Welcome Church

Some Welcome Church Updates – July 2025

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Summer is on the way and schools will be finishing soon for the holidays. 2025 is certainly flying by fast (it’s now just 24 weeks until Christmas 🎄)

Here are a few Welcome Church updates and prayer requests to keep you up to date with all that’s going on:

Farewell to Jonathan and Sabrina

On Monday, we waved a final goodbye to Jonathan and Sabrina.

They’ve been with us for around 18 months as Leadership Trainees — a great way to start their married life together. Jonathan is from India and Sabrina from the USA, so we always knew their time with us would eventually come to an end. We will miss them in the church offices, and I know their warmth, friendship, and contribution to our church will be missed by many.

Tony and Sally waved them off at Heathrow on Monday morning, and Vinu messaged me on Tuesday to let me know they’d arrived safely back in Mumbai.

Origin Books Returns This Sunday

Origin Books set up shop with us one Sunday back in June, and it was so popular they will be back this Sunday (13th July). They’re usually based at Christ Church Woking, next to Jubilee Cafe, but their shop premises are temporarily closed whilst Christ Church carry out some building work.

I hope lots of us will be able to make use of this excellent resource once again this week. If you have any special requests for books or resources you’d like them to bring, feel free to message me or reply to this blog — I’ll pass your request along.

We’re Recruiting: Community Grocery Manager

We’re excited to be recruiting A Community Grocery Manager — a key role for the future of Welcome Church as we launch a brand-new initiative to serve our community with dignity, compassion, and practical support.

Here’s a link to the Information Pack where you’ll find all you need to know about the role, who we are looking for and how to apply. 

The deadline for applications has been slightly extended to Monday 14th July

Staff Team Updates

Just a quick reminder that Dub will be back from Sabbatical on August 1st, and Stephen – our new pastoral lead – will start on September 1st. These additions will be a real help to the team.

I’m also delighted to share that Tracy Smith is now officially on board as our Safeguarding Manager. She’s been fulfilling this crucial role in a voluntary capacity for a while, but will now be working for us 3 days a week, leading the team that look after safeguarding for adults and children at Welcome Church.

Don’t forget that if you ever have any safeguarding concerns you can email us on safeguarding@welcomechurch.uk. You can also view our safeguarding policy and handbook via this link.

Big Weekend Away

Finally, a reminder that our Welcome Church Big Weekend Away takes place over the August Bank Holiday weekend – click here for details of how to book. It’s a fully catered event and will be a lot of fun for us all.

Most of the tickets are now gone but a few places are still available. The final booking deadline is Friday 25th July. We may open up bookings for day tickets soon – watch this space for updates. Don’t forget: it’s first come, first served, so please don’t leave it too late and miss out!

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We Have A Hero In Our Midst!

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It’s not every day that you find out you have a hero in your midst, but Bryan Cross, who’s been a part of our church for many years, might just tick the box… and he’s received a special award!

Bryan has been honoured by no less than King Charles himself – he’s been awarded the British Empire Medal in the 2025 King’s Birthday Honours list. 

I struggled to find photos of Bryan 😎

Bryan was recognised for 40 years of dedicated service to the community of Surrey.

Bryan served as Mayor of Woking in 2007–08 and was a local councillor for 17 years. His impact goes beyond the political realm though. He’s been a governor at two local schools (Sythwood and Woking High), a volunteer with organisations like Woking Foodbank, Citizens Advice, and many more, including our church’s Welcome Works initiatives, the things we do to serve those in need in our own community and beyond.

Bryan is a great example of someone putting their Christian faith into action, and he’s a reminder of how much someone can do to help shape a town through a life of quiet, consistent care and service, motivated by their faith in Jesus.

Make sure you say a big “WELL DONE” to him when you see him.

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Introducing… Stephen and Emma Dawson

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A while ago we began the search for a new ‘Pastoral Care Lead’ for Welcome Church, and I’m delighted to announce that we’ve filled the position… and then some!

