Of late the topic of building places of worship fascinated me. And just as the lock needs a key, fund raising activities are often the key to the lock solution of funding the physical building project.
But perhaps it is not just the physical building itself, it is the $ & cents that goes into either the restoration or rebuilding itself. For eg In the land of red dot, the Heritage Board seems to be in the frenzy of fanning out money ( in tunes of $3,000,000 plus) to conserve many such religious buildings or monuments in the land.
http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20120717-359630.html
St Joseph Church:
Stained glass restoration cost S$1,200,000 for that several panels of glass. Funding 50% from government and the balance from the restorer. The glass seemed to be broken as someone whistleblew? Time to pick up the broken glass and do a real of restoration?
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/father-michael-teo-to-step-down-as-st-joseph’s-church-rector-amid-stained-glass-row-033046062.html
Abdul Gafoor Mosque"
Received about S$137,000 to repair its roof....
Sri Veeramakaliamman temple -along Serangoon Road:
Above is one of the oldest Hindu temples that cost about S$6,800,000 to restore and tables costing thousands of dollars were 'activated' in the fund raising project. Sometimes I wonder why people need to fund in such a manner? Well S$250,000 were raised thru this eating session.
"The redevelopment project, which started at the end of last year, will see the temple being re-tiled and given a fresh coat of paint. A six-storey annexe will also be built to replace a three-storey wing. The new building will have wedding and dining halls as well as rooms for yoga, meditation and dance classes. These facilities can be rented out at subsidised rates to be decided later.... current conditions at the temple - built more than 150 years ago - are cramped because of the large crowds of devotees and visitors who turn up every day. The temple attracts close to 4,000 people on Sundays and another 500 to 1,000 visitors on each weekday. Many devotees and foreign workers visit the temple for the free meals that are dished out"
http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapore/hindu-temple-raises-250000-revamp
Thian Hock Keng - oldest Chinese temple
In around 2000, the restoration of this cost S$3,500,000.
http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_793_2005-01-10.html
Churches
CIty Harvest Church :
Just moved in 2013 in Suntec City - Costing S$310,000,000.....
http://www.facebook.com/notes/kong-hee/chcs-new-home-suntec-convention-centre/361867588696
New Creation Church: Costing nearly $1,000,000,000 ( in billions...1miox1000)
The church moved to a new 5,000 (5,142) seat auditorium, now its main worship venue, at The Star Performing Arts Centre (The Star PAC) in Buona Vista on 23 December 2012.
Officially opened on 1 November 2012, The Star PAC spans levels 3 to 11, known as the civic and cultural zone, of the building called The Star. It is owned and managed by Rock Productions, the business arm of the church.[19][20] The Star PAC comprises a 5,000-seat theatre, multi-purpose hall, outdoor amphitheatre, special function rooms and other facilities. The church rents The Star PAC for Sunday services.[21]
The levels from Basement 1 to Level 2 of The Star, known as the retail and entertainment zone, is called The Star Vista and is owned and managed by CapitaMalls Asia.
The Star was envisioned as a "futuristic complex with restaurants, shops and a 5,000-seat theatre", and costs nearly SGD1 billion.
So what goes into the so called cost of restoration or rebuilding of temples and places of 'worship' in a multicultural red dot in a lump of earth spanning 700 sq km in area? From peanuts of S$137,000 to $1,000,000,000.....interesting!
What exactly is or was "THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID"?
I think this site gives a good short and sweet summary of what it is or was.
http://www.gotquestions.org/tabernacle-of-David.html
I think this site gives a good short and sweet summary of what it is or was.
http://www.gotquestions.org/tabernacle-of-David.html
Reflections
Amos 9:11.
God will raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen
He will close up the breaches. He will raise up his ruins
He will build it as in the days of old.
Amos 9:12 "That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name.."
Interesting- why remnant of Edom? Where is Edom? It is Esau's land - northern Europe/ Russia. In spiritual sense, Edom is said to represent the tares in the churches who hate the true believers - the wheat.
In Spore, many churches preach a prosperity gospel. Compared to the amount of monies that goes into the restoration or housing the worshippers, none can beat that amount to CHC and New Creation which boasts of the millions and billions. What did Amos 8:11 say? "Behold, the days come...that I will send a famine of bread, nor a thirst of water, BUT OF HEARING THE WORDS OF THE LORD" (caps mine)
Amos 8:8 "Behold the eyes of the Lord GOD are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth"
Amos 8:9 "...I will sift the house of Israel among all the nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve..."
The Lord is shaking the earth. Are we worshipping in such places of worship physically?
It is not about the place. There is always a sense of homecoming instinct in all human beings. Whether one is Muslim and goes to Mosque to pray 5 times a day or a Buddhist to the temple to offer offerings and incense of prayers and ensure the oil in the temples forever lit or the HIndus in their purgatory act of walking on fire to purge their sins. Or here in the case of the beautiful cathedral or high-tech rock auditorium with great sound systems or state of the art projectors of modern church buildings. Who are we worshipping? Where or what or when or how? Jesus is the light of the world. It is He, the Person whom we are called to revere, never the place.
Conclusion
Rev 18:4 "And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her my people, that you be not partakers of her sins and that you receive not of her plagues"
We are exalted to "come out" of our world view. We are in the world but not of the world.
2 Tim 2:19" Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal. The Lord knows them that we are his. And, Let everyone that name the name of Christ depart from iniquity"
Do we have his seal of approval? If we do know the Lord, may we depart from iniquity. Be set apart. Come out of the world system view. Adopt the mind of Christ. So that we will not receive any of the plagues.
Amos 9:11.
God will raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen
He will close up the breaches. He will raise up his ruins
He will build it as in the days of old.
Amos 9:12 "That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name.."
Interesting- why remnant of Edom? Where is Edom? It is Esau's land - northern Europe/ Russia. In spiritual sense, Edom is said to represent the tares in the churches who hate the true believers - the wheat.
In Spore, many churches preach a prosperity gospel. Compared to the amount of monies that goes into the restoration or housing the worshippers, none can beat that amount to CHC and New Creation which boasts of the millions and billions. What did Amos 8:11 say? "Behold, the days come...that I will send a famine of bread, nor a thirst of water, BUT OF HEARING THE WORDS OF THE LORD" (caps mine)
Amos 8:8 "Behold the eyes of the Lord GOD are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth"
Amos 8:9 "...I will sift the house of Israel among all the nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve..."
The Lord is shaking the earth. Are we worshipping in such places of worship physically?
It is not about the place. There is always a sense of homecoming instinct in all human beings. Whether one is Muslim and goes to Mosque to pray 5 times a day or a Buddhist to the temple to offer offerings and incense of prayers and ensure the oil in the temples forever lit or the HIndus in their purgatory act of walking on fire to purge their sins. Or here in the case of the beautiful cathedral or high-tech rock auditorium with great sound systems or state of the art projectors of modern church buildings. Who are we worshipping? Where or what or when or how? Jesus is the light of the world. It is He, the Person whom we are called to revere, never the place.
Conclusion
Rev 18:4 "And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her my people, that you be not partakers of her sins and that you receive not of her plagues"
We are exalted to "come out" of our world view. We are in the world but not of the world.
2 Tim 2:19" Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal. The Lord knows them that we are his. And, Let everyone that name the name of Christ depart from iniquity"
Do we have his seal of approval? If we do know the Lord, may we depart from iniquity. Be set apart. Come out of the world system view. Adopt the mind of Christ. So that we will not receive any of the plagues.
