CHURCH BUILDING UPGRADING PROJECT FAQS
The need for church building upgrading was first shared with the Church at our Extraordinary Congregational Meeting on 26 February 2022. The 24 April bulletin’s ‘Word in Season’ article helped to explain the need for space to grow. We also hope you’ve seen Pastor Alby’s video, to help us imagine what the fifth floor can become should we upgrade the building:
The upcoming ACM will require us to take a vote on the approval of funding for this project, and the proxy votes need to be submitted by 22 May 2022. To help all of us get up to speed on the matter, we have prepared a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and answers below.
We also encourage you to attend the Dialogue Session on this project, scheduled for 3.30pm, Saturday 14 May 2022 at the Auditorium (4th floor), and to speak with your respective Congregational Shepherding Team if you have any questions or concerns.
Above all, we ask of you to commit this whole matter to the Lord in prayer. We want all our decisions to be made with God’s wisdom and leading, and with a good measure of faith.
The Next Lap team
FAQS – CHURCH BUILDING UPGRADING
1. Please recap what is the clear and present need for us to upgrade now?
The primary concern is that of Growth. The option for us to expand was available since our Development Project in 2012, but it is at this time that we are heavily constrained by space limitations. Our ethnic congregations, currently meeting in the Chapel and the Auditorium, have scope to grow further but have no more room. Our weekend room usage is very heavy, and we are clearly short on large rooms (with more than 50 pax capacity).
It is our experience that growth comes with the expansion of facilities.
2. Why don’t we try to spread our activities further out, and utilize online platforms, to ease our space constraints?
As our nation further relaxes safe management measures, we expect more demands for on-site activities.
We are already spreading out our Sunday activities to include the afternoon time-slots, and utilizing online platforms for activities like the Prayer Meeting and Adult Discipleship Classes. Smaller AGs now also can meet at home. Even so, our whole-day Saturday and Sunday morning space remains maxed out.
Importantly, we also have to factor in capacity for future growth.
3. What progress have we made so far in the upgrading project?
We have convened a project team which has been engaging an architect (the same one that did our Development Project) to draw up proposals for maximizing our gross plot ratio. Session has approved the project team’s recommended option and the budget that will be submitted for approval at the ACM.
4. What will likely come out of the upgrading project? How will our church premises be changed?
We have an additional floor space of just under 700 square meters of space to develop. Our priority is to increase the number of large rooms to host groups of more than 50 pax. The proposed way is to construct a new (5th) floor which is about the size of our lower sanctuary – which can be halved into separate rooms. At the same time, to use the spare floor area to create more small rooms on the third floor. The fourth floor will not be developed.
5. When will the upgrading work likely begin, and how long will it last?
The work will take place no earlier than December 2022.
It will likely last just over a year, with completion aimed for February 2024.
6. Will our existing church activities be affected?
No. We have tasked our architect to develop proposals that will not disrupt our own ongoing activities, and they have assured us that this is possible.
7. What will we need to decide on at the Annual Congregational Meeting?
We will need to approve the budget for the upgrading project, on the basis of the recommended plan.
8. How much is the upgrading project likely to cost?
We currently estimate it to be SGD$5.3 million, after factoring in contingencies (e.g. increase in labor costs). The project cost will be capped at SGD$5.5 million.
9. How will the funds for the upgrading project be raised?
We will allocate up to $2 Million from our surplus in the General Missions Fund, and raise another $3.5 Million from members in the General Project Fund.
The total sum will need to be raised by mid-2024.
10. Will the project touch our Land Lease Renewal Fund (LLRF)?
The LLRF is reserved for our land lease renewal. The church building upgrading project is for the purpose of growth. It is appropriate and prudent that we keep these funds separate, and not take from the LLRF until we have a definitive answer from the government on the cost of the land lease renewal.
Only when the final cost of lease renewal is confirmed, will we re-purpose any excess funds in the LLRF towards the Upgrading Project.
11. Shouldn’t we wait till we pay off our Land Lease Renewal before initiating another project?
While there remain uncertainties about the land lease renewal offer that the government will offer us after their review, we have been assured that they are cognizant of the current exorbitant rate and that they will do their utmost to reduce the renewal quantum. A good indication of the government’s commitment to this is the rental charge that we have been given for our current 3-year lease extension. It is about half of what we would pay based on current estimates.
Waiting till the land lease renewal is settled would mean delaying our plans by at least 3 years. During which time it is likely that any renovation project will cost even more, and there will be lost opportunities for the growth of our ministry work. Upgrading now will also allow us to use the new facilities for the fuller duration of our land lease renewal.
These considerations persuade us to undergo the upgrading project sooner than later.
12. Since we aren’t going to touch the LLRF, how certain are we of raising the amount in time?
Indeed, we know that we face existing financial responsibilities (such as our ongoing General Missions Fund) and uncertainties (land lease renewal, building cost, and etc.).
But ultimately, we must recognize that if this project is of the Lord, He will raise the amount and provide for all that we need via the hands of our members. We have seen this time and again in our past building projects, and even with the LLRF.
Our responsibility is to seek the Lord in prayer, discern His will for His church, and undertake any God-given project with courage and with faith.