We had a lot of interest, but in the end one person stood out from the others: Stephen Dawson.

Stephen has spent the last 17 years on staff at Emmanuel Church Brighton, who are part of our wider Newfrontiers family of churches. In his time at Emmanuel Church he’s led youth and kids work, planted and led different sites (they are a multi-site church), and has been part of their church eldership team. He also led the whole church for a season during a leadership transition.

Stephen is passionate about pastoral care, building authentic community, and equipping people to grow in their faith and calling. Until recently, he was part of the Newday Festival team, leading the 12-14’s age group for several years. Apparently he’s also a fan of motorcycles, honest conversation, and a good plate of chicken wings.

Emma is also going to be a huge blessing to our church – she has so many gifts of her own to contribute and I know we’ll be delighted to have her here. Among other things, Emma loves creating a home where people feel truly welcome and supported. She’s supported many mums through early parenting, and has been running groups, writing, and blogging at One Pink Toothbrush. She also helps run a family landscaping business, and is known for her colourful shoes, bold earrings, and generous heart.

Stephen and Emma have both lived in Brighton for 25 years. They got married 22 years ago and have six children: one got married last year, another is getting married soon, and a third is about to embark on a year elsewhere, so only three of the six children will be coming with them to Woking initially.

Stephen and Emma are a genuinely lovely couple, and I know they’ll bring us a lot of warmth and faith. They carry a deep love for people and have chosen to live missionally, in a council estate community in Brighton, impacting many lives there and elsewhere. They’re now very excited to be part of what God is doing here at Welcome Church as we move into the future.

What’s next?

Stephen and Emma, plus three kids, will be joining us for the Welcome Church Big Weekend Away at the end of August (do book in if you haven’t already). Stephen’s also going to be preaching for us on Sunday 27th July as part of our Romans series – don’t miss it!

Stephen will join our staff team from the start of September. He comes with a lot of skill and experience suited to a large, growing church, and his role here will be a lot more than just pastoral care. He’ll be leading the Pastoral Care Team, but he’ll also be picking up Life Groups, mid-week church life, and almost certainly the oversight of Welcome Kids and Welcome Youth at the right moment too – and maybe a whole lot more. We’ve decided on the job title of ‘Associate Pastor’ – for now – we may change that at some point down the line.

In the meantime they have a house for sale in Brighton and are looking to buy one here in Woking. Please pray this all moves forward quickly, and also that the relocation goes smoothly, and they find all the school places they need for September. And please pray for the whole family at this time of huge change and transition for them all.

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Creation Groans – And So Do We

/ Steve Petch / 2 Comments

Last Sunday, we looked together at the rich and deeply challenging words of Romans 8 (if you missed it you can click here to watch or listen). My focus was on suffering, and the amazing hope we have as children of God, but as I studied the passage I was struck again by something else woven through Paul’s words: creation itself is caught up in this great drama of redemption.

Paul writes that “creation was subjected to frustration…in hope that it will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.” (Romans 8:20–21).

Creation is groaning. Waiting. Longing. Just like us.

Romans 8 includes a powerful reminder that the gospel is not only about our personal salvation; God’s plan is to redeem all things. He made the world and called it very good (Genesis 1:31). Psalm 104 is a beautiful song of praise that lingers over the wonder and detail of God’s handiwork in nature. And yet, because of human sin, creation too has been broken, frustrated, and subjected to decay.

We see this brokenness all around us – in news of droughts, floods, pollution, species loss, or even just in the exhaustion of land and sea. And sadly, the people who suffer most from environmental damage are often the poorest and most vulnerable.

This isn’t just a political or scientific issue; it’s a gospel one. This is about loving what God loves, caring for our neighbour, and longing for the full redemption of all things.

This is really a worship issue.

So what can we do as a church?

