A NEW dawn is ready to break at a Darwen church as construction of its new building nears completion.
Central United Reformed Church on Duckworth Street has been completely rebuilt over the past few years after a mammoth fund-raising effort.
The Rev Geoff Tolley, who has been there for 15 years, said: "All the groups that use the church have contributed to the cause. It has been fantastic.
In 1989, Central United Reformed Church was a large building that dominated all around it. However, there were many problems with the structure and a lot of money would have had to have been spent on it just to bring it up to scratch.
But it was a grade two listed building and not a lot could be done.
It was decided to demolish the church and start again, and permission was granted in 1995.
It was then the fund-raising started.
Mr Tolley said construction was on course to finish in early April. The church will be a self-contained unit with its own car park.
The worship area will sit about 120 people with the church hall, already in use, able to fit a similar number.
There will also be a memorial garden in which the ashes of people that are cremated can be scattered.
A stained glass window has been bought by the First Darwen Scout Group.
A number of other windows have been bought by some of the 400 people who use the church. Work on the gardens starts today.
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