Run for your Lifehouse!

Way before Christianity became a tradition, before it was associated with buildings, budgets, and missions, even before it was associated with such things as crusades, colonisation, and televangelism, it was a radical nonviolent movement promoting a way of life that enlivened people and brought a new kind of hope to the margins of society. Before Christianity was an institution it was a movement, before it was a movement it was a dream, before it was a dream it was a Word.

During Advent we are reminded of our own movement toward Christmas, our travelling toward the Word of God, who is Jesus Christ, God incarnate. God in the flesh. And in Advent we are reminded that in the greater story of humanity we keep moving toward that time when he will come again. Christianity has always been the ‘Way’, the road on which we travel, and therefore it is a movement to see the world differently, and not just to dream that things could be different but to live as though they can be different, and will be different. 

Many of you will have heard that the Truro Lifehouse, a project to radically redevelop the community facilities at All Saints Highertown, has received support and funding through Cornwall Council’s Langarth Investment Fund. This support means we can now press on with the work to redevelop the facilities so we can open in early 2021. As you can imagine the team behind the project is thrilled. It has been 3 years in the making and has involved many people. Residents of Highertown, Malabar, Threemilestone, Gloweth and Truro have been involved, many community support groups and organisations such as Truro Foodbank, Cornwall Childrens Clothes Bank, Alcoholics Anonymous, Acts 435, and Truro Memory Café have all helped with the design work. It has also seen support from students at Exeter University Business School and the Design and Architecture students at Falmouth University. 

The vision for the building is to support the existing and growing communities around us, to support people who live beyond Highertown, right out to the new residents moving in to Langarth. And more specifically, to have a building that attends to the needs of the most vulnerable people in our communities by offering a space to meet. Whether it be for a cuppa in the community café, care in the changing places facilities, a moment of quiet in the sensory garden space or through the welcome people receive from a purposefully designed dementia friendly environment, we hope those that find life most difficult will feel truly welcomed. 

Along with the funding from Cornwall Council we have also secured funding from the Church Commissioners to appoint a new Children and Families Leader, a new Youth Leader, and a Social Justice Missioner who will all work hard to extend the benefits of the new facility to our neighbouring communities such as Threemilestone and Truro. The team at the Truro Lifehouse will be keen to work with the local schools, other churches and other community facilities like Threemilestone Community Centre to help reach the people we all care about. 

For those that aren’t aware All Saints Highertown is the parish church for Malabar, Copperfields, Bissoe, Baldhu, Gloweth, Threemilestone, Greenbottom and Langarth. And therefore, we expect to support and serve the people of these communities. 

The Truro Lifehouse has never just been about the building it has always been about people and life, hence its name. Before it was a building, it was a design, before it was design it was a collection of ideas, before it was an idea it was a movement; a movement to reach the people who are too often forgotten and unheard. Have a look for yourself www.trurolifehouse.uk and let us know what you think. We would love to hear from you. 

Along with the Truro Lifehouse, Threemilestone Primary School are also set to receive funding to help establish a new hall facility, which is fantastic news for everyone connected with the school. And because of the passionate commitment to her community, Cllr Tudor has also secured further support for the development of community infrastructure for the village centre of Threemilestone. This has been the result of a great deal of hard work on her part and will ensure Threemilestone continues to get support through the Langarth Master Planning process. 

Lastly, we are still fundraising for the Lifehouse Project. In June 2020 we will be running the Coast to Coast Half Marathon. Why not join our team and run for your Lifehouse! We need runners who are willing to help raise £100 each, so get in touch. 
May you all have a blessed and joy-filled Christmas season, and may you know blessing of Jesus, who came to bring life, life in all its fullness. 

Revd Jeremy Putnam.