One simple step is to pray! Here are a few ideas you could use personally or in your Life Group:

  • Praise God for His amazing creation – maybe take a moment to read Psalm 104 and thank Him
  • Pray for those most vulnerable to environmental damage, especially in parts of the world where many in our church family have their roots
  • If you sponsor a child through Compassion UK or another charity, pray for their country. For example, in Togo where I know many of us sponsor children, climate-related issues regularly disrupt lives. Here’s a link with specific information about the positive impact we’re having as a church by partnering with Compassion – please do check it out
  • Pray for governments and leaders making key decisions about the environment – for wisdom, courage, and justice. This includes policies here in the UK, as well as global agreements like the UN Biodiversity Convention (supported by The World Evangelical Alliance and also by Tearfund)
  • Thank God that one day, creation itself will be set free and made new; it means that we live in hope of the future restoration and renewal of all things

An Eco Church

As a church, we’re taking some small but deliberate steps to live this out too. Thanks to the hard work of Helen and others, we’ve already received a Bronze Eco Church Award—and we’re now well on the way towards Silver. If you’d like to be part of this or just want to learn bit more, please do get in touch with Helen directly.

Romans 8 reminds us that creation groans, but it also reminds us that this groaning is not the end of the story. One day, the whole world will be renewed. It will be liberated into the glory of God’s coming kingdom. Until then, we wait, we pray, and we care – for creation, for one another, and for the world around us.

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Welcome Church Kids Weekend Away – Update

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At the beginning of May, children from School Years 4, 5 and 6 gathered at Walton Firs for our annual Welcome Kids Weekend Away.

Harriet wrote an encouraging update for us:

“The weekend away is always a wonderful occasion, where children spend time getting to know each other, getting to know the leaders and, most importantly, getting to know God. All the children left on Sunday very tired, but excited to share with their families the wonderful time they’d had.

“This year our learning focused on Psalm 23, and the characteristics of God. Inspired by these words, the children were encouraged to write their own Psalms which not only moved the leaders but also encouraged other children. Many of these Psalms were shared during our worship time which was truly wonderful.

“As well as our meetings, we also had a time each morning where we would gather as a group and delve into God’s Word. Our ‘Start the Day with Jesus’ session is one way we try to encourage our children to learn about spending time with God, equipping them for their own walk with Jesus.

Activities

“At Walton Firs, we are incredibly lucky to have a wide range of activities that the children can take part in. This year, we saw them climbing high ropes, stacking crates, completing obstacle courses (blindfolded!) and for the first time ever competing against each other to build structures that can withstand the weight of their team. On our first evening, we had a campfire, sang songs and toasted marshmallows. On our second evening the children danced the night away at our silent disco.

“As always, the children behaved brilliantly, and fully immersed themselves in all the different activities on offer. One of the best things for me was seeing them fully engaging in worship and coming up to share their own prayers.

It Takes a Team

“The Kids Weekend Away wouldn’t happen without an amazing team of servers who volunteer their time and encourage the children in developing friendships, sleeping away from home, pushing themselves in activities, and worshipping God & reading His Word. As a church we’re blessed to have such a wonderful group of servers who give up their time for this annual weekend. (And by the way, if you’d like to get involved in serving Welcome Kids, do let us know!)

“Finally, a huge thank you to all the parents and carers who brought delicious cakes for us to share across the weekend—these are definitely a highlight, not just for the children but for the leaders as well!“

A Big Thank You

On behalf of the whole Welcome Church team I want to say THANK YOU to everyone who put in their time and effort to make the event happen. What a blessing to have this event available for our kids.

I’ve added some photos of the event to give you a feel for what went on:

Save the date

Our Kids Weekend Away happens every year, so if your child will be in School Years 4, 5 or 6 in September 2025, make sure you save the date. Next year’s dates are: 22nd–24th May 2026. Booking details will be available nearer the time.

Feel Like You Missed Out?

If you feel like you missed out, or just wish you were young enough (or old enough) to go yourself, don’t forget that our Welcome Church Big Weekend Away takes place in August this year, at Braggers Wood in the New Forest, and that’s an event for all ages. All the details you need for booking can be found by clicking here. We still have a few places left, but don’t leave it too late to book!

