It was a bright afternoon in Swindon when Giles Arnold, Chief Executive of Church Growth Trust (CGT), stepped out of Pinehurst Gospel Hall after a meeting with the building’s trustees. As he paused outside, a local woman pushing a shopping trolley approached him with a concerned look.
“So, what are you doing with the place then?” she asked. “I hope it is not going to be sold or knocked down. That would be a great shame.”
Giles smiled, reassured by her care for the building. He explained that the trustees had chosen to gift the property to Church Growth Trust precisely because they shared the same desire to see the hall continue to serve the community as a place of worship and hope. Church Growth Trust’s mission is to preserve such buildings for Gospel use and they were already seeking a church to carry that vision forward.
The woman nodded thoughtfully then added, “Well, I hope it is not going to be boring and all religious. It would be good if it was like that Penhill Gospel Hall. The church there has transformed the place and is doing a great job.”
Giles could only smile again. She did not know it but CGT had also been entrusted with Penhill Gospel Hall and had worked closely with Penhill Community Church to breathe new life into the building. Now the same story was unfolding in Pinehurst. The trustees of Pinehurst Gospel Hall have now officially transferred the building to Church Growth Trust and a new church called Shine Pinehurst has been granted a tenancy.
Shine Pinehurst had already been using the space for youth work and were thrilled to have a permanent home for their ministry on the estate. CGT even arranged for the main meeting room to be redecorated ready for this new season of ministry.
This development comes at a time when the Penhill Estate, just a short distance away, has been in the spotlight. A recent BBC News article highlighted some of the challenges faced by the community there, including youth violence and social deprivation. The article featured David Childs-Clarke, Pastor of Penhill Community Church, who shared his hopes for the area and his desire to see transformation through faith and community engagement. You can read the full article here: BBC News – Penhill Estate
Martin Robins, one of the trustees of the Gospel Hall and also a trustee of Penhill Gospel Hall, shared his thoughts, “We were delighted to hand over the property to Church Growth Trust. They have a real passion for keeping these buildings in Gospel use and were already connecting with churches in Swindon. They handled the legal and building matters efficiently and supported the new church as they took on the property. It made perfect sense to ask Church Growth Trust to help again.”
For CGT this work is always more than just property management. It is about preserving places of worship as beacons of hope in their communities. Giles Arnold added, “This is our heart to ensure that buildings like this are not lost for the Kingdom and that they continue to be beacons of hope in their community. We are praying for Shine Pinehurst to truly shine for Jesus in Pinehurst and that the building will be given a new lease of life.”
As Shine Pinehurst begins this new chapter we celebrate with them and look forward to seeing how God will use this space to bless the community in the years to come.
