St John’s Stoke has an amazing story, proclaiming Jesus in every generation over hundreds of years and playing its part in shaping Guildford for centuries. We have fabulous buildings for mission and ministry which previous generations have passed on to us today. It’s now time for us to look to the future to bring some much-needed repairs and updates, as well as developing our facilities for future mission and ministry.
The mission statement and vision of SJS is to enable ‘life in all its fullness’ (John 10:10). We live this out in our three marks of mission: Love for God, Love for Each Other and Love for Our Community. All our activities, plans and ambitions are measured against this vision.

The Next Chapter is our church development project, which aspires to make our buildings fit for purpose for the next chapter of God’s work in this place. The team, fully supported by our whole congregation, PCC and leadership team, have been progressing this exciting project.

We want SJS to be a place of warmth and welcome, full of activities that serve God and bring Him glory. Everyone who experiences our church should clearly be able to see our love for God, each other, and our community.

We would love to invite you on this amazing journey into the next Chapter of God’s history at St John’s Stoke, looking ahead to the next fifty years and beyond, renewing, developing and enlarging our church and centre buildings for the future.
Whilst scoping the project we translated our marks of mission to our buildings to ensure they enable our mission. This was used as a guide to inform our requirements going forward.

Buildings that enable love for God

Where there are no physical barriers to worship and facilities are designed to enable and enhance a variety of different worship styles.

Buildings that enable love for each other

Where suitable space is provided for the congregation and staff to grow in faith and carry out the mission of the church.

Buildings that enable love for our community

Where there is warm, accessible, comfortable and welcoming space for the benefit of the community.
We have broken down this project into 4 phases to allow us to prioritise urgent maintenance and repairs and other priority requirements that cannot wait until later phases. The phases increase in size, complexity and cost throughout the project, while increasingly empowering our marks of mission.

Phase 1: Progressing Sustainability

Where we reduce the environmental impact of our church building and make it more welcoming, accessible, safer and warmer.
Timescale: July 2023 – July 2024 
Fundraising goal: £100,000
Mark of mission: Love for God

Phase 2: Enabling Outreach

Where we enable our staff and Stoke Community Support mission with space and facilities and make the building more visible and accessible.
Timescale: July 2024 – July 2026 
Fundraising goal: £200,000
Mark of mission: Love for Our Community

Phase 3: Enhancing Worship

Where there are no physical barriers to worship and facilities are designed to enable and enhance a variety of different worship styles and configurations.
Timescale: July 2026 – July 2030 
Fundraising goal: £700,000
Marks of mission: Love for God & Love for Each Other

Phase 4: Serving our Community

Where there is welcoming, warm, accessible and comfortable space to serve and benefit our community and mission to them.
Timescale: July 2030 onwards
Marks of mission: Love for God, Each Other & Our Community
Where we reduce the environmental impact of our church building and make it more welcoming, accessible, safer and warmer.

Phase 1 is already well under way and will run from July 2023– July 2024. We need to raise around £100,000.

Reduce our church energy usage for heating by 50% and make our building warmer, environmentally & financially sustainable

  • By replacing our heating system with a reliable, more efficient, hydrogen-ready system, with smart controls
  • By installing destratification fans to reduce heat loss through the roof and recirculate warm air
  • By draught-proofing doors and installing an air curtain

Improve our accessibility, welcome and enhance our heritage

  • By replacing internal tower wooden doors with glass doors to let light into the church and provide a more accessible and welcoming entry, breaking down barriers for those not used to entering a church
  • By installing a pathway and replacing the Stoughton Chapel door for step-free access and bringing further light into the space
  • By preserving our stained glass windows with secondary glazing

Improve the safety, security and user experience of our building

  • By installing a fire detection & alarm system and rectification works to fire doors
  • By installing outside lighting to cover access areas not currently lit
  • Addition of a new fire escape and loading in / out access from the Stoughton Chapel, more secure door, and direct entry to this area for meetings, prayer and worship
  • By replacing doors between the church and centre with fire doors, which are better insulated for retaining heat and minimising noise
  • By installing acoustic noise reduction panels in our hall to assist with troublesome acoustics

Provide better workspaces for staff to enable collaborative working

  • By adapting our vestry into extra office space for our growing staff team with new lighting, desking, redecoration, and making this space energy efficient, secure and enabling external access
  • By adapting the bell ringing chamber into a dual-use space, fit for small meetings for the staff and congregation. There will also be improved lighting, secondary glazing, energy efficient and safe heating, redecoration and necessary metal replacement & electrical work
“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13:35
GUILDFORD, UK. 15TH MAY 2022: Members of the 1st Guildford Boys and Girls Brigade perform a Guard of Honour for incoming Mayor of Guildford Dennis Booth during a Civic Service at Holy Trinity Church, Guildford, Surrey, UK. Photo by Tim Clarke/1st Guildford Boys and Girls Brigade.
Where we enable our staff and Stoke Community Support mission with space and facilities and make the building more visible and accessible. 

Phase 2 is scheduled from July 2024 – July 2026 and our fundraising target is £200,000.

