THE wait is over for a Christchurch church as they have finally received the keys to the building that will become their new home.

GodFirst, which has been established in the town for more than 30 years, has acquired a site on Airfield Road, Somerford.

During that 30-year period the church has seen its membership grow and it now runs a second congregation in Highcliffe.

Duncan Lee, pastor of GodFirst, said: “Our 30-year search is over. Next, we start the task of refurbishing to get it up and running so that we can use it for the good of the community.”

For the last 10 years, GodFirst has hosted their Sunday meetings at The Regent Centre in Christchurch town centre, having previously met at Twynham school. However, GodFirst has now purchased their own building, providing a new home for their Christchurch congregation to meet together on Sundays and to facilitate a host of weekday activities, which will enable the whole church to serve the town even more effectively.

Plans for the new church building are to include a 500-seat auditorium, a fully-equipped café, a crèche, and meeting rooms with facilities for board meetings, conferences, training courses and the like.

As a church, GodFirst is passionate about serving the community and their vision is that the building will be a hub that serves the people of Christchurch and the surrounding area. There are also plans to create space for youth projects including a music studio and rehearsal space.

“Our aim is to create a vibrant and well-used community facility, a real hub for the town and for our church. I am looking forward to seeing it full of life and fun,” Mr Lee added.

With a vision to make GodFirst a real gathering place, the proposed scheme will be one of the largest meeting venues in the Christchurch area.

Members of GodFirst recently gathered together at the new building before work begins in order to celebrate the purchase of this new community space and to dedicate the building to God.

Jill Leary, a member of GodFirst, said: “After 32 and a half years of hiring numerous buildings around Christchurch, it’s good to have a place to call home. It’s very exciting to see all the possibilities this building will provide for the church and the local community.”

The renovations are due to be complete by early 2019.