The Ark Church, Isleham

The Ark Project is one of the largest self-build projects in the East of England. Over the next two to three years, at Isleham on the East Cambridgeshire / West Suffolk border, a new ‘ship of the Fens’ will be rising from the land’s rich soil, a timber-framed 'Ark' providing a meeting place for all people, a focus for encountering God and a beacon of hope and support for those who need it. As far as we are aware no one has constructed a ‘green oak’ building of this size in living memory, which identifies this as a unique project. Our church community (High Street Church) currently meets in an ageing building in the centre of Isleham village; parking is limited and internal space restricts our activities. Our vision is not just to solve these problems, but to build a new church centre to accommodate future generations. Our current church building was constructed 200 years ago, providing facilities which met the needs then, but as society and requirements have changed and developed, our building is no longer able to meet all of our needs today. Our vision is to have a Christian centre which provides an attractive social meeting place, just like other community venues provide: a place where people want to be together.