Matthew attended a service and the official opening of the newly refurbished lobby of St Peter's Community Church on Stonegrove on Sunday. The lobby had been renovated with money awarded by the Church Urban Fund, a nation-wide Christian organisation which funds social projects in urban priority areas. The grant follows hot on the heels of another major grant of £90,000 to support the work of St Peter's Pioneering Minister by the Bishop of London's Mission Fund over the next 3 years. The new lobby are will allow the church to expand and enhance community provision during the long-awaited regeneration of the local area. The newly renovated area can be used as a drop in by community organisations while other parts of the building are in use. The grants show the church's continuing commitment to the Stonegrove Estates and solidarity with the people living in one of Barnet's most deprived areas in financially difficult times.
Speaking after the event Matthew said: ""This Sunday was the first day of Advent and the entrance of St Peter's Church is the advent for anyone who visits the church. It gave Claire and I great pleasure to attend our first service at St Peter's on a day that welcomed new beginnings for the Church's future.""
Noreen Dobbyn from the Stonegrove and Spur Road Community Group commented: “The church is more warm and welcoming with the lovely new lobby.” Representing the younger generation and the Stonegrove Estates' Youth Project, her daughter Deeana, who won a Barnet Homes youth leader's award in 2009, added: “The new lobby is a much nicer place to be in. It makes the church seem much more modern. I really prefer it.""