by Geryl Ogilvy Ruekeith, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on February 7, 2015, Saturday

KUCHING: The St James Church in Quop, about 16km from the city, needs RM100,000 for renovation works, given that the number of its congregation has grown significantly over the past 150 years.

The Anglican churchs assistant priest Rev Fr Alex Baker said Assistant Minister of Welfare Robert Lawson Chuat recently donated RM10,000 under his Minor Rural Grant (MRP) for the project.

The vicar of St James Church, the Venerable Canon Andrew Stephen Pahah together with fellow assistant priest Rev Johnny Libar and I, as well as members of the Parish Church Council, would like to express our gratitude to God for His help through YB Robert.

However, the church still needs some minor works, which require a budget of RM100,000, he told The Borneo Post yesterday.

Construction of the church in Quop began in 1850, with the building consecrated on Dec 7, 1865. The modern block, adjacent to the old structure, was built in 1986 and consecrated on July 25, 1987.

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The Structural Building engineer who supervised the construction of the collapsed Synagogue Church Of All Nations building, Engr. Oladele Ogundeji, said on Friday that the Lagos State Material Testing Agency certified its foundation.

The six-storey building within the premises of SCOAN had on September 12, 2014 collapsed, killing 116 persons.

Ogundeji testified before the coroners inquest set up by the Lagos State Government to determine the cause of the victims death.

Ogundeji, who said he obtained his training in Building Technology and Building Engineering in Yugoslavia, overulled foundational defect as a possible cause of the collapse of the building, which he said had 28 columns.

According to him, the direction and the speed of the fall of the building were not consistent with structural failure.

According to the drawing and based on the geotechnical reports, the foundations were okay. This project is a technological cause, it can be verified.

Now, when we were working on site, we did not envisage that something like this would happen but after the collapse, an agency of the state, the Lagos State Material Testing Agency came to the site, they instructed that three bases should be excavated, they took some samples and carried out laboratory tests. They came out with the result; the concrete pad footing passed the test, the reinforcement passed the test and the columns passed the test. Apart from this, the foundation on site that the six-storey building stood upon are still there, they are intact, no rotation and no tilting, Ogundeji said.

He maintained that in spite of the stress as a result of the collapse the foundation still passed the test conducted by the Lagos State Material Testing Agency, adding that the results were already in the custody of the court.

Asked what would be the signs of a building that collapsed as a result of foundational compromise, Ogundeji said there would have been cracks in both the foundation and the wall, adding that the buidling would have been tilting weeks before its eventually collapse.

Demonstrating through a schematic diagram of board, Ogundeji said, If it is a structural failure, the whole building would not come down suddenly on no account and when it is coming down it would be gradual, it may take days, weeks or months and it can take 10 years and there will be cracks that even a layman will see it.

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Synagogue: Lagos certified foundation, says engineer

WALLINGFORD From baptism to marriage and even her 50th wedding anniversary, lifelong parishioner Genevieve Horvath, 89, said most of the major events of her life happened within the walls of the SS. Peter and Paul Parish. An elaborate stained glass window in the chapel bears her maiden name in Polish, Jasinskich. Her parents were among the early benefactors when the church was built in 1924.

The parish celebrated its 90th birthday in October with a celebration at Zandris Stillwood Inn. The Rev. Ron Zepecki said he wanted to celebrate 90 years because he was afraid many of the older parishioners would not make it to see the 100th.

For us, because were a small parish, I think its rather significant, Zepecki said.

Horvath said her older sister, Mary, remembers when the church was being built and hopping around from board to board while men poured the foundation.

Parishioner Theresa Menzyk, 86, said she has also been a member of the church since the day she was born. She said her father assisted in its construction.

They had to dig the foundation by hand, Menzyk said. There were no backhoes and those things in those days,

Zepecki said the church was built Spanish mission style, although he does not know why the architect chose that particular design. A fire in 1937 destroyed part of the hand-painted mural in the apse which was redone shortly after. The church was renovated in the 1950s, 1987 and received some touch up in 1999. In 2013 Zepecki said the stained-glass windows were cleaned to the tune of $50,000.