碧山笃信圣经长老会协恩堂 – 往前的跃进
教堂扩建项目
记得在2月26日2022年的特别会友大会上，教会领袖们与您分享了教堂扩建的需要。我们也在4月24日2022年的周刊里分享了教会事工的增长对于场地的需求，与及教堂扩建的必要 。我盼望您也有机会看到叶牧师视频的分享介绍，让您能想像教堂扩建五楼的发展空间:
我们会在5月28号即将举行的常年会友大会 (ACM) 中，投票表决是否进行该扩建项目。由于之前疫情的影响，我们的投票将继续通过代理的方式进行。会友们也因此必须在5月21日前把代理表格与投票的决定呈交给教会办公室。为帮助您了解这扩建项目的详情，我们也给您预备了以下的常见问答题 (FAQ)。
我们也鼓励您参加在5月14日 (星期六) 下午3点30分在教堂4楼崇拜厅所举行的“教堂扩建项目对话会”。如果您对这扩建项目有任何的问题或疑虑，也请您与牧师长老们提问讨论。
更为重要的是我们应该为这扩建项目祷告，把我们为着扩建的一切需要都交托给主。我们所做的每一项决定，都应该充满信心，完全信靠上帝的智慧和引领来进行。
常见问答题: 教堂的扩建
1. 请回顾一下我们目前明确的需求是什么，以致需要扩建？
主要关注的是增长。 自 2012 年我们教堂重建项目以来，我们就可以选择进行扩展，但此时我们更加面对空间的严重限制。 我们目前在四楼崇拜厅和礼堂聚会的的族群崇拜可以有进一步发展的空间，但却没有更多空间。 我们周末的空间使用率非常高，而且我们显然缺乏大的房间（容量超过 50 人）。
我们的经验是，随着设施的扩大才能有增长。
2. 为什么我们不尝试将我们的活动更加分散，并利用在线平台，来缓解我们的空间限制？
随着我国安全管理措施的进一步放宽，我们预估对实场活动的需求会增多。
我们已经将主日的活动扩展到下午的时段，并利用在线平台进行祷告会和成人门训班等活动。 较小的 AG小组 现在也可以在家中进行。 即便如此，我们周六整天和周日上午的空间仍然是被填满的。
重要的是，我们还必须考虑未来增长所需的空间。
3. 教堂扩建项目目前取得了哪些进展？
我们已经召集了一个项目团队，该团队正雇用一位建筑师（也是负责我们之前重建项目的建筑师）来起草我们的教堂总容积最大化率的建议。长老会议已批准项目团队的推荐选项和其预算，并将提交 ACM会友大会批准。
4. 教堂扩建项目会带来什么结果？ 我们的教堂场所将有哪些改变？
我们会有大约 700 平方米的额外建筑面积可供扩建。 我们的当务之急是增加可容纳 50 人以上的大房间数量。 建议的方法是建造一个新的第 5 层楼，它的面积与我们的底层圣所崇拜厅差不多大小 —并可以分成两个大的空间。 同时，在第三楼利用剩余的建筑面积来创造更多的小房间。 第四楼将不扩建。
5. 扩建工程大概什么时候开始，持续多长时间？
这项工程将在2022年12月后动工。它可能会持续一年多，目标是在2024年2月完成。
6. 我们现有的教会活动会受到影响吗？
不会，我们已委托建筑师制定不会影响目前进行的教会活动的方案，他们已确认这是可能的。
7. 我们需要在常年大会上议决什么？
我们将需要根据推荐的计划批准扩建项目的预算进行决议。
8. 扩建工程大概需要多少经费？
我们目前估计为 530 万新元 (包括了意外开支，例如劳工成本增加)。项目成本预算顶限为 550 万新元。
9. 扩建工程资金如何筹集？
我们将从一般奉献基金的盈余中拨款最多 200 万元，并向会友筹集另350 万元项目基金。
总额需要在 2024 年中之前筹集。
10. 该项目是否会动用到我们的土地租赁续约基金（LLRF）？
LLRF 保留于我们的土地租赁续约用途。而教堂扩建项目是以成长为目的。我们将这些资金分开存放是适当且谨慎的做法。在政府对土地租赁续约的成本做出明确答复之前，我们将不从 LLRF 中提取资金。
只有在土地续租的最终数額肯定后，我们才会将 LLRF 中的任何剩余资金重新用于扩建项目。
11. 我们是否该等到还清土地租赁续约后再启动另一个项目吗？
虽然政府审查后提出的续租条件仍存在不确定性，但我们已经得到保证，政府了解目前的过高租价，并将尽最大努力减少续约金额。我们目前以3年为租约延期所付的租金费用是一个很好的指标。根据目前的估计，这大约是我们所需支付金额的一半。
等待至土地租赁续期解决之后，意味着我们的计划至少要推迟3年。在此期间，翻新工程可能将耗资更多，我们也可能失去发展事工的机会。为了能够在土地租赁续期后更充分地利用新设施，我们须要现在就进行扩建。
这些考虑说服了我们需尽早进行教会的扩建。
12. 既然我们不打算动用土地租赁续约基金，我们有多大把握及时筹足所需金额呢？
的确，我们知道我们面临现有的财务责任（例如我们现有的一般奉献基金）和不确定因素（土地租赁续约、建筑费用等）。
但归根结底，我们必须认识到，如果这一项目是上帝的心意，祂将用会友们的手筹集到所需的一切资金，为我们提供一切支助。我们在过去的建筑项目中已经多次看到这种情况，甚至在土地租赁续约基金也是如此。
我们的责任是以祷告寻求主，认清祂对于教会的旨意，并以勇气和信心承担任何上帝赋予的任务。