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Big Weekend Away: discount ticket deals finish this evening!!

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Our Welcome Church Big Weekend Away takes place on the Bank Holiday weekend in August – Friday 22nd to Monday 25th August 2025. You really won’t want to miss it!

Your last chance to book at a special discounted price is midnight tonight!

The weekend away will take place at Braggers Wood Camp Site in the New Forest. We have the whole place to ourselves and we’ll have a lot of fun. 

You’ll get to enjoy connecting with others from Welcome Church over delicious meals – all included in the price – along with fun activities, day trips, or simply relaxing in our massive marquee.

We will also be seeking God together as a church family, enjoying times of worship and teaching, and looking at what it means to belong to His family.

We’d love to see you there; there is something for everyone!

So far we’ve been offering tickets at a special price: a 25% discount has been available on all bookings made before 1st May. Most of the tickets have now gone, but we still have a few available, so don’t miss out. To book your place please use this link.

Don’t forget – any booking made after today, Wednesday 30th April, will be at full price (although full price is still a really good price for what you’ll get… 🙂)

I look forward to seeing you there!

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A Sabbatical Break for Dub, and Some Encouraging News For Us All

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Some Encouragement

I hope you enjoyed our Easter Sunday services at Welcome Church. If so, you may be interested to know that it was the highest Sunday morning we’ve ever seen as a church, with 1355 people in attendance across the two meetings. We’ve only seen greater numbers than this at our Carol Services, where we have four services, that run into the afternoon and evening too.

Of course, we’re not concerned about numbers for numbers sake, but because each number is a person – and we care a lot about people meeting Jesus.

Here’s an even bigger encouragement though: this week I’ve been hearing that many churches, some from our Commission family and some from elsewhere, are also seeing lots of growth and have had their highest ever Sunday numbers too.

It seems that God is up to something in the UK but it’s happening further afield too. One church we know in Mongolia recently baptised four people, including the local Shaman who has now come to faith in Jesus. He publicly repented of leading people astray and is now wanting to tell everyone about Jesus instead.

I’ll post some links below that I’ve seen in the news this week for your encouragement – do check them out. In order they are an article from The Telegraph, an article from Premier Christianity, an Instagram post from Pete Gregg of 24/7 Prayer, a short YouTube interview that Justin Brierley (who lives in Woking) did for The Spectator, and lastly an article from The Independent.

I could have easily added another ten links on the same topic, from most of the major news outlets. It does seem that something is happening!

Dub’s Sabbatical

I’m sure we would all agree that Dub, our Outreach Pastor, is a huge gift to our church. We’re so thankful for his heart, his energy, his faithfulness, and for all he brings to our community.

This year marks Dub’s tenth year of full-time ministry with us, and as part of investing in his long-term health and calling, we’re giving him a three-month sabbatical—from the start of May to the end of July.

A sabbatical is a time of extended rest and spiritual refreshment, and it’s essential for sustaining the journey of pastoral ministry. During this time, Dub will be fully unplugged: no emails, no phone calls, no WhatsApp, and no church responsibilities. He and Tanya won’t be worshipping with us on Sundays either—they’re stepping back completely in order to rest deeply.

Dub has already been working hard to make sure that everything he leads is covered while he’s away. As a church, we want to honour this time by fully supporting that boundary. One of the best ways we can bless the whole family is by giving them space to rest well—and by holding them in prayer throughout this important season.

We love Dub and Tanya, and we’re excited for all that God has in store for them—and for us—over the next ten years.

“Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”
— Mark 6:31

“Acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord… Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:12–13

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For Your Prayers – April 2025

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Hello Welcome Church!

Here are a few key things we would love you to be praying for this month. They are all key to the life of our church:

Go 9

We’ve talked several times about our Go 9 initiative, so I won’t repeat the details here – if you don’t know what Go 9 is, or are looking for more information please click here.