Inside the church, the original solid oak pews are still in place, as is the original woodwork.

Among the many historical moments in the churchs history, Zepecki said it is very likely that former U.S. President John F. Kennedy attended mass on Sundays while a student at the Choate School in the 1930s.

Horvath said she was happy to see the church make it 90 years.

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Wallingford church celebrates 90 years

Peachtree City, GA (PRWEB) February 25, 2015

Building God's Way will launch the spring season of its popular Momentum Summit seminar series with events in Atlanta, GA on March 10 and Charleston, SC on March 12. The March 10 event will be held at Heritage Sandy Springs, just north of downtown Atlanta and the March 12 event will be hosted at Charleston Southern University, a Christian university that has become one of South Carolinas largest accredited, independent universities. The events are free and are scheduled for 8:30am - 12:30pm, followed by a complimentary lunch.

The seminars in Georgia and South Carolina will be the first of 15 events scheduled throughout the U.S. this spring. More than 900 ministry leaders attended a Momentum Summit event in 2014 and this year's events are expected to draw even more. The speaker panel will feature experts and consultants who have worked with hundreds of ministries across the country in the areas of church leadership & growth; church design, construction & remodel; capital fundraising; for-profit integration, biblical entrepreneurship, A/V technology and more.

Churches and other non-profits are facing ever-increasing financial challenges to sustaining their ministries, including cultural shifts in attitudes toward church, changing tax legislation and generational changes in charitable giving. The focus of Momentum Summit is to introduce new paradigms and to transform the way ministry leaders think about how their facilities are designed and utilized, how they can effectively reach all generations and how they can integrate for-profit enterprise to expand ministry opportunities.

The keynote speaker for the seminars will be Pastor Eric Bahme, a cutting-edge entrepreneur, passionate preacher and author of the book, The MBE (Mission-Based Entrepreneur) Revolution / Developing Economic Engines that Drive Mission-Based Movements. Eric and his stories of successful for-profit integration with churches have been featured on the 700 Club, Harvest Show, and in several local and national publications and television broadcasts.

A representative from BGW Architects will present sessions on designing authentic, flexible and community-based church buildings as well as a revolutionary & biblical approach to the construction process. BGW exclusive contractors from each region will also be on hand during the seminars to share their expertise on church construction & remodel. In Atlanta, representatives from Group VI Construction, one of Georgias leading family owned and operated full service construction firms, will be in attendance. In Charleston, SC, executives from Clayton Construction, a family-owned firm that has been serving clients throughout South Carolina for more than 30 years, will share their expertise in the area of faith-based construction.

For more information or to register for Momentum Summit, visit the website or call 866-249-8484.

About Building Gods Way (BGW) - BGW has become a recognized leader in ministry design and construction through its extensive experience in working with hundreds of churches, Christian schools and colleges across the U.S. BGW's trademark programs based on Biblical stewardship and ministry on the construction job site have set them apart in the industry. BGW clients typically save 20-30% compared to average construction costs (based on RS Means construction cost data). BGW's broad network includes the most experienced church architects, church builders and engineers, as well as experts in the areas of funding, leadership & church growth, for-profit integration, A/V technology and more.

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Building God's Way to Host "Momentum Summit" Seminars for Church Leaders in Atlanta, GA and Charleston, SC on March 10 ...

Theres yearning in Fannie Deans voice as she walks the halls of her unfinished church and talks about her mission to complete it.

Ive been walking this building for so long, Dean said last week.

Started in 2009, the church is littered with sawdust, construction equipment and unsecured flooring tiles.

And while its complete in the sense that it has doors, windows and walls, the church has a long way to go before it can hold a congregation.

After 40 years in the Oak Harbor community, Dean said she has faith that this year, 2015, is the year they will finally finish their church.

