Kilhorne Church is reopened and rededicated
The parishioners of Annalong have celebrated the reopening and rededication of Kilhorne Church after a four-year long refurbishment programme. Major work had to be carried out following the discovery of extensive structural damage caused by dry rot and damp.
On Saturday 14 February Bishop David joined the rector, Revd Bryan Martin, parishioners and invited guests for the ribbon cutting and handover before a short service in the church. Bishop David returned on Sunday 15 to rededicate the building.
Mrs Shirley Crutchley, a longstanding parishioner and Diocesan Reader Emeritus, was given the honour of cutting the ribbon as Bishop David and Revd Bryan Martin looked on. Praise and thanksgiving marked the occasion as those gathered reflected on the goodness of God, the beautifully renewed building and the large team of people who executed the project to the highest standards with faith, tenacity and vision.
The main contractor, Mr Mel Campbell, was singled out for his exemplary work, along with the Select Vestry, the fundraising and catering teams and many more. Presentations were also made to Revd Geoff Hamilton who oversaw the start of the project and the current rector, Revd Bryan, who saw it to its conclusion.
The newly refurbished church is now warm and welcoming, with improved access for people of all abilities. It is a restored place of worship for this generation and for generations to come.
Revd Bryan Martin said:
“We are profoundly grateful to God for His kindness toward Kilhorne Parish Church - for His guiding hand throughout this project, for all who have worked and volunteered, and for all who have prayed and given so generously.
“At the beginning of this project over four years ago, the Select Vestry chose Philippians 4:19 as a word of encouragement: 'And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.'
“We have seen the truth of these words again and again over the past four years. As we return to our church building, we do so with eager expectation that the Lord will continue His work of gathering a people around His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. This building exists to share the good news of Jesus, and we pray that many will join us in that work.”
A story of God's faithfulness
The project began following a quinquennial (five-yearly) inspection of Kilhorne Parish Church by the diocesan architect in 2018. The inspection revealed dry rot and penetrating damp in one area of the building. Further exploratory work by members of the Building Committee found that the dry rot was extensive in timber battens on the walls, wall plates, floorboards, and floor joists. The damp had also caused rust on steel supports, and sections of the walls were found to be in a dangerous condition.
Like much work during 2019–2020, progress was delayed by Covid. However, after an assessment by conservation architect Des Cairns in 2021, the former rector, Revd Geoff Hamilton, together with the Select Vestry, made the decision to undertake a full refurbishment of the church building, with the congregation moving out of the church building at the end of January 2022 and meeting in the church halls during the work.
With the guidance of the Building Committee and Select Vestry, Mel Campbell was appointed as the main contractor and led the project through several stages. Alongside this, decisions were also made to refurbish the church facilities to ensure the building was accessible to all.
“As you can imagine, for a small church family, a project costing over one million pounds has been a significant burden to carry,” says Bryan. “Yet through the generous provision of our parishioners and wider community, we are steadily working to meet this cost. Many in the Mourne area will know our Festive Fry Nights at Christmas, along with fundraising events such as our Christmas Tree Festival. We have also received grant funding and support through a loan from Community Fund Ireland.
“We anticipate that as we re-enter the church building, we will have a remaining debt of approximately £200,000. If anyone would like to help us, please feel free to contact me at: bryan.martin@btinternet.com.
Work completed
Stage 1: Stripping internal walls, removing and replacing flooring, treating and removing dry rot, and removing external pointing.
Stage 2: Full refurbishment of the church tower.
Stage 3: Building up sills with clay brick, addressing cold breaks and damp-proof courses around windows, rebuilding and pointing exterior stonework, and lime injection into voids.
Stage 4: Electrical and audio first fix, external plastering, internal plastering, installation of insulation boards, and plaster finishing.
Stage 5: Installation of French drains, joinery, electrical and audio second fix, internal painting, and fitting of pews, chairs, and floor coverings.
