Partnering in Construction Projects
Gifts and loans help church refurbishments when buildings are too small (a good problem!), or with the cost of refurbishment, or meeting new compulsory building regulations.
Many pastors have shared such burdens, and SGA has sought to help wherever possible, either by gifts or loans. Recently, two pastors from Poland have shared their experiences.
PIOTRKÓW TRYBUNALSKI CHURCH BUILDING
Pastor Daniel Kryston is a long-term friend of SGA, and has faithfully served God’s church for many years. For more than a year the church building housed several Ukrainian refugee families. Most have now moved back to Ukraine or found a permanent place to stay in Poland.
Opportunity has arisen for some significant refurbishment. SGA has sent a substantial gift to help with a variety of work needs: electrics, water systems, central heating, insulation and plastering. A new ‘smoke detection system’, a government requirement, has been installed.
Sergei, a Ukrainian refugee, has been able to use his skills in the basement refurbishment. Daniel’s joy has been to give Sergei this work and to pay him for it. The basement will host summer Day Camps and also provide a meeting place for Sunday School.
Challenges remain for the church fellowship in this refurbishment. Inflation remains high in Poland and building materials are more expensive.
Pray that it will be completed, and the church building will remain a place where people meet with God. Daniel said, ‘With SGA support we have been able to achieve a lot! Praise God!’
Pastor Daniel & Ania (left)
PSZCZYNA EVANGELICAL CHURCH BUILDING
Another good friend is Pastor Tomasz Chylka. His building project has been made necessary by church growth. On some Sundays there were no available seats, so action was required. After much prayer, God opened the door by means of financial support from SGA. Permission was granted for alterations to open up the church and give space for 30 additional seats.
Tomasz said: ‘Now we can invite people to every service, knowing that there will be room for everyone.’
A further difficulty was the inability to have Sunday school on Sundays! The solution? With SGA help Tomasz and family moved out of their apartment in the building, giving space for Sunday school and other activities. This has helped parents to concentrate on the sermon.
The personal challenge for Tomasz was coordinating the work, whilst ‘sticking to the budget’, but the Lord assured him that he was to take care of the people and the Gospel, and God would take care of the ‘walls’ to expand them when needed.
Tomasz is grateful to God and to SGA supporters.
ZHYTOMYR, UKRAINE
SGA responded to a request from Denis Haruk, a missionary in Zhytomyr, Ukraine. He reported that the House of Prayer was filled with new people, making it very cramped. Their second hall needed major renovation.
Finance was needed for materials. SGA sent out the required amount. Church members took on the renovation and, says Denis, ‘The newly converted brothers really wanted to be involved in the Lord’s work.’
Praise God for all these refurbishments and the opportunities they bring for the Gospel.