Meeting today with representatives of Carlisle diocese to discuss proposal submitted at the beginning of June to purchase a Bewcastle farm for the land-based House of Prayer.
The conclusion of the meeting was that the diocese wants the proposal to pass formally through deanery synod and become integrated into the deanery Mission Action Plan. Also a financial forecast and business plan is required before it can then be submitted to the Diocesan Board of Finance committee.
In other words, although the diocese is keen to explore the future possibility of a land-based House of Prayer, the proposal to purchase this farm is not accepted: the process will take at least 6 months, with no guarantee of a positive outcome at the end. The owners, who are in poor health, cannot wait on our processes, and it would be unfair to ask them to. Indeed, we were told to “lay B. Farm on the altar.”
The opportunity to purchase this farm, as far as the diocese is concerned, has been missed.
However, there is still time for us to do it together. Can we raise the necessary finances from donations, given that we will not use any form of Lottery funding? Is there sufficient support and interest from enough people? We need £620,000 to start. We have been promised a donation of £140,000 if we can obtain the rest…
If you are able and willing, please help using the ‘donate’ button at the side.
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