买堂建堂

Future Metro-South Church address: 383 Old Post Road, Sharon, MA 02067

未來的南區教會地址:

383 Old Post Road, Sharon, MA 02067

 

感謝神,為南區預備一塊合適的場地,作為未來南區教會的地址。目前正在購買的過程當中,請為此繼續禱告。

Praise the Lord that He has prepared a property as future Metro-South church address. The purchasing is on-going, please pray for the process.

 

Facts of this property:

3 Beds and 1.5 bath house, built in 1820, but completely renovated inside out. Over 1900 sqft. It can be used as office as well as classrooms.

It has 3.43 acres land which a church building can be built. It locates on side of Rt. 95, near exit 9.

 

具體數據:

三客房,1.5衛,1820年的建築。但是從裡到外,全部重新裝修了。房子有超過1900平方英尺,使用面積,可以用作辦公室,和教室。整塊地有3.43英畝,可以用來建造教會。這塊地就在95高速公路的邊上,靠近9號出口。

 

Questions and Answers:

問題解答:

1.       Why all of sudden MS want to buy a property?

為什麼南區突然要買這塊地?

Answer:

回答

a)       Urgent Needs: God has blessed MS with tremendous growth in the past three to four years with already double size of the congregation. Because of this, the facility which we current rent with is becoming small, and getting crowd. Since the fall, we have near 50 kids in our AWANA, squeeze in a 37X26 basement, it is already broke safety rule. Because of this, MS has to rent two rooms from a near-by church so that two other groups can move out so that AWANA can have more spaces.

On Sunday, the facility is also becoming limited. The sanctuary which we are using has a capacity of 110. In the past year, we already have one Sunday reach over 100 adult, with a couple times, over 80, and near 90. MS core coworker team admires that in one or two years, MS will reach that capacity and the facility will become the limitation for MS future growth.

In fact, because of sharing the facility with FBCS, we can only have limited space on Sunday. We can only offer two Sunday Schools. We have to do it in the kitchen for our baptism class. Our Youth has to end earlier so that we can empty space for FBCS usage. The facility is already limited MS growth.

迫切需要:上帝大大地賜福給南區教會。在過去三四年間,南區教會已經成長超過一倍有餘。因為這個原因,現在租用的場地開始顯得擁擠了。從去年秋天以來,我們不得不讓接近50位兒童,擠在37X26英尺的地下室,這其實根本不符合兒童安全標準。因為這個原因,我們不得不在附近的其他教會租用兩個房間,好讓我們的另外兩個團契可以搬出去,以便我們的AWANA可以有更多的空間。

在主日,場地也開始出現同樣的狀況。我們聚會的大堂,可以容納大約110人左右。在過去的一年裡,我們已經有一次的主日,有超過100大人的情況,另外也有一次接近90,另一次超過80 的情況出現。因此,南區同工們一致認為,在一兩年內,現在的場地將不夠我們使用,會成為我們繼續發展的制約因素。

事實上,因為與美國教會共同使用場地,我們也只有有限的場地可以使用。我們只能開兩班主日學。若有受洗班,我們就必須使用廚房。我們的青少年不能有他們的主日學,因為沒有場地等等。這些已經極大地限制了南區教會的發展。

b)       Well-thought decision making process:

慎重的決定過程

Because of the limitation of our current facility, MS-CCT (Core-Coworker Team) has formed a facility search team, and started the facility search almost a year ago. We have been very careful making the decision for our future facility. Actually more than dozen facilities have been visited. We typically follow a three rounds procedure: search team visitation, and recommend to CCT; then coworker’s visitation, and then recommend to congregation; follow with congregational visitation. If we heard some different opinions, typically the process will be stopped or terminated.

For 383 Old Post Rd. property, all the responses after three rounds visitation, with additional elder’s visitation, are very positive. MS congregation is a unity that we all believe that this is the land which God has prepared for us.

由於我們場地的局限性,南區同工團隊組織了一個場地尋找小組,開始於大約一年前,開始尋找場地。我們遵行慎重決定的過程。已經有超過十幾個場地,被考慮,被訪問過。我們一般是遵行下面的方式來決定:首先是尋堂小組去看場地,推薦給同工團隊;隨後同工團隊去看,推薦給所有會眾;最後全體會眾去看。若是這過程中,出現一些不同的看法,或意見,我們就會停止整個過程,或者終止對那個場地的考慮。

對383 Old Post Rd. 這個場地,三輪的訪問,以及隨後長老們的訪問之後,我們所聽到的是同一個聲音,一致支持。南區教會空前的合一,一致認為這塊地是上帝為南區教會所預備的。

c)       Mother church has been well informed in advance:

我們一直把我們的尋堂的一切的動向,都隨時匯報給母堂。

We have kept BOE and pastor informed when we have started our facilities search. When we have to give the offer to 383 Old Post Rd. because of the competitions, our senior pastor and elders have also been informed in the early of Nov., 2014. We have done our best to communicate with the mother church leadership on this matter.

我們一直把南區尋堂的任何動向,隨時報告給牧師和長老們。當我們在去年十一月初,因為競爭的原因,必須給Offer之前,我們也是及時徵求了主任牧師,和長老的意見的。我們一直試著保持我們與母堂的溝通的管道的暢通。

2.       Will mother church have financial burden for this property purchase?

在買這塊地的事情上,母堂會需要在經濟上支持嗎?

Answer: Not at all. MS families will give the loans to mother church to buy this property. Currently the pledges from MS families have well exceeded the purchasing price for this property. The mother church does not need to spend a cent on it.

The loans will be paid off with MS annual offering surplus.

答案:不需要。南區的家庭們會借款給教會,以便購買這塊地。事實上,現在南區家庭借款給教會的數額,已經遠遠超過買這塊地的需要了。在這件事上,母堂不需要有任何經濟上的支持。

這些南區家庭借給教會的借款,會用南區每年常費的盈餘去付清。

3.       Will MS future building project become the financial burden of mother church?

南區未來建堂的費用,會不會成為母堂財政的負擔?

Answer: No. We will build a metal building style church, just like MW has, which will save a lot of money. Although we welcome all brothers and sisters from mother church join hands with us for our future building project, MS congregation has realized that it is our responsibility to build the facility. The money will come from MS donations and selling the bonds, as well as other donations from all churches.

答案:不會。我們將象西區一樣,建一個金屬結構的教堂,並不需要花太多的錢。儘管我們歡迎母堂,和其他教會的弟兄姐妹,在建堂的事情上一起同工,但是,南區的所有會眾一致認為南區建堂,是南區教會自己的責任。建堂基金會從南區弟兄姐妹的奉獻,和賣債卷,已經其他奉獻中來。

 

上圖為西區教會的建築,和教堂示意圖。具體南區教堂方案待定。