Church converts to Islam (From Echo)

Church converts to Islam

6:00pm Thursday 31st July 2008 in News By Michelle Archard

THE FIRST stage of the transformation of a former church into a mosque is almost complete.

The historic Chelmsford Avenue United Reformed Church, in Southend, was sold to the Essex Jamme Masjid Trust for £850,000 in November.

With further investment and a major refurbishment project it is to be turned into a mosque minarets.

Phase one will finish this week and a special opening ceremony of the hall will be held on Friday.

The main structure of the 107-year-old building will remain much the same, as will the exterior of the old church hall and a house converted to four flats next door.

The church was put up for sale when dwindling congregations led to the merger of four United Reformed churches, creating the Eastern Southend United Reformed Church organisation, based at the main site in Bournemouth Park Road.

The church held its last service in February 2006. Later that year the church property section submitted a planning application for it to be converted into a three-storey block of 14 flats.

After the plan was refused by Southend Council it was put on the market. It was bought by the Muslim association to meet the demands of a growing Muslim population in the borough.

The group is currently based at Milton Road, in Westcliff, but has outgrown the premises, while the former church offers the larger building it needs.

Chairman Mohammed Shamsuddin said: “We are lucky. We feel it is God given. This place which nobody wanted was available and we hadn’t found anywhere else big enough. It is perfect for us.

“We are very happy, overjoyed this is going to be our main mosque. We will stay here for many years to come.”

After two decades at Milton Road we couldn’t accommodate everybody. We have about 250 members come to Friday prayers. At this building we can have slightly more, up to 300, and do more work.”

The church needs a lot of work and the group want to put in a second floor where the women will pray, while the men will use the ground floor.

It also needs to make some alterations to add washing facilities, used by Muslims before they enter a mosque to pray.

Work on the main building has not started as the group is awaiting planning permission for the changes.

The old church hall refurbishment to provide a community hall is the first stage which ready for this week’s opening.

The hall will be used for prayers with separate facilities and rooms for men and women, until the main mosque is ready.

It will also be used for community activities and religious classes for children. The flats are providing a source of income as they are rented out. They will also be used as part of the communtiy facilities or for flats.

The trust, which was established in 1986, has spent £100,000 on the work so far, and the total bill for the development including the purchase price is expected to be around £1.5million.

Mr Shamsuddin said: “Much of the work has been done by our members who are working for free.

“They have learned the trade and given their time.

“It is also funded by our members they give donations of what they like and we have charity collections.”

He added: “It is a lovely building and much of the structure is staying the same. It’s a beautiful front elevation and will stay that way.

“We are lucky to have nice neighbours in a nice community. They have been welcoming and say they are pleased to know the building is being used again after being empty. It’s a good cause.

“People say it’s good we are keeping it as a religious building.”

It is hoped once planning permission is granted work on the main mosque would be complete in three months.