Dean also celebrated her 60th birthday Monday.

Youll see, its gonna be a celebration when we get in here, said Dean, pastor of Mission Ministry Outreach, standing in the churchs vaulted meeting room.

Known primarily for organizing the annual Martin Luther King Jr., celebration at the missions Goldie Road location, Dean has spent her life in Oak Harbor building a religious community and trying to further the cause of racial equality.

The church, along with the citys race relations, both can use some work, according to Dean.

Its still a project, Dean said. I know we can get it done.

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Oak Harbor pastor isnt about to give up on dream

First Congregational Church sponsors Saugus student

Rev. Martha Leahy, center, minister of the First Congregational Church in Saugus, presents a check to Joelle Fabrizio, left, a UMass student who will be traveling to Guatemala to aid families who live in poverty. Also pictured is Cheryl Panico, a member of the churchs Pumpkin Patch committee.

Posted: Tuesday, February 24, 2015 3:00 am

Church sponsors Saugus students aid trip to Guatemala

The First Congregational Church in Saugus Center will help sponsor Saugus resident Joelle Fabrizio, a student at UMass, who will join a group of UMass students traveling to Guatemala to aid families living in poverty conditions. A portion of the money raised from the churchs annual Pumpkin Patch, held every October, is traditionally given to sponsor a person or community group through donations or scholarships.

Fabrizio has donated her spring break time to help those in need in Guatemala as part of UMass Beacon Voyages. Members of the group will aid in the construction of new stoves and ventilation in poverty-stricken homes. As a result of poor ventilation of stoves, many poor Guatemalan women and their children suffer from premature blindness, tuberculosis and a variety of both debilitating and fatal lung conditions. Other projects will also help improve the quality of life of these Guatemalan people who were born in poverty.

Posted in News on Tuesday, February 24, 2015 3:00 am. | Tags: Saugus

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Church sponsors Saugus students aid trip to Guatemala

St Mary's Church, Tarrrant Hinton, receives 7,000 from Dorset Historic Churches Trust towards conservation work (L-R): Barry de Morgan, Hilary Fildes, Bishop Graham Kings, Rev. Michael Foster, Tim Smith

EXTENSIVE conservation work on a North Dorset church has been completed in time for this years Easter celebrations.

A grant awarded by Dorset Historic Churches Trust (DHCT) has helped stabilise the Eastern Sepulchre monument at St Marys church in Tarrant Hinton.

The Easter Sepulchre is located in the north wall of the Chancel and is considered unique for its carved Caen stone, architectural style and lateness of its construction.

The DHCT contributed a grant worth 7,000 to help fund the project. Similar sized grants were also given by the Erskine Muton Trust, the Churches Building Council and St Andrews Conservation Trust.

Work was carried out by Sally Strachey Historic Conservation and J.A. Coombes Ltd, including internal cleaning, stabilising and recording of the Easter Sepulchre.

The Easter Sepulchre is thought to date back to 1520 since the style of its carving is influenced by the early Renaissance.

To celebrate the completion of the project, the parish held a well-attended blessing and service of dedication.

Reverend Dr. Michael Foster of St. Marys Church, added: It was a pleasure to welcome so many visitors to the churchs dedication service. Wed like to say a big thank you to DHCT, the Erskine Muton Trust and the Churches Building Council for their generous grants and to all others who have contributed towards this project.

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Church conservation work completed in time for Easter

The Wayside Chapel on Wednesday, Feb 18, 2015, in Winger, Minn. The chapel in Melland Park was dedicated to the town in 1975. (Grand Forks Herald: Logan Werlinger)

FOSSTON, Minn. -- Members of Fosston's Athenian Club have heard a lot of comments about the Wayside Chapel since they built it 40 years ago.

"One of the ladies that got married there said, 'My tree stand is bigger than this chapel,' " club member Clara Manecke said.

