A CHURCH group finally has a home of its own after 37 years of using other venues thanks to a remarkable donation drive and a whole lot of praying.
Around 160 people packed out Chelmsford Community Church in Trent Road on Sunday (June 29) to sing and praise in jubilation.
The congregation has previously flitted between school halls, a theatre and other churches to hold services.
Only two months ago, the dilapidated building was at threat of being converted to houses, before Chelmsford City Council officers had a change of heart.
"This is another quantum leap," said pastor Peter Balls.
"It's fantastic, and the number of people who have come in saying how happy they are it's being used by the community thinking it would be houses, is just fantastic.
"The relationship already with the neighbours is really good."
Peter, who joined the church about 15 years ago, said they could not afford the building when it became available in March.
But one Sunday that month he appealed to the congregation for funding and was met with a "phenomenal" response.
"Four years ago we were on the verge of closing down. We didn't have enough money in the bank to keep it going," said the father-of-two.
"We would wake up at night with our hearts thumping and we just had to pray and pray.
"I asked for pledges one Sunday and that week funds would go up and up. It was something like £90,000 in a week
"The United Reformed Church in New London Road gave us £500 because they just like what we're doing and we got two to three thousand pounds from people we've never met.
"It made your hairs stick up on the back of your arm."
The church bought the site for about £200,000, spending another £50,000 in refurbishing it between May and June this year.
They now hope to offer midweek coffee mornings and start a choir later this year.
Member of 34 years Jan Hewett, who found out about the church via the Chronicle, said having a permanent home was "absolutely fantastic".
"The church has survived this long because the church is about people, it's not about whether we're in a building," said the 57-year-old mother-of-two from Sixth Avenue.
The Mayor of Chelmsford Bob Villa, who attended the service, said: "I'm very impressed and I'm very pleased for them. I only heard today that it came on the market in February and here we are in June, they have funded it all themselves without going over budget and secured a big loan and decorated it in three months.
"What an achievement."
