Annual Report 200912 bigger impact on the ambience of the homes as the level of frailty on admission rises, which increases the costs of running our homes and reduces the length of time we can serve these older brothers and sisters in Christ before they are called Home to Glory. The decline in the housing market has had a serious impact on sales of the leasehold flats at Royd Court, the scheme at Mirfield in Yorkshire. Following professional advice, we have reduced the price of the unsold flats by 15%. The impact of the unsold flats is not just felt in Yorkshire; the Society continues to look to opportunities to build elsewhere but the position at Royd Court means that we are not yet in a financial position where we can consider building another scheme. " Holding fast" might mean just that for the Society at the moment. That will no doubt be disappointing for some, but then, we would no more want to be ahead of our Lord's timing than behind it. He speaks to us through His divine providence within the Society just as He does to individual Christians in the circumstances of their own lives. We remember the exhortation of our Saviour in Luke 14 to count the cost of building a tower because everyone who sees an unfinished tower will mock the builder. Yet we have not forgotten the amazing goodness of God who encouraged us to commence the Royd Court project and then blessed us with an amazing amount of gifts, especially large legacies, as it proceeded. For it is that dependence upon God to supply all our needs which encourages us to hold fast through the very challenging economic and spiritual times which currently exist in this country. He has done so for over 200 years and our predecessors have witnessed that through world wars and the most serious recessions. Yes, the day by day finances in 2008 were not as good as the exceptional year we experienced in 2007. But God has maintained the work through

www. pilgrimhomes. org. uk 13 another year without loss and with the significant inflow of assets from the Dorothea Trust. But our trust is not in those finances. It is in our Sovereign God who says to His people that He " will render to every man according to his deeds … glory, honour, and peace, to every man that works good" and " them that honour me I will honour." Unto Him be all the glory. "… but glory, honour and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." Romans 2: 10 ( NKJV)