As a prelude to our Golden Jubilee year in 2007, in addition to the need for replacement of furnishings and fittings now some 25 years old, 2006 was the year of interior redecoration and refurbishment at St Marks.

A programme of works was put in place starting at the beginning of the year with a thorough review of the layout of the body of the church. One of the main aims that emerged early on was a need for open space. Some choir stalls, no longer used, had already disappeared and the decision to take away the remainder and the fronts to the first row of pews soon made a big difference at the front of the church.

The pews at the back also were reduced in number each side with two rows going completely, the next row being halved and a further row reduced by a quarter. The font could then be positioned at the entrance to the nave immediately inside the door. This gave the congregation space at the back of the church both as a gathering area around the font and as a reminder, when entering the building, that it is through baptism that we enter the membership of the Church of Christ.

Meanwhile an experiment with the altar dais was tried which extended the area to the back wall to give the Rector and servers more room in which to manoeuvre, particularly at the Eucharist. Also the rails around the dais were altered to make them less of a visual and psychological barrier. The heavy shields were taken from the uprights leaving only the slim metal posts and the centre section of handrail was cut out so that no obstruction remained between the altar and the main body of the church.

Then in the middle of July the main replacement works were carried out. For two weeks the church was closed and all services were held in the hall as they had been for the first 19 years. All the pews were taken out and set aside, a scaffold tower was erected and the walls and ceilings were repainted. The old original carpet was taken up and replaced with one of the same make, but of a different colour, with a dirt barrier carpet in the entrance porch At the same time the altar dais was permanently built to its new dimensions. Also a new sound and loop system was installed. And lastly the pews were rebolted into their new, slightly widened, positions.

The last job for the year was carried out during one week in November when the old light fittings were removed and six new Fata Morgana lights, which included separately operated up-lighters, were installed. Professional advice had been taken in the selection of these and the result was a very much improved light intensity with controls to allow selection of several different combinations.

So the picture of the inside of the church at present on the web site now represents "Before" and very soon this will be replaced with "After"! But better still, come and see for yourself. The church is always open in daytime, but come when others are there and you will, as always at St Marks, be made very welcome indeed.

And now to finish the job, we need a more substantial font and a sedilia set of new chairs for the Rector and the servers at the front. But these must wait until funds can be raised or, better still, donations received to present the finished picture for our Jubilee Celebration weekend on the 28th and 29th April.