Expanding the borders…

Dear Friends, We are experiencing some exciting times at South Chard Church and we want to let you know about what has been happening and help you to share in our excitement!

We feel the Lord is speaking to us very strongly as a church over several issues and as we want to be sure that we hear Him clearly, we are currently in the middle of 21 days of prayer and fasting.  We started on the fast on 4^th September.  Not only are members of the church uniting in this discipline, but we have had members of the body of Christ from all over the world join us.

We know that not everyone is able to go without food entirely and some are just restricting themselves to just one meal a day and using the time they would normally spend eating and preparing food to be in prayer. We’d like to say well done to everyone who is fasting in some form or other and encourage everyone to continue.  No matter how extensive or not your fast may be God will certainly bless you.

We have noticed that our prayer meetings (held every Monday evening) have taken on a new perspective since the fasting began and we feel that by going without food people are beginning to hunger for God! We have been very blessed by comments such as on our website www.southchard.org from Glyn: “In 1971 South Chard and the Manor House became my very first loving home… Aunt Mill was truly my mother. She could see through your heart. The Lord first spoke to me (audibly) in South Chard. Uncle Sid was a firm but wise and loving father. I consider it a privilege to join you in your 21 day fasting and praying as did South Chard Church all those years ago at the beginning of the revival at South Chard.”

The reason that Glyn talks about the Manor House is one of the main reasons for our desire to hear God very strongly.

The Manor House Fund

Uniting past and present, we are taking a step of faith to reclaim the South Chard Manor House in order to establish a Christian Retreat Centre for the Body of Christ.

In 1953, Uncle Sid and Aunty Mill Purse moved into the Manor House at South Chard. Having made a commitment to God they founded a church in the Manor House itself, packing more than 100 people into their small living room – converting it into a chapel style meeting room. The church soon outgrew the Manor House, compelling Uncle Sid to convert the coach house into a dedicated meeting space.

South Chard Church experienced a great revival and people from all over the world came to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  For many years the Manor House has been a source of great blessing to the body of Christ around the world.  Literally thousands of people have stayed in the many bedrooms over the years, receiving love, help and restoration through the ministry of the Holy Spirit and the unrivalled hospitality of Aunty Mill.

Uncle Sid and Aunty Mill sold the Manor House in order to send the proceeds of the sale to the mission field. A Christ-centred agreement was made with spiritual son and daughter Vince and Pauline Matherick, but the time has now come for Vince and Pauline to sell the Manor House and we believe God is calling us to return the house to its original purpose – serving the Body of Christ across the world – by establishing it as a Christian Retreat Centre where God’s people can find healing and restoration through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  We truly feel that the Manor House, playing such an essential role in the early days, must remain a part of South Chard Church and that now is the time to see the church building and the Manor House reunited, enabling us to firmly secure together our heritage with our long term future.  We strongly believe that many more thousands of people can be touched and lives transformed as a result.

The Manor House has been independently valued at £375,000. We have yet to agree a figure with the Mathericks, although we are sure an agreement can be reached for less than the independent valuation. Firstly, we are asking all our friends to stand with us in prayer, asking God to release the funds we need to complete His commission. Secondly, we are asking all our friends and those who have received from the ministry of the church over the years to consider making a financial contribution to the restoration of the Manor House to South Chard Church and its service in the Body of Christ.  Please prayerfully consider how you may be able to help. You can make a donation here…