The deadline for people to let us know they’ll be moving to the 9am service is Easter Sunday, 20th April. Remember: this is all about our mission to Woking, and about making room for future growth

Please be praying for God to speak to people clearly about this move, maybe even to yourself!

Pastoral Lead Job

As you’ll be aware, we’re recruiting a new Pastoral Lead for Welcome Church – if you missed the information click here for details.

The deadline for applications was last Friday, and we’re now in a process of working through to the next stage. We’ll share more information when we’re ready to do that, but please be reassured that the process is ongoing.

Please be praying for wisdom and for God’s guidance for all who are involved in the process, and for all who have applied – we want to find God’s person for this role.

Church Gate

Our Church Gate project (click here for information) is continuing to move forward, and over the last two weeks a number of contractors have been on site as part of preparing their quotes for the work to be done. These quotes will be coming in over the month ahead.

Please be praying that we get some great quotes, and for wisdom to pick the best possible contractor so that the work is done well and delivered on/ahead of time and on/under budget.

Community Grocery Grants

The grant team are continuing to apply for various grants to help fund the Community Grocery set up, and also some to help with the ongoing running costs. There is a lot of excellent work being done by this team.

Please be praying for successful applications, and for the release of lots of finance.

Guest Speaker

This Sunday Natalie Williams, who leads Jubilee+, will be preaching for us. Jubilee+ is a UK-based Christian charity, dedicated to equipping churches to effectively support and transform the lives of those experiencing poverty in their local community. They provide resources and training to empower churches to integrate mercy, justice and community renewal into their outreach plans.

Natalie is a gifted speaker and author, and we’re blessed to have her with us – especially as we work towards the launch of our Community Grocery in the autumn.

Please be praying for a great meeting on Sunday and for God to speak to us powerfully as a church and as individuals, laying in a great foundation for the future of all we do.

Easter Services

We have two big moments over the Easter weekend:

Good Friday, 6pm to 7.30pm: We’ll have an evening of extended worship, with a short talk, and we’ll also take communion together. Kids are welcome, though please be aware that there won’t be any separate groups for them, so we’ll be worshipping together as families.

Easter Sunday, 9am and 11am: Easter is one of those great moments in the year: it’s joyful, meaningful, and accessible, and it’s a brilliant time to invite someone to church. I want to encourage you to think especially about people who perhaps used to be part of church life and have drifted away, although this is definitely an invitation suitable for everyone.

This coming week is a natural moment to extend that invitation – gently, thoughtfully – and we’ve got invitation cards available to help with that, if you’d like them – you can pick them up on Sunday.

Please be praying for many guests to join us on Easter Sunday and for God’s wisdom about who YOU could invite. Please also pray that the presence of God is all over everything we do.

Please Pray For All Of These Things!

We believe in a God who answers prayer, so please bring these requests before God. And lastly, here’s a quick reminder that we’ll be gathering in person to pray on Sunday 11th May at Welcome Church from 6pm to 7pm – please put that in your diary now.

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Mother’s Day Plans at Welcome Church

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We’re looking forward to a big Sunday this weekend at Welcome Church. It’s Mother’s Day, and we’re going to be giving thanks for LOTS of new babies who’ve been born into our church over the last year or so.

Baby Thanksgiving

A baby thanksgiving, sometimes referred to as a dedication, is a great opportunity for us to give thanks to God. It’s not a Christening or a baptism, but it is an act of worship to God, as parents make promises before God, and we as a church stand with them and pray for them. It also follows the example of Jesus, who was presented to God as an infant at the Temple.

On the day we’ll also ‘lay hands’ on these children as we pray for them and bless them in the name of Jesus, using some very well known words from Numbers 6v24-26:

“May the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord turn his face towards you and give you peace.”

According to Hebrews 11v20-21, blessing someone is something we can do by faith, so we really can and should expect God to hear us, and to bring great blessings into the lives of these children and their families. Let’s go for this in faith together!

At our 9am meeting we currently have 10 babies lined up to be prayed for, including one set of twins, and at our 11am meeting we have 14 babies ready to be prayed for. It’s not too late to join them if you didn’t realise this was going on, or if you just forgot to sign up. Do get in touch with the church office and let us know.

