Pilgrim Hall
Thank you for all your kind, overwhelming support and generosity thus far in helping us to raise funds for the purchase of the Pilgrim Hall and its already strong Christian ministry.
Through a combination of donations and loans we have sufficient funds to have been able to take the next step.
We are pleased to announce that on the 31st March 2012, after several months of planning, the ownership of Pilgrim Hall has been transferred to CWR.
We thank God for His goodness – and for the goodness of His people!
CWR is thankful to God for the opportunity to take ownership of Pilgrim Hall, and to all its supporters who have already enabled the ongoing development of Pilgrim Hall’s rich heritage as a place of spiritual rest, inspiration, encouragement and growth.
With phase 1 completed, and whilst Pilgrim Hall will continue as a major centre of Christian teaching and retreat, our next step is to raise sufficient funds to be able to commence much-needed renovations and improvements and to appoint tutors to spearhead the development of our professionally accredited courses.
The vision
The hope of CWR's founders, Selwyn Hughes and Trevor Partridge, was to establish a place providing higher education for key influencers in society, both nationally and internationally – lawyers and politicians, educators, health professionals, those in the media, captains of industry etc – equipping them to be godly influences in their workplaces.
A major milestone was achieved when CWR opened Waverley Abbey House – a grade II* listed property in Farnham, Surrey. Waverley training combines biblical insight and practical application energised by a vision to equip Christians of conviction and character to help change the face of contemporary society.
Approximately 6,000 people now benefit annually from the wide range of courses and events delivered at Waverley Abbey House.
Another milestone
CWR reached another milestone in 2010 when its BA (Hons) in Counselling received full university validation. The strong uptake of this course made the need for increased space urgent. High student numbers would mean that Waverley Abbey House would be full to capacity by the end of 2012.
Developing the Waverley site involves protracted negotiations over planning permissions, building regulations etc, due largely to the historical importance of the site.
Whilst continuing to explore development options at Waverley, however, an unexpected opportunity has arisen – The purchase of Pilgrim Hall in East Sussex, which includes bed space for 110 and conferencing and teaching facilities, set in 12 acres of land.
Being equipped with a lift, ramps and ground-floor accommodation, Pilgrim Hall also offers easy access for those with disabilities, which would also be difficult to achieve at Waverley.
The potential
2012 marks the 25th year of ministry at Waverley Abbey House, a year in which – God willing, and with your help – Waverley will become a pivotal hub from which Christian campuses can be established in this country and beyond, very much as ancient Waverley Abbey did centuries ago.
The purchase of Pilgrim Hall solves CWR's pressing need for more space, and provides additional facilities to develop new university-accredited programmes whilst we continue our existing ministry. Thus Pilgrim Hall's rich Christian heritage has not been lost to the Christian community but will be strengthened as a part of the wider CWR ministry.
The foundation stone of ‘New Whyly’ was laid in 1901 and its owners, the Campbell-Johnstone family, believed from its inception that it was to be a ‘Holy House’; each morning everyone was assembled in the dining room for prayers and Bible reading. It was 1969 when it was renamed Pilgrim Hall by the Vince family and in the November of that year it took its very first booking for a church house party.
Together we can make it happen!
Are you someone who would like to invest in the Church, the nation and this generation, to help establish and equip godly men and women of conviction and character who can help shape contemporary society?
In order now to refurbish and refit the accommodation facilities, and to employ tutorial staff, initially focusing on teacher education and training, we need a further £1.5 million.
As God harnesses Waverley Abbey House and Pilgrim Hall to create a place for supporting and educating a generation of nation changers, God's living water of revival and refreshing can flow out to a dry and thirsty world.
We hope you will be able to stand with us so that collectively we can reach out to the Church, the nation and the world, and together we will all be able to be part of God doing 'immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine …'
Your contribution can be as much or as little as you feel appropriate and can afford. We have already been overwhelmed by the generosity of our supporters but this next stage does require additional funding beyond the initial purchase. As an example, we would need 2,500 gifts of £100, 1,000 gifts of £250, 500 gifts of £500, 250 of £1,000, 125 of £2,000 and 25 of £10,000 to reach our target!
I will join with others and prayerfully support this phase of the work of CWR and Pilgrim Hall.
3 Easy Ways to Give
You can give online (below), call 01252 784700 with your credit/debit card or post a cheque, along with your details, to: CWR, Waverley Abbey House, Waverley Lane, Farnham, Surrey GU9 8EP, UK.
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