1. Prayers for our Friends – We appreciate all of our Friends of Sannox who support us in so many ways. We are praying for each of you by name through this difficult time. Please contact us if you would like us to pray for specific things by contacting Heidi, our administrator, at admin@sannox.org These will be kept confidential.
2. Bookings at Sannox – We are delighted to say that bookings from hosts and guests in September were excellent at 39 bed nights, equaling the past 4 year totals for September, in fact slightly better. However, we have only one booking for October. Can you please pray for more people to come, tell your friends and consider coming yourselves. Given the costs of keeping the centre open we need to increase the number of guests to around the same level as September. The current rules still allow us to have one booking for Dundarroch and one for the static caravan at any time. Each can be an individual, couple, household or extended household. The comprehensive cleaning and management regime is working well, ensuring the safety of our guests and staff. So please pray for more bookings. The procedure is:
1. Contact Heidi at admin@sannox.org to make a booking.
2. Bookings will be staggered to allow for deep cleaning.
3. Given the work and the extra costs involved, the bookings should be for a minimum of two nights but preferably 3 or more.
4. At the moment the church and Gatehouse will be closed to guests to maximise safety and minimise cleaning.
3. SCC Re-set – The Trustees/Directors are hoping to meet for a day of prayer on Saturday 10 October in the church at Sannox to finalise our governance and organisational plans. This seems to be possible under the current rules as it is a place of worship, but we are still discussing whether this is possible. If not, we will meet using Zoom. Please pray that we hear clearly from God.
4. October Zoom Prayer Gathering – We held our sixth Zoom virtual prayer gathering on the 7th September which was great. It is so good to see friends from so many areas and to share and pray together. Many people have said how valuable and inspiring these gathering are, especially the breakout small groups and the sharing of what God has been revealing afterwards. Our seventh Sannox Zoom Prayer Gathering is on Monday 5th October 2020 at 8 pm. As we did last month, we will circulate the Zoom link with instructions as a separate email to our Friends of Sannox, so watch out for that. Please join us. George will open the meeting at 7.45 so we can chat and welcome each other.
5. Restoration of the church and manse –
a. Restoration of the church and provision of the new kitchen and toilets – The restoration of the church is finished and looks amazing. John, our builder, has built the new oak doors between the church and vestibule and Emma has delivered the new cross made from the old stained glass which is hanging in the vestibule. The new kitchen and toilets, including a fully accessible toilet, are also finished, ready for use. Give thanks to God for supplying all our needs.
b. Music equipment and streaming – Last month we told you about the music/PA equipment Central church in Edinburgh has given us. Our IT/Comms team is working out what we need to enable us to live stream events from the church. This needs good broadband connectivity. We believe this is a core activity for the future. The ducting for the comms will be laid when we lay the accessible pathways to the church.
c. Work Party – We are planning a work party in October/early November to lay the paths from the front gate to Dundarroch and the church and to the emergency exit at the back of the church. This will enable full accessibility to all parts of the Centre. There is a lot of slabbing to be laid so if you can help please contact George at george@georgehazel.com.
d. Next phase – the Manse – Ruth and Geraldine, our fund raisers, are doing an amazing job and have identified a number of grant awarding bodies for the manse funding. The first applications have been sent and more are being prepared. We are preparing a general funding document that sets out the funding required for the manse, breaking down the costs, and explaining how we can secure the funding through a combination of grants and donations. We will be looking to distribute this widely. It is always an advantage, with respect to grant awarding bodies, to be able to show a level of donations from our supporters so we will be setting out in this document how you can help – eg one-off donations, funding for specific items, interest free loans, etc. We are also setting up a Give.net link through Stewardship to make it easier to donate. The manse is the last of the old buildings to be restored. When the manse is finished we will have fulfilled our promise to the planners and the community to restore all the existing listed buildings. After the manse it is all new build!
6. Finances – Monthly donations and guest donations – Thanks to all of you who are continuing to support us on a monthly basis during this difficult time. Our monthly regular giving has not declined which is so encouraging. However, as our guest income was zero for several months, we need to increase our bed nights and also our regular monthly giving. Pray for increased revenue from guests and increased monthly giving over the winter.
7. Events:
a. Midweek Retreat led by Roy Searle – Monday 23 November to Thursday 26 November 2020 – We are monitoring the situation closely to decide if we need to postpone the event again until 2021. We have not made a decision on this as yet and have a Plan B if it is not possible to hold the event as planned. We will make a decision very soon. The event is well subscribed and we have started a waiting list subject to the Covid-19 rules. If you want to attend then please do so by contacting Heidi on admin@sannox.org who will advise on the latest situation. The details of the retreat are given below:
i. Theme – “Celtic Treasures – Light from the past to inspire and illumine our lives today”
ii. Content – Roy Searle, of the Northumbria Community and an advisor to SCC, will explore the riches to be found in the stories of the Celtic Saints and their relevance to life and faith today. The retreat will run from mid-afternoon on Monday through to after lunch on Thursday. A monastic rhythm of prayer will frame each day with Daily Offices, teaching sessions and lots of time to relax, reflect and enjoy the beauty of the Isle of Arran and the Sannox Christian Centre.
iii. Accommodation – If you need accommodation, places are limited at the centre so book soon.
b. Opening of the Church and Open Day – It now looks like this will be held in 2021, possibly combined with an exhibition of the future developments.
We bless you, in the name of Jesus, to receive all that the Father has for you and thank you for your continuing support of His work at SCC. Be blessed and protected in all you do for the Kingdom, in the mighty and beautiful name of Jesus.