Each of the chapel's four pews seat two people. Its shallow altar allows only a few people to kneel, but the limited space hasn't stopped the tiny white church from being the site of numerous services and community gatherings.

Built in the mid-1970s, the little chapel is due for some big repairs, including replacing wood rot around its windows and installing new siding. The Athenian Club, a women's service club, is raising funds to complete the work.

"It's just starting to show it's age," said Vicki Olson, the club's historian.

The group has about $3,000 in grants and donations raised, though they said they're looking for more to fund other projects, such as buying new windows for the church.

"And we're not afraid to ask," Olson said laughing.

Repairs are expected to start this spring with help from local high school students enrolled in building and trades courses at Fosston Public School. Manecke and Olson said they hope to see construction finish up before school ends.

The chapel has been an integral part of the Athenian Group's 90-year presence in the Fosston community.

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Tiny Minnesota church undergoing repair work

A dozen families gather in Dover, Del., for a house church meeting. Everyone brings something, either a dish for the potluck dinner or a conversation topic for the informal worship service. Eleanor Klibanoff hide caption

A dozen families gather in Dover, Del., for a house church meeting. Everyone brings something, either a dish for the potluck dinner or a conversation topic for the informal worship service.

At most churches, it's embarrassing to show up late. But if you arrive early at Greg Stultz's church, you might interrupt the hosts' last-minute preparations as they put away homework or toss shoes up the stairs.

Stultz and his family are part of a house church. They typically meet on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, though the week that I visited they were meeting in Dover, Del. Each week, their small group crowds into a private living room for dinner and fellowship and their church is no rarity.

With new church construction at its lowest point since 1967, and with more religiously unaffiliated Americans than ever before, many congregations say they've become more committed communities by losing the pews and stained-glass windows of a central building.

Stultz himself explains that he'd long felt a dissatisfaction with the church hierarchy.

"The Bible says, 'What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has has a hymn, a word of instruction, or an interpretation' all of this done for the strength of the church," Stultz says. "Where is that being done?"

Nowhere at least as far as Joleen Zimmerman could find. Three years ago, she had been praying for a close-knit church community when she met Stultz. He had quoted that same verse to her.

"That was the verse that God had given me," she says, "that when we come together, not to come to pew sit but to actually come to give."

During their new church's meetings, anyone can call out a song suggestion or read a Bible verse. Instead of a sermon, everyone just talks about what's been weighing on them that week. This group says that the only guidance they need to run a church can be found in the New Testament.

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House Churches Swap Steeples For Sofas, And Say They've Never Been Closer

A CHURCHS 16th century Easter Sepulchre monument has been renovated with the help of grant money.

The monument at St Marys Church in Tarrant Hinton is unique in Dorset and a rare example nationally because of its carved Caen stone, architectural style and the lateness of its construction.

Sited in the north wall of the Chancel, it is thought to date from 1520, since the style of carving is influenced by the early Renaissance.

The charity Dorset Historic Churches Trust contributed 7,000 to the project, along with similar grants from the Erskine Muton Trust and the Churches Building Council. St Andrews Conservation Trust also provided a significant sum.

The conservation work, carried out by Sally Strachey Historic Conservation and JA Coombes Ltd, included internal cleaning, stabilising and recording of the Easter Sepulchre, carrying out external drainage improvements and re-pointing the north wall to reduce damage from damp.

The grants also paid for building safe access to the top of the tower and alarms to protect the lead roofs of the church.

Completion of the work was sealed by a blessing and service of dedication.

The Rev Michael Foster of St Marys Church said: It was a pleasure to welcome so many visitors to the churchs dedication service at the weekend.

Wed like to say a big thank you to Dorset Historic Churches Trust (DCHT), the Erskine Muton Trust and the Churches Building Council for their generous grants and to all others who have contributed towards this project.

Now that our beautiful Easter Sepulchre has been conserved for future generations, we shall bring it back into Tarrant Hintons celebrations each Easter.

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Conserved for future generations: the church monument thought to date back to 1520