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It’s amazing how God causes opportunities to develop while others appear to slip away. We’d been saying to one another in Church Council that it looked like the contract on the Plumbers Block (Delancey St, behind RCRC) was not going to amount to anything. This was a tough realisation because we really do need to expand to cater for future needs.

Then, Tuesday morning, Church Council received a letter from the owners of 84 Sturgeon St (next door: motorbikes, piles of dirt, old white cottage, visible through western window) asking whether we were interested in making an offer for their property. This was a wonderful development, because to this point the neighbours had not at all been interested in discussing any sale.

Church Council has discussed this, and believe very strongly that this is an opportunity that we must not refuse. The owners of 84 Sturgeon have already been approached by developers keen to buy the property. We are very thankful that the owners have given RCRC first option to purchase. We want to publicly acknowledge and affirm the Knight brothers, acting for their aged mother, as they have honoured their previous agreement to give us first option to purchase.

Church Council feels that if we don’t act now the property will be snapped up by developers keen to build multiple dwellings on the property. After initial negotiations with the owners, we have unanimously decided to offer a contract on the property with a sale price of $700,000 (in the vicinity of the price offered by developers). The proposed property is 2967 m² while our current property is 4746 m²

The contract we have offered includes the following conditions

·         A 14 day period to attain congregational approval on the sale (church council cannot act independently of the church membership in this regard)

·         A 21 day period to arrange finances

·         A 60 day settlement period

We are of the opinion that this property can be utilised to

·         Relieve pressure on the Kids@Church ministry.

·         Allow us possibility of expanding our premises at a future date

·         Be one more step toward a larger area for Redlands CRC in the future

With all this in mind, Church Council calls an extraordinary congregational meeting for Wednesday Nov 15, 7:30pm in the auditorium. We will be asked to discuss and decide upon the following motion:

That Redlands Christian Reformed Church purchase the property at 84 Sturgeon St, Ormiston

Friends, we need full attendance at this meeting. Please cancel all small groups, and anything else you have on the night, and make a plan to be at the meeting

Please also pray for the Lord’s guidance in this, and seek his confirmation that this is a step we need to take.

Please send any feedback to Dave Groenenboom, dave@redlandscrc.org.au, 0418 383 055, 3286 4700