A CHURCH in Ropley is set to reopen, eight years after a devastating fire.
St Peter's Church will have a weekend of events to celebrate the reopening.
On August 26, at 6.30pm, there will be an opening ceremony followed by a drinks party.
On August 27, there will be an open day with children's activities, cake and tea. An opening church service will be held on August 28, at 10.30pm.
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On bank holiday Monday, August 29, the church will be open with refreshments available. An all age service will be held on September 4, at 4pm.
A spokesman said: “Eight years ago, our beautiful church was devastated by fire. Now, thanks to the generosity and hard work of so many people, it is about to reopen.
“Many of you will remember the horrific sight of St. Peter’s burning. I hope you’ll now take up the invitation to come and see it reborn.
“John Alexander has designed a remarkable building, and our contractors Reside Construction and many talented artisans have made that vision a reality; preserving everything possible of the old and enhancing the building to create a space that can be used by generations to come.
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“The people of Ropley and our supporters from near and far have been determined to put the church back in to the heart of the village. Together they have created a place where all our welcome, where young and old alike can flourish and where, over the August bank holiday weekend we will be gathering to celebrate this remarkable achievement.
“We are still fundraising to complete and furnish the project, please see our website stpetersropley.org for further information and click the donate button to support us with a gift.”
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