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紐約恩惠歸正教會沿革1  /Winfield Reformed Church: A Brief History1, (English version after Chinese Version)

1880-1968: 美國荷蘭裔教會

本教會前身是新城教會開設, 名叫 ‘希望佈道所’2 於成立於18683.  1880 “希望堂” 建於皇后大道WinfieldJunction地區4。在1907年教會正式更名為Winfield荷蘭歸正教會。因皇后大道拓寬工程, 1914年教堂被移動到並擴建於當前教會站立之地 。根據工程師於1983年報告, 前牧師館大約建於1910後期。

教會中最出色牧師是馬雅各 (任職從1945年至1956年)。在他的事奉中教會的成員有178人和主日學學生75位達到最頂峰。到1960年教會的牧師Roberston熱誠支助施嘉爾牧師在台灣宜教工作。因此為台灣移民預備能從荷蘭信徒手中白白承授這一教會為己用。當時教會的生命動力還是很強。之後教勢每況下降。

1969-1973: 族群變遷

當時郭得烈牧師 (只同姓非親戚)在紐約美國聖經公會就職又住在教會附近, 得知教會生存困境。他招募台灣的留學生和移民到Winfield作禮拜。得到中會同意,他就從1969年到1973年擔任合約牧師5牧養黃白人。主曰他用英文講道. 後來有部份會眾不暗英語, 就有台語口譯。拓荒者異像讓後代享用無盡。

1973 至今: 台語教會

黃武東牧師就任後(第一次從1973年至1978年), 時世變遷, 主日禮拜用台語及英語口譯, 因為講台語會友比講英語的較多。依據這個事實紐約Winfield歸正教會成為在北美的第一間台語教會,命名為恩惠歸正教會。在1976年, 教會從一位教會會友購買了與舊牧師館之間相鄰房產當教育館。有頭胎生之苦但回味甘甜。

當教會主曰出席全盛時期 (王成章牧會期間1983年) 曾成立過一個建築委員會考慮重建一個新教堂或翻修向後擴建。在王成章牧師任內教會奠定資與量美好基礎。當時有七位行醫會友。每月一次家庭禮拜。這是恩惠的黃金時代。

1990年代中期在林昭義牧師任內(1990-1997),教會展開了一系列的工程。從禮拜堂內部維修粉刷,天花板和屋頂間木樑加強維修到建築副堂, 改善老舊牧師館成學生中心, 改修教育館成新的牧師館。所有這些工程都需要錢要很多金錢。上帝的恩典是足夠所有成員之承擔和奉獻。該副堂於1995年完工, 其工程費約25萬美元。最後這些建設和改善所有費用開銷還清後尚有$ 300,000留在銀行帳戶內。雖然教勢平穩,教會會友和睦相愛是多甜蜜。

教會自1994聘任 Sean Quinlan6 為英語青年教育事工, 而後由龍雅各接任(1999 – 2001年9月)全職牧養青年一代。當時,趙主亮牧師 (從1999 – 2009) 於1999年3月7日封立成堂會牧師。在他最初的兩,三年中,他似乎帶領我們到一個應許之地。但它像盛開的花朵, 很快枯萎。龍雅各被迫離開恩惠後整個英語會眾不久也都離去。有一部份的會員也隋後離開恩惠。副堂人去樓空直到2011年才出租給一韓國教會使用。兩個牧師之間爭論不合和銀行餘額存款成為詛咒之源。教會成員的數量和質量每況下降,是個黑暗艱難磡硈時期。

目前教會牧師是莫正義(2001年9月來任,2012/4/15就任牧師職)是有恩賜重靈恩牧者7。垂死的教會望能被催生。雖然長執會換湯不換藥有變本加利之疑。願上帝憐憫引導, 新人新希望新酒裝在新皮囊,引導羊群到青翠草埔。 願榮耀歸於咱ê主。

郭嘉仁

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1這篇文章是根據林義堅長老在教會2000年千禧特刊第2頁上的文章。他告訴我這是已故施純弘長老提供給他有關1956之前資訊,是當他於1994-1995年間為建副堂搜索歷史文件時所找到的 。但是我們無法驗證其準確性。林長老同意我可引用他的文章來寫一較簡短本登在這個綱站上。

2參, Inventory of Church Archives of NYC: Prepared by the Historical Records Survey, Division of  Professional and Service Project, by James Richard Joy, 1940, p. 95, 這植堂名稱叫 Hope Mission.  Internet searchable.

3參, www.laijohn.cpm/archives/pc/Li/li,SChiong/ministry/1980-1997.htm, 第三段有提到這年度事宜. 此文是李信彰牧師新城教會台語設教廿十週年感言.

4參, Charles Edward Corwin, A Manual of the Reformed Church in America (Former Reformed Protestant), 1628-1922,  Page 684 under Borough of Queens.  有提到地區名稱為 Winfield Junction. 這個地名基於 Winfield Scott 的功勞使Winfield Junction 內戰後成為交通要道及新興早期工業地帶.  後者參, 綱頁 internet article entitled as forgotten-ny.com/2004/12/the-general-and-queens/, by Christiana Wilkinson (Dec 3, 2012). 據綱頁搜索得知, 德語移民在Winfield Junction南端建他們的天主教教堂 St. Mary. 恩惠教會(Winfield Reformed church)是荷蘭人的教會.

5合約牧師是個教規術語. (Status Supply, Contract minister or even pulpit supply 皆宜使用無大區別). 一般來講, 合約牧師是主曰講道牧師. 它異於按立堂會牧會.  前者沒有行政責任及權利.

6根據1994和會報告#24: “聘Mr. Sean Quinlan 為 ‘Assistant to Pastor’ 帶領青少年主曰禮拜, 青少少年主曰學及其他事工”.

7參, www. vimeo.com/39174434; or a video post at:  prmi.org/…/a-church-being-restored-in-the-power-of-the-holy-spirit. 這是莫牧師在 March 12, 2012 PRMI, (Presbyterian Reformed Ministry International, a Dunamis [Δυναμισ] 華語事工)時在恩惠教會所留下影片. 他理壯述說聖靈如何使用他, 讓恩惠有一片生氣喜樂哭聲. 在此片中, 他確認一個小時的主曰講道勝過半個小時加主曰成人主曰學. 此後主曰崇拜音樂禱告約10分鐘, 握手請安約束10分鐘, 講道約三刻. 雖然週報登會後有成人主曰學, 據我所知, 自他就任後至今, 他只有主持過一次會後主曰學.

郭嘉仁, 2012年 待降節第二週 修改



Winfield Reformed Church: A Brief History1

Prior 1969:  American Dutch Congregation

Our predecessor was a planted mission2 by Newtown Reformed Church, Elmhurst in 18683. House of Hope was erected during1880 nearby the Queens Blvd at a location known as Winfield Junction4. In 1907 the church’s name was changed officially as Winfield Reformed Dutch Church. Due to the widening project of the Queen Blvd, the church structure was moved intact and enlarged as the current sanctuary in 1914. According to Engineer report at 1983, the old parsonage was built around late 1910s.

The most noted minister at Winfield is Rev. James Martin (served from 1945 till 1956). Under his ministry the church members peaked at 178 and Sunday school scholars at 75. By 1960 church minister Robertson, who supported beyond the measure the Rev. Schroeder’s foreign mission at Taiwan (see www.winfieldnyc.org/