday when I arrived back in 2008.

The organ while still working was never played.

The rest of the buildings, loads of rooms, were used by a variety of groups. 

I never preached from this pulpit!!

The church on the roundabout needed to determine what it was going to do to bring the worship space into real use.

So began a long period of discernment. Consultations with the community, scoping workshops, questionnaires and many, many meetings.

We explored lots of options for its use while at the same time seeing if we could reshape all the buildings to make better use of the space. 

Eventually knowing we were working with a grade two listed building we focused on reconfiguring the worship space to be a sacred space for worship and serving.

It took a long time to decide what to do. Being set in one of the poorest parts of Sheffield with its wards being as poor as the poorest in the country, we knew we needed to respond to the needs of our community. We had a very large proportion of children and young families whose income was very low. The idea of creating a soft play facility bubbled to the surface and captured peoples imaginations. The scheme was to divide the  physical building in two. Stage one to build a soft play facility and stage two a new worship and community space.

So it was that Sam's Space was imagined and brought into being. The Pandemic however brought to a halt stage two but hopefully when funds are identified it will happen.

So back in February 2020 you could finally walk into a bright welcoming space.

We were able to keep features of the church within the new space.

And as for those pews.... most were sold off but a few retained and incorporated into the space as well.

The lower area designed for very small children..

 The main frame suitable for ages up to 8-9.

Our cafe area was the old vestry.

We had just opened 'Sam's Space ' a soft play facility created for the local community of Firth Park when the pandemic hit. We had managed a service to dedicate the space of which I was a part.

But then it shut as the Pandemic hit.

 When we were allowed back into our buildings Sam's Space was used for worship as it had the best ventilation and coffee.

 

Thankfully we weathered the crisis and with a superb management team kept it going. We appointed a new outstanding manager, Jade, who has taken it from strength to strength. Jade developed the party room and then another room as a sensory space suitable for small numbers of children with special needs. 

When I left to retire May 2022 it was in the knowledge a real asset was in place with great team making it happen. 

But we never had the official launch as it was due to take place March 2020 when Covid stopped us.

So on Friday 23rd June we travelled from Banbury for the much delayed official opening by the Right Worshipful Lord Mayor of Sheffield Colin Ross.

Lisa the new minister did the honours of welcoming the mayor.

I then had opportunity to speak in public, the first time since retiring, as I shared the dream which came to fulfilment. It was made possible because of people like Sue Donner my then secretary, who kept up the grant applications going in, and many within the church community who kept encouraging.

Here's the current team with the Mayor.

Audrey shared some words from Jade our Manager who doesn't like being up front but she had to come out eventually.

It was a great morning catching up with old friends and knowing that the vision continues. A place to play, a place to experience hospitality, a place to pray, a place to just be. The church led by Lisa is now offering 'mini disciples' on a Monday within this sacred space which serves.

From a space more empty than full

To this full of people.

Made possible by these people seen at a service of dedication back in 2020. 

One lady on the photo Vera, who was a good age when we started our plans,  said I'll never see it. Well she did and I see her face smiling up at me on the kit. She died early on during the pandemic but her memory is strong and a bequest from Vera helped to establish the sensory room.

God of time

of all places

all spaces.

Bless afresh 

Sam's Space.

Dwell within

that it might be 

a sacred place

that all who play and pray

may encounter You,

the God

who welcomes all 

without exception. Amen       (c) Mark Goodhand 24th June 2023