Church building
Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
from the pastor
In 2006, under the commissioning and support of its mother church, ACMC, RCMC started its gatherings in the Remuera area of Auckland City, New Zealand. At that time, it was a bilingual Chinese-English worship service, renting St Paul’s Methodist Church in Remuera as the venue.
Thanks to God’s blessing and guidance, RCMC gradually grew and was promoted to a church in 2009.
In 2012, in order to better serve and evangelize immigrant families, under the guidance of God, RCMC changed its original bilingual worship service to two separate services: a Chinese worship service (main chapel) and an English worship service (back hall), which were held almost simultaneously. This is the first church in the New Zealand Chinese Methodist Church to start an English worship service. Thank God, in 2015, God led an English pastor to RCMC, so that the Chinese worship service (main chapel) and the English worship service (back hall) could be held at exactly the same time.
Under God’s blessing, RCMC has continued to grow, leading people to believe in the Lord, and growing and living in the love and truth of the Lord Jesus. There are two Sunday worship services, four classes of children’s Sunday school, and many other ministries that require the use of the venue. The St Paul’s Church we rented also has more and more limitations on the use of the venue, so God led us to start the project of buying/building a church, and started to plan and raise funds for it. Over the years, RCMC has tried to buy and even bid for church venues. Although God had not yet opened the way, we had learned a lot. In 2022, RCMC found St Oswald’s Church near the location of our current church, which originally belonged to the Anglican Church of New Zealand but had been unused for more than a year. Under the guidance of the Lord, RCMC carefully studied and did its homework, and God also moved the brothers and
sisters of RCMC to offer their hearts and minds to the purchase of the church, and successfully purchased the church together. In the process of purchasing and planning how to use this church, we thank God for allowing us to continue to learn four lessons: to be generous and have the values of the kingdom of God, to be good stewards and have faith, to offer the offerings of love to Lord Jesus, and to maintain the unity of the body of Christ.
Today, RCMC is still in the final stages of applying for the renovation and expansion of the church. The overall renovation and expansion plan mainly includes: seismic reinforcement of the main chapel, and leveling the ground to build a retaining wall and Children’s Sunday School classrooms. Since the ground where the church is located is mostly volcanic rock, the earthwork will be relatively difficult. At present, RCMC still needs about $1.3+ million to complete this entire renovation and expansion project.
We deeply believe that this is a ministry that God has called us to do. Not only is RCMC grateful for this, but the Christians in this community are also moved by it, because they also very much hope that this church, which has been vacant for a long time, can once again become a place to worship God and witness the gospel of Jesus Christ, so that the light on the lampstand can be lit again here.
If you hear about the grace and work that God has done here, and God also moves you, we are grateful and happy for it! Because there are so many brothers and sisters from different places who walk this path of faith with us. May God use this small church to make the body of Christ grow and become more united, to serve and witness together the Lord Jesus Christ who loves us. Amen.
Rev Aaron Sim
10 February 2024
brief intro to the new church
- The main chapel can accommodate approximately 200 people, and the back hall approximately 120 people.
- Renovate back hall’s lounge (for fellowships)
- Addition of three new classrooms (can be used by children’s and adult’s Sunday schools, fellowships and small groups）
- Addition of a new kitchen
- Addition of an outdoor space with canopy (for post service/gathering use，e.g. refreshments）
Address：193-195 Campbell Road, Greenlane, Auckland, New Zealand
Architectural plan – “Draft”
fundraising TARGET
Target for 2024：$1,800,000
12/05/24
Raised：$508,630
31/05/24
Goal 1：+$731,310
01/12/24
Goal 2：+$560,060
| Funds already raised: $508,630 (*to 12/05/24) (**including last two rounds of pledges) |
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| 2024’s (near term) church building target figure: comprised of the following 2 parts: | ||
| Dateline | Target | Remarks |
| Part 1: | $731,310 | *Target amount by 31/05/2024 |
| **Hope to raise this amount before construction begins | ||
| Part 2: | $560,060 | *Target amount by 01/12/2024 |
| It is estimated that $560,060 will still be needed in follow-up expenditures before completion (including the repayment of interest-free loans) | ||
| Target | $1,800,000 | **Target amount by 01/12/2024** |
| Short term (within 3 years) and long term goals (within 13 years) budgeted items include: |
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How to get involved in church building fundraising
You can support the new church’s earthquake strengthening, renovation, and expansion work through financial donations (one-time or monthly donations).
- New Zealand or international donors can all use this form to pledge/donate
- The pledge form contains all the detailed information, including the bank account number and SWIFT code
contact us
If you have any suggestions or questions regarding the construction of the hall, please feel free to contact Brother Chiong Tiong (Chairman of the Church Building Fundraising Committee):
rcmc@cmcnz.org.nz