The purchase of an historic church building in Lancaster in recent months provided Moorlands Church with the opportunity for more gospel growth.
Thirteen years ago, Moorlands Church Lancaster had a fresh start. Originally founded as a Brethren Assembly in 1940, the congregation had dwindled to the point of closure when it was revitalised by a team of people moving into the area, including the church’s first full-time pastor, Danny Rurlander. The church resolved to prioritise the proclamation of the Word of God in the city, trusting Paul’s words in Colossians that it is the gospel which brings the growth.
God has been at work to bring that growth. Having outgrown their small church building, the church moved first to a local grammar school and then to the Sixth Form Centre where it currently meets. Around 240 people gather in two Sunday morning meetings, including many families, students from the two Lancaster campuses, and folk from overseas. By God’s grace the church has seen many people come to faith, be established in the gospel, and equipped to minister and serve.
Sending out
In particular they have been privileged to see people sent out from Lancaster to serve in other churches both in the local region and further afield. The church has recently begun a pioneering work establishing international students and researchers as ‘returnee partners’, particularly in mainland China, so that those who return can find Christian friends who will help them integrate into local churches. Also, as student worker Gareth Watts said, the changing student population of the city provides many challenges and opportunities: ‘Lancaster is a small city, and many graduating students have to leave to find work.
It’s been a joy over the years to see some stay and become long-term members! But most go – and so we want to give the students every opportunity to hear and believe the gospel, be grounded in the truths of the faith, and equipped to be a fruitful servant of Jesus wherever they end up next.’
Building for growth
Now Moorlands has taken the costly step of purchasing the former High Street Congregational Church in the centre of the city. There are many reasons for buying the buildings – more space on Sunday mornings, a central base for ministries, and more security in a time when renting public spaces is becoming increasingly difficult for Christians. But for senior pastor Danny Rurlander the real excitement is imagining the opportunities for gospel growth at the new site. ‘The key reason we are investing in a building is to expand our capacity, so that a greater number of lost people can hear the gospel and be brought to maturity in Christ through the teaching of his Word. Having facilities available all week will help us to grow every aspect of the work, including teaching, training, evangelism, church planting and raising up the next generation of gospel workers for the mission field.’
Opportunities and challenges
The High Street site consists of a 400-seater church building (built in 1772), a church centre with hall and office spaces, and a three-bedroom house. There is much potential in these buildings to create a hub for gospel proclamation, teaching and training which will serve the city and beyond, enabling the church’s vision to see many saved, equipped and sent out to serve.
But there is much to do. In order to purchase the building, the church family members have been incredibly sacrificial with their finances, raising over half a million pounds (including the sale of the current small church office). But to fully make the most of the new site, the buildings need renovating and modernising, and the church is working with an architect to design the best possible redevelopment of the site to create a warm, welcoming and accessible space for people to hear and respond to the Word of God.
