WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:24.940 When Paul first came to me talking to me about this vision that you had, this vision to build a new church, and he showed me a little sketch that he had done of what he imagined that that church might look like. 00:00:26.420 --> 00:00:25.000 ! 00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:47.500 It's a very close resemblance to what we've ended up with. We were obviously really excited and we spent the last seven years on various iterations and planning permissions and working drawings and then finally building it. 00:00:47.500 --> 00:00:52.980 And I guess from an architectural point of view, the sort of tensions of the project have always been the same. 00:00:52.979 --> 00:01:02.979 The idea of providing a range of different types of space for different pastoral and community uses simultaneously. 00:01:02.979 --> 00:01:18.620 Having this range of size of spaces, so a really big hall at the back. How do you accommodate that in quite a tight-knit residential area, along with lots of smaller rooms that can be used at the same time. 00:01:18.620 --> 00:01:30.640 And how do you do all of this on quite an awkwardly shaped site, along a narrow site, with the added complexity of a listed building that you were hoping might not get listed. 00:01:30.640 --> 00:01:38.540 So there's sort of those pragmatic concerns, and then also I suppose the poetic ones. 00:01:38.980 --> 00:01:43.280 So what does a church like that look like in the 21st century? 00:01:43.579 --> 00:01:46.859 What does it mean to build a Presbyterian church? 00:01:46.859 --> 00:01:57.620 And how does the look and feel, as well as the sort of pragmatics, how does the look and feel of the church serve the church's vision here in the community? 00:01:58.560 --> 00:02:02.200 How do you make Francis Schaeffer proud at the end of the day? 00:02:03.620 --> 00:02:15.560 And what we developed was a building that sort of cradles the existing chapel that wraps around it, and so it appears in various parts of the building as this kind of interior object. 00:02:15.560 --> 00:02:21.699 Which is quite interesting, and especially when you get inside it, as just another interior room. 00:02:22.699 --> 00:02:28.819 And then the main big space, I don't know what you'll end up calling this, the new chapel, something like that. 00:02:29.400 --> 00:02:33.659 But pushed to the back of the site, away from the road. 00:02:34.640 --> 00:02:37.500 I remember Paul saying that he wanted it to be intentionally good. 00:02:38.159 --> 00:02:39.460 That was his sort of catchphrase. 00:02:39.460 --> 00:02:46.680 I don't know what an intentionally or unintentionally good building would look like, or indeed an intentionally bad one. 00:02:47.219 --> 00:02:51.520 But our intention was always that it was good, so hopefully it's lived up to that. 00:02:52.500 --> 00:03:04.000 We wanted to create a space that had permanence and atmosphere, and that also was surprising and uplifting for people who came to worship here, or just came to visit. 00:03:04.000 --> 00:03:11.000 Somewhere that was warm, and inviting, and inviting, and inviting. 00:03:11.800 --> 00:03:14.280 And a space that sounded really good to be in. 00:03:16.819 --> 00:03:21.939 But then you have this main space, and the trick is, how do you connect that to the community? 00:03:22.099 --> 00:03:29.379 How do you reach out with your main meeting space, both sort of, I suppose, physically and metaphorically? 00:03:29.379 --> 00:03:38.759 And so the chapel roof becomes this kind of ribbon in cross-laminated timber that moves towards the front of the site, towards the community, 00:03:38.939 --> 00:03:49.560 and adopts this smaller scale of sort of residential roof-scape, and the local houses, and then peaks to an abstracted spire at the front. 00:03:50.740 --> 00:03:56.139 And I think one of the things we were really keen was that that space was really open, and inviting, and transparent. 