Building to Gather, Grow, and Go

 

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Our Vision: A Strategic Centre Church in Post-Christian Europe
Lausanne is one of the most international, and influential, cities in post-Christian Europe. Its surrounding region is home to dozens of international organisations and thousands of expatriates, students, immigrants and refugees. Its business schools are world-renowned and its universities growing in prestige, spawning multiple science and technology based start-ups. It is truly a global thoroughfare. The number of English-speakers in the region has grown massively in the last 50 years, and English is the common language for thousands more.

The vision of Westlake Church Lausanne is to take the gospel to this region. As we do, we can make an impact for Christ, not only locally, but around the world - in the domains of science, technology, sport, business and the personal lives of those who come here.
Five hundred years ago, this area of Switzerland was crucial in the progress of the Reformation. Forty nine years ago, the Lausanne Movement began here – a world-wide movement of Evangelicals that provided impetus for Spirit-empowered mission that helped spur the global spread of the gospel. Following in their footsteps, we have a unique opportunity before us to reach people from all around the world with the gospel in English.

We believe that the Lord wants us to seize this opportunity and become a strong centre church: a church centred on the gospel of Christ and large enough to support teaching, training and church planting throughout our region and beyond.


The Challenge:
To fully realize this vision we need our own building: one that can provide a platform for gospel ministry to flourish in this area.

A building that can facilitate outreach to and teaching and training of university students, businesspeople, young professionals and refugees, so that as they return to their home countries the gospel continues to spread through them.

A building that can become a centre for outreach to the community, supporting and multiplying ministries to all ages.

A building that will enable us to host seminars and conferences, using our links to the wider Christian world, and thus bring first-class gospel-centred ministry to this region.

A building that can enable further numerical growth, so that we can achieve the vision of a strong, vibrant, centre church, that can itself support further church planting in this area and beyond.

This vision is currently constrained by the limitations and uncertainties of our current meeting places. The premises that we rent do not permit us to grow in a sustained way, and we have been unable to find any alternative premises to rent that can accommodate us.


An Exciting Possibility:
Through the generosity of our members, alumni, and a local Christian foundation, we have the potential to purchase space sufficient for our present and future needs in an incredible location. It will be part of a new development situated between the existing university campus and a new campus for the Haute école for medical and allied professions. The development will include residential accommodation, shops, businesses and restaurants. It will be in close proximity to the public transport system and the auto-route.

If we can realise this project, we will be strategically located for outreach into the very communities we are called to reach. The prospect of a vibrant, gospel-centered church in the middle of campus, business, and residential life is a great one!

However, we are still short of the target we need to reach to make this a possibility.

Would you consider partnering with us - through your prayers and giving? Jesus said, ‘The fields are ready for harvest.’ That is most certainly the case in this corner of Europe. But we need your help in the harvest.
If you would be willing to join us in this effort, we would be delighted to make direct contact with you to share with you more details about the building and to let you know practically how you can participate. 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Tom Rizzo, John Pollard or Martin Slack.

The bank details for the dedicated account are: 

IBAN: CH94 00767 000A 5404 7166 

Holder: WESTLAKE CHURCH LAUSANNE
Address: Rue du Centre 72, 1025 St Sulpice