Marking Mother’s Day

In addition to praying for the babies and their families, we’ll also be marking Mother’s Day with special refreshments: there will be pancakes available for all on arrival, in addition to our usual coffee, tea and pastries.

We’ll also be giving a chocolate gift to every woman who is with is on the day – young or old, whether you’re a mum or not –  because you all bring so much to our church family!

Below is a photo of a painting that Sabrina did to mark the occasion for us this year; you’ll be able to view the original on Sunday.

Invitations

This Sunday could also be a great opportunity for you to invite someone to church. Why not invite mum, grandma or great grandma if they are still with you? If you have grown up kids, why not invite them? If none these apply to you, invite a friend anyway.

We’ll have a great meeting with excellent free refreshments, lively worship, a poignant video and a clear message about Jesus, to accompany giving thanks to God for all the new life He has given us. And you could even go out for lunch together afterwards.

I look forward to seeing you at the weekend

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Church Gate – latest updates and prayer requests

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Our plans for Church Gate are continuing to move forward. In case anyone is unsure, Church Gate is the three storey office block next door to our current site. We’ve bought it and are in process of redeveloping it for use as a Social Action Hub with a Community Grocery on the ground floor, and also to serve our Children’s and Youth work each week too.

This week an inspection of the roof was carried out, so I took the opportunity to take a closer look myself – courtesy of the cherry picker. Well… why not?

For clarity, I don’t know much about roofing but I enjoyed the ride despite an innate fear of heights. I also took note of how much higher the cherry picker at the Hilton Hotel behind me was – I don’t think that’s a job for me!

Progress Update

In terms of a progress update, things continue to move forward on track:

  • Various building surveys have been carried out (such as the one on the roof)
  • Some grant applications have been submitted. Benefact Trust came back very quickly with a grant of £80,000, and we are now waiting to hear back from some others, including our biggest application which is to Your Fund Surrey
  • The floor layouts have been finalised
  • The architects drawings are in
  • Planning Permission for a new entrance has been submitted, and we expect to hear back during April (we are not expecting this to be a problem)
  • A thorough refurbishment of the lift has been commissioned
  • Various other quotes are coming in
  • The main part of the project is going out to tender next week, with quotes expected during April, and building work expected to begin over the summer for completion during the autumn
  • The Grocery team are in process of finalising an agreement with The Message Trust who we will be working with for the grocery
  • Outstanding Gift Day pledges continue to be fulfilled, alongside a few extra gifts too – so a big thank you for that. By the way, it’s still not too late to give to this amazing project!

In summary, things are moving ahead well and I’m looking forward to seeing the hoardings go up and the building work begin.

Prayer requests

Please be praying about this project as it goes ahead. Here are some specific prayer requests:

  • For a simple ‘YES’ to our planning application. As I said above, we’re not expecting any issues, but let’s not be complacent
  • For the release of significant grant funding, especially from Your Fund Surrey
  • For good quotes for the work to be done, with prices we are happy to pay
  • For wisdom as we pick the best main contractor to work with
  • For a great relationship to be formed with The Message Trust
  • For the whole Grocery Team – especially Helen who will be leading a lot of this through in the months ahead
  • For God to release all the finance we need to do this well
  • For no unexpected surprises – talking of which…

What about the state of the roof?

We knew there were a couple of leaks from the roof when we bought the building, and this week was the moment the situation was assessed properly. The outcome was not as positive as our best hopes, but nowhere near as bad as it could have been either.

In summary, repairs are needed to the flashing around the gutters, and some of the metal panels you can see from below need to be replaced or overlaid too. It’s a bit more work than we’d hoped for, but not outside our range of expectations, and with what we’d seen inside it could have been a whole lot worse.

We can’t call this an unexpected surprise, since we knew this was a real possibility from the start, but please be praying that there are no unexpected extras across the rest of the project as the work goes forward.

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