Street Mission Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Street Mission Church |
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Street Mission Church
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Church of England |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Active |
| Year consecrated | 1990 |
| Location | |
| Location | Street, Somerset, England |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Norman Cant |
| Architectural type | Church |
Street Mission Church is a Church of England church located in Street, Somerset, England. It was built in 1990. Before that, a temporary iron church, called a tin tabernacle, stood on the same spot since 1898.
A New Church for Street
The Mission Church in Street was first built as a smaller church. It helped the main parish church, Holy Trinity, serve the growing number of people in the town. In the 1890s, people started raising money for a new, bigger church.
Rev. H. L. Somers-Cocks, a church leader, created a plan for a new church and a house for the rector (the main priest). A committee was set up to raise about £6,000. They bought a piece of land for £650 for both buildings. In 1897, work began on the rector's house. The Bishop of Adelaide, John Harmer, laid its foundation stone on August 7. The house was finished the next year and cost about £1,800.
The Temporary Iron Church
Even though the rector's house was built, there wasn't enough money for the new church. So, the rector asked for a temporary iron church. This type of church was often called a "tin tabernacle." The church leaders agreed to buy an iron church for up to £300. It was then rented to the Street parish for a small yearly fee.
The iron church was put up where the permanent church was planned to be. The Bishop of Bath and Wells, George Kennion, officially opened it on February 5, 1898. By this time, about £1,800 had been raised for the church. Most of this money, £1,100, came from people in the local parish. However, another £700 was still needed to pay for the land, the rector's house, and the iron church. In June 1898, a local newspaper, the Wells Journal, said the iron church was "already supplied a very urgent and pressing need."
Building the Permanent Church
The iron church served the community for most of the 20th century because there weren't enough funds to build the permanent church. By the 1980s, the iron church was getting old and needed major repairs. People started a new fundraising effort to replace it with a strong, permanent building. This campaign, called "Mission Possible," successfully raised an extra £100,000.
Norman Cant drew up the plans for the new church. Permission to build was given in 1987. The very last service in the old iron church was held on December 31, 1989.
The foundation stone for the new £300,000 church was laid on March 29, 1990. The Bishop of Bath and Wells, George Carey, did the honors. Most of the money for the new church had been raised by then. This included £105,000 from selling some old mission rooms and land, £80,000 from gifts left in wills, £60,000 in donations, and £25,000 from the church diocese. The old mission rooms were turned into two apartments, and two new homes were built on the land that was sold.
The new Street Mission Church was officially opened on November 7, 1990. The Bishop of Taunton, Nigel McCulloch, led the dedication ceremony. The church was built using a local stone called Blue Lias. It even includes the bell tower from the old iron church. Some of the old church's furniture and the organ were also moved into the new building. The church can hold up to 250 people.