Provide better workspaces for staff to enable collaborative working and our community outreach mission

  • By doubling the size of the current staff office to allow the team to work from a central base in the church centre
  • By creating a base for Stoke Community Support for storage, equipment and a preparation area to continue providing meals to the community

Improve our accessibility, welcome and enhance our heritage

  • By installing an additional path from the rear of the church through the graveyard to the tower entrance
  • By installing architectural lighting to make our building and signage more visible in the community and highlight the architecture and heritage

Improve the safety, security and user experience of our building

  • By installing low-level path lighting around the premises for higher quality visibility and illumination
  • By installing removable gates on the entry points from Stoke Road for the safety of children and young people when undertaking activities outdoors
  • By upgrading internet lines to fibre increase network capacity for staff, congregation and visitors and enhance streaming capability

Make our buildings more environmentally and financially sustainable

  • Upgrading our mains power supply to:
    • Enable the installation of renewable forms of heating in later phases
    • Enable installation of a solar panel array for sustainable generation of electricity
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind.”
Luke 10:27
Where there are no physical barriers to worship and facilities are designed to enable and enhance a variety of different worship styles and configurations. 

Phase 3 is scheduled from July 2026 – July 2030 and we need to raise around £700,000. It includes re-ordering the church space and many projects within it, aiming to meet the 2030 net zero target.

Enhance the space for worship

  • By creating separate spaces for worship and prayer in the Stoughton Chapel (permanent) & cross area (semi-permanent with movable partition)
  • By removing the pulpit and moving the font in front of the Stoughton Chapel to maximise space and flexibility
  • By replacing the audio-visual system, upgrading the quality and capability to stream. Replacing the projector with new screens, revealing the altar window
  • By installing a new sound system for improved audibility and supporting network infrastructure
  • By replacing our organ with a modern electric equivalent, saving space, increasing flexibility and increasing the sound quality
  • By repurposing the bell ringing room as a recording room for our worship team without impeding bell ringers

Enhance the heritage of the building

  • By installing feature lighting to highlight the altar, architecture and arches
  • By removing the organ pipes and wooden panelling and glazing in the Stoughton Chapel to bring light into this area and make it an independent space
  • By redecorating the building, including repainting and re-flooring
  • By upgrading the acoustics in the building and appropriate treatment and selection of flooring and glazing to complement the new sound system

Make our buildings more environmentally and financially sustainable

  • By installing solar panels on the church roof with a storage array to generate energy and store it for when we need it
  • By installing a renewable heating system with separate heating zones throughout the church, with smart controls
  • By installing secondary glazing to all windows to minimise heat loss and increase security
  • By installing energy efficient LED lighting, dimmable in zones, with controls throughout the church

Improve the safety and security of the building

  • By re-wiring aging electrics and providing further capacity where required
  • By installing secondary glazing to all windows
  • By moving the audio-visual control desk and associated equipment into the bell ringing chamber for security and to increase seating space

Improve the accessibility of the space

  • By raising the chancel floor to the height of the Stoughton Chapel and installing an accessibility lift to this level behind the pulpit pillar
  • By creating a semi-circular chancel to increase visibility and sight lines
  • By creating a semi-circular chair layout, which will increase the seating capacity by 10% and remove restricted view seating. Replacing chairs with comfortable, lightweight modern seats that can be linked and stacked easily
“Share with the Lord’s people who
are in need. Practice hospitality.”
Romans 12:13
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Where there is welcoming, warm, accessible and comfortable space to serve and benefit our community and mission to them. 

Phase 4 is scheduled from 2030 onwards.

Enable our community outreach mission

  • By providing a second floor for the church centre incorporating two large meeting rooms, kitchenette and accessible toilets to serve them
  • By enlarging the kitchen, providing external access, doors and serving hatches to all areas and incorporating Stoke Community Support’s needs

Improve the user experience of our building

  • By enhancing the natural light into the building through skylights and bi-fold doors at the front, encouraging use of the outside space
  • By doubling the toilet provision throughout the centre to cover the three areas; hall, centre and upstairs
  • By providing further storage space in the roof above the hall
  • Re-purposing the SCS base room into office storage

Improve the welcome and accessibility of our building

  • By the addition of a covered walkway around the centre, to offer shelter from the elements
  • By providing step-free access to all areas of the building and additional accessible toilets
  • Reducing the bulk of the centre with a flat roof and reduced porch, increasing visibility of the historic building

Make our buildings more environmentally and financially sustainable

  • By installing a renewable and efficient source of heating
  • By replacing glazing and doors with more secure and energy efficient units

Prayer

Can you pray for The Next Chapter Project?
The project is all about the future growth of St John’s Stoke Church, for greater opportunities to change lives - making a difference in this and the next generation.

Can you join our prayer support group?
We need your help with ongoing prayer to seek God for the future mission, ministry and growth of our church.

Time & Skills

Can you support the project with your time and skills?
We need help in researching grants, communicating with funders, and writing applications.

Can you hold a sponsored event or run some fundraising for the project?
We need your help to reach our fundraising goals for each phase of the project.

Finances

Can you make a pledge towards the cost of the whole project?
We need pledges to enable match funding of grants to become available.

Can you give a regular monthly, or one-off donation, towards the project?
We need your help to reach our fundraising goals for each phase of the project.

Donate

Church bank account details:
For monthly or one-off donations
Sort Code: 40-52-40
Account: 00014522
Please mark your gift ‘Next Chapter’

All donations, however large or small, are very gratefully received and will help towards achieving the Next Chapter project completion at St John’s Stoke.

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