00:03:56.139 --> 00:04:01.939 And I love the fact that you can come to the front door and see your way all the way through and into the chapel. 00:04:02.579 --> 00:04:09.500 It's very different from the kind of enclosed sort of Gothic churches where you're afraid to open the front door. 00:04:11.699 --> 00:04:18.479 And obviously something like this doesn't happen by accident, so there's been loads of other people, not just me involved in this, both from our company. 00:04:18.480 --> 00:04:30.319 But I've got to thank Paul for thinking of us, Adrian and Jess and the building committee for having an extra part-time job for the last few years. 00:04:31.580 --> 00:04:40.000 For David for bringing some Irish grit and decisiveness to help the church kind of negotiate this really complex project. 00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:48.000 And to Arul, who's here as well, from the building team, who actually built the thing, and I really have fond memories of... 00:04:56.000 --> 00:05:05.360 Pitching up at 6pm to when all your builders have gone home at 3pm to talk you through the latest issues, or for you to talk me through them. 00:05:05.360 --> 00:05:09.920 So we're really proud of this. We hope you will be too. 00:05:10.819 --> 00:05:15.920 And we hope it helps you sort of reach up and reach out with the gospel. 00:05:17.759 --> 00:05:18.240 Thanks. 00:05:18.240 --> 00:05:27.660 Thank you, Pete. 00:05:27.660 --> 00:05:39.060 And having heard how this was designed and built, and the story thus far, it would be great to hear why we did this, what it's for, and why we do these things. 00:05:39.540 --> 00:05:46.020 So in that case, let me introduce our minister, who's very rarely called the Reverend Paul Levy, but he is the Reverend Paul Levy. 00:05:46.500 --> 00:05:46.900 Paul. 00:05:46.899 --> 00:05:58.299 Well, again, let me thank you for coming and giving up Friday night to join with us. 00:05:58.959 --> 00:06:00.560 Why have we built this building? 00:06:02.000 --> 00:06:04.479 You could say, couldn't you, that everyone needs a home. 00:06:05.039 --> 00:06:07.979 That's something that's built into humanity. 00:06:08.439 --> 00:06:10.239 All human beings have that sense. 00:06:11.179 --> 00:06:14.959 We know, don't we, in the city that we live in, people long to get on the property market. 00:06:14.959 --> 00:06:15.680 Maybe that's you. 00:06:16.239 --> 00:06:18.359 And you think, well, churches need places. 00:06:19.459 --> 00:06:21.779 Churches need bases to work from. 00:06:22.259 --> 00:06:23.019 Like we need a home. 00:06:23.180 --> 00:06:24.879 And that would be right to a degree. 00:06:25.779 --> 00:06:28.259 But that isn't the reason why we've built this building. 00:06:29.099 --> 00:06:32.159 The reason we've built this building is because of who God is. 00:06:33.219 --> 00:06:38.859 Our story in this church is that there is a God who can be known. 00:06:38.860 --> 00:06:49.939 The message that we speak about Sunday by Sunday is that there is a God who's not distant, but he's made himself known through the Lord Jesus Christ, his son. 00:06:50.980 --> 00:07:00.560 And our story is that we are a very, very ordinary group of men and women and boys and girls who've come to know God through his son. 00:07:00.560 --> 00:07:04.459 We live in really confused days, don't we? 00:07:04.920 --> 00:07:07.160 Uncertain days, particularly this week. 00:07:08.019 --> 00:07:13.660 Days of fake news, broken promises, and uncertainty. 00:07:15.259 --> 00:07:22.199 But the Christian message, historic Christian message, is a message of hope and love and truth. 00:07:22.740 --> 00:07:24.019 It's not a fairy tale. 00:07:24.959 --> 00:07:26.840 The Christian message is one that can be investigated. 00:07:26.839 --> 00:07:29.519 It's truth that's stood the test of time. 00:07:30.539 --> 00:07:32.599 And it's truth that's changed our lives. 00:07:33.319 --> 00:07:37.519 And our hope and our desire is that you might come to know this message. 