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VISION IN ACTION

Introduction In the last ten years, since the country opened its borders, different missions and Christian organizations started again to reach the Albanian population with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In fact, there arose many churches during this time. Many people received salvation. It's another fact, that Albania has not yet overcome all the crises. There's still a great need of help to stabilize the situation and to plant in people's minds a new hope for Albania, especially a hope in the future for the young people. How do we as Christian organizations meet the needs of the society? What?s our response? Thinking about this question, Nehemia Pogradec asks you (PEP members) to start together as PEP/ VUSH Pogradec a new project, called CHURCH BUILDING PROJECT The vision: Hope To give spiritual hope and identity for the future church in Albania Service To establish God's kingdom by serving the society Unity To stay together as different evangelical churches and organizations and show this in the way the churches which will be built Creating a unique picture of an evangelical church in Albania. We would like to start this project soon in the district of Pogradec. Later on we hope, it will expand over the whole country. About the project Two viewpoints: Church building project out of the view from the churches In many villages, adults or children meet once a week. They have meetings and services together, but often they do not have an own building. Either they meet in rooms rented or built for social activities, or the meetings are hold outside. It's our aim, that groups and churches, which exist already or are about to be planted, get an own church building. Alone, it's hard for a church to reach this aim. So we offer our help. We give our support in planning, carrying out the construction work and in fund raising. In the beginning the church gets help in organizing all the administrative work. The church gets a building and rooms for activities that are designed to expand. Some rooms can be used for social activities. So the church can serve the local community. Those church centers will be places where people get a working place, for certain during the construction time and probably also afterwards. Church building project out of the view from the society Maybe the most important effect of a church building concerning the society will be, that the people notice our presence. For this reason an important point is the visual correspondence of those churches that are going to be built. If they have a unique appearance and a similar structure, they can be recognized in the whole country as evangelical churches. On this way we can show our unity. Together we stand for the same reason: Jesus Christ. As mentioned the churches will serve the community as far as possible. Further those church centers will be used also as communication stations. They will be equipped with different communication media. So they can fit as urgency station, from where the contact to Pogradec or other rescue services for medical emergencies is possible. Blueprints In the following two standard versions of church buildings are presented (first drafts). Both have the same basic structure, but vary in size. For every case it can be decided, whether to build the bigger church or the smaller one. The idea is, that from the way the churches look like, they can be recognized in the whole country as evangelical churches. The typical elements are: Middle part with service-/ multipurpose room The church room in the center of the building can be seen as symbol. Jesus Christ is in our midst and the origin (main reason) of the different kind of projects and activities. Side aisles with smaller rooms These rooms shall be used for church activities but also for social activities and social projects. To serve the community is an important aim of every church. Tower with a cross and a bell It's a symbol for the church that can be seen from far away. Further the plans show a suggestion how to use the space. Of course, every church or organization may decide how to use the different rooms and plan the details in coordination with us. Version I: MaxiCentre The MaxiCentre is a two-story building with basement (optional). It is 18 meter long and 15 meter wide. The entrance may be either on the side, or on the front side. Basement: In the basement there are two bigger rooms in the middle part and a small storeroom. It is possible to build more rooms (6 smaller rooms) on both sides. Ground floor: The ground floor?s center is the sanctuary (church meeting room), which leads to two smaller rooms/units on every side. Behind the sanctuary, there?s a multipurpose room. Two more rooms, planed as office with workshop, kitchen, office for doctors or apartment, and the sanitary facilities find their place in the side aisles. A staircase in the center leads to basement and first floor. First floor: Upstairs, there will be room for the technical equipment and a gallery above the sanctuary. If a ceiling is built over the multipurpose room, another spacious room is available. Mini-Centre: The Mini-Centre is a two-story building with basement (optional). It is 14 meter long and 15 meters wide. Basement:(Optional) In the basement there is one bigger room in the middle part and a small storeroom. It is possible to build more rooms (4 smaller rooms) on both sides. Ground floor:On the ground floor there is the sanctuary and a small multipurpose room. Four more rooms, planed as office/workshop, kitchen, medical office, apartment and sanitary facilities find their place in the two side aisles. The staircase in the center leads to the first floor. First floor:Upstairs, there will be a small room for the technical affairs. Optional you can add a ceiling over the multipurpose room to gain more space. The Mini-Centre is flexible to be turned into a Maxi-Centre if needed. Costing The building presented in the drawings (Maxi-Centre) is about 2118 m3. We have calculated a price of 90 Euro/ m3 thus this project would cost 190.620 Euro. As we gain more experience in the Storova church (the first of a church building project) we hope to give more detailed data about the construction, costs etc.. Conditions A church has to comply with some conditions to receive financial and practical help to build a new church building in order to guarantee continuation. The church exists for ? years (has to be defined) is registered as juridical person keeps proper book-keeping has a clearly organized leadership can show an increasing amount of sacrifices possess or buys the plot of land itself is able to take over the running cost after concluding the construction time The church is committed to take on at least __?__% of the work during the whole time taken for construction to serve the community in some way to build the church in its fundamental elements according to the plans in this description Our support The local church will be supported in planning carrying out the construction work fund raising questions of legal affairs organizing the administrative work for a period of ? (until individually agreed objectives are reached) When in a village the building project is concluded, the local church will be the only owner of the building, has the responsibility and pays the costs incurred. If it will not happen over a period of ____________ the building will be property of _________________ (VUSH?).

for "Chiesa Apostolica in Italia" - "Fondo Missionario" - Via del Commendone, 35/ab - 58100 Grosseto

specify the project you want to support.

For any contact about the mission, write to: Sandro Sardella

For more information, donations, offers, contact Apostolic Church in Italy

The Apostolic Church in Albania is member of the Albanian Evangelical Alliance, and Foundation