It was in 1998 that Father God began to speak about the restoration of St Thomas Church. The building had been derelict for over 10 years and was left broken, vandalised and shattered, with talk of turning it into flats. On several occasions people had tried to buy the building with hope of development but God had His plan.
During the year of 1998, Father God began to put a vision into the hearts of Pastor Sam and Cilla of restoring it for the glory of God. In March 1999, they wrote to the Archbishop of York…
Many obstacles came and went and in December of 2003 Pastor Sam received the keys to the property. One of the first things to be restored at the church was the war memorial cross, situated at the north side of the church. This was done as a mark of honour to our Lord Jesus Christ and also as a reminder of the life of sacrifice that he calls us to.
Much work was needed to restore St Thomas’: from under the floor, to ceiling and roof; from electric, water and gas to grounds and guttering; from pointing, painting and scraping to plumbing, fixing and fitting. Many people contributed to the work that took place, much of it mundane, but after four years the building was opened. We held a dedication ceremony to mark the event in January 2008.