00:07:38.479 --> 00:07:41.319 The message of a God who's come to rescue. 00:07:42.459 --> 00:07:44.819 To rescue us from our rebellion against him. 00:07:45.579 --> 00:07:47.759 To deal with our selfishness. 00:07:48.419 --> 00:07:52.779 To deal with our living in his world without any reference to him. 00:07:53.620 --> 00:07:56.599 And the great promise of a God will one day remake the world. 00:07:57.439 --> 00:08:00.739 And that's the message that we are promising as a church to hold out to you. 00:08:00.819 --> 00:08:02.079 We want to welcome you. 00:08:02.599 --> 00:08:05.359 We want to welcome anyone and everyone. 00:08:06.079 --> 00:08:10.219 The message of Jesus Christ is for all types of people. 00:08:11.019 --> 00:08:12.939 From all types of places. 00:08:13.919 --> 00:08:15.339 In all types of situations. 00:08:16.639 --> 00:08:19.079 As a church family, we're not perfect. 00:08:20.039 --> 00:08:20.919 And we're far from that. 00:08:21.720 --> 00:08:24.080 In fact, we probably will annoy you with our parking. 00:08:24.199 --> 00:08:25.759 We're going to try our best not to. 00:08:26.960 --> 00:08:33.480 But what we're saying is we have found something in the message of the Bible that's changed our lives. 00:08:33.480 --> 00:08:38.899 I think secularism can lead to selfishness. 00:08:39.759 --> 00:08:44.100 You know that I have to decide what's right for me and what's wrong for me. 00:08:44.100 --> 00:08:48.100 And religion is so tribal, isn't it? 00:08:49.100 --> 00:08:50.360 We have the truth. 00:08:50.860 --> 00:08:52.180 You don't have the truth. 00:08:52.420 --> 00:08:55.100 And, well, we're in the right and everyone else is wrong. 00:08:55.920 --> 00:09:01.860 But what I want to say to you tonight is that if you will understand historic Christianity, it will show you a greater story. 00:09:02.960 --> 00:09:07.500 A truth that's even more important than your personal happiness. 00:09:07.500 --> 00:09:15.480 And so, I hope that what you'd find if you came to this church is we're living not just to fulfill our own personal needs. 00:09:16.419 --> 00:09:18.240 And we're not turned into a tribe. 00:09:18.799 --> 00:09:22.899 Which basically says, well, we're right in our little corner and everyone else is wrong. 00:09:23.200 --> 00:09:29.240 Historic Christianity must turn us outwards to love people and serve others. 00:09:29.240 --> 00:09:35.360 And it may well be tonight that you've never investigated it. 00:09:36.399 --> 00:09:42.799 I keep meeting people in London and it's never crossed their minds to consider Jesus Christ. 00:09:43.180 --> 00:09:44.100 They've never read the Bible. 00:09:45.039 --> 00:09:48.180 I spoke at Eton College on Tuesday night. 00:09:49.100 --> 00:09:55.580 And one of the very posh boys over dinner asked me where in the Bible he would find Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves. 00:09:55.580 --> 00:09:59.800 He'll probably be Prime Minister won't be in 20 years. 00:10:01.340 --> 00:10:07.460 But it struck me that even there, he'd never taken the time to explore Christianity. 00:10:08.920 --> 00:10:12.139 The very best thing that I can say to you tonight is come along. 00:10:12.940 --> 00:10:13.540 Sit in. 00:10:14.360 --> 00:10:14.600 Listen. 00:10:15.200 --> 00:10:15.720 Meet us. 00:10:16.139 --> 00:10:16.800 Ask us. 00:10:17.800 --> 00:10:20.259 See if what I've said tonight is for real. 00:10:20.259 --> 00:10:30.720 This building is like it is because we want the people of West Ealing and Ealing to know the truth that there is a God who is interested in you. 00:10:31.939 --> 00:10:34.620 And there is a God who's done something about it. 00:10:35.620 --> 00:10:41.740 And there is a God who has sent his son, the Lord Jesus Christ, into the world so that you might know him. 00:10:42.419 --> 00:10:43.960 Thank you again for coming. 00:10:44.340 --> 00:10:44.879 Please do. 00:10:44.879 --> 00:10:45.539 Come along. 00:10:45.539 --> 00:10:45.879 Thank you.