On 4 November, Moorlands College welcomed Christian campaigner Baroness Caroline Cox to open the new Wessex Auditorium and Community Hub.
The building project saw the demolition of a ‘temporary’ dining hall and chapel built in the 1970s to make room for a Community Hub that has already revolutionised student life at the college. The Wessex Auditorium, which seats up to 300 people, is a focal point for student worship throughout the week, epitomised by the ten-foot tall steel cross standing to the north.
Christian enthusiasm
The Baroness is a passionate defender of human rights, who doesn’t only campaign in the House of Lords and throughout this country, but also spends considerable amounts of time in very dangerous locations. As she recalled stories of her time with some of the most oppressed people on the planet, she spoke of the need for Christians to live enthusiastic lives of justice and love in light of what Jesus has done for the world.
Debt free
Many of the guests were people who had generously given to help fund the £2.8 million needed for the first phase of the project: some had match-funded hundreds of thousands of pounds. The vision to open the buildings debt free has been achieved, and the college is trusting that God will provide the last £150,000 needed to upgrade facilities and build extensions to the offices for staffing needs as the college continues to grow.
The new buildings provide state of the art facilities that will serve the mission of the college for decades. Third Year BA (Hons) in Applied Theology student Stephen Fenwick said: ‘The new buildings have transformed life on campus for the better. God has blessed us with two incredible new buildings, and I’m so excited that I get full use them during my final year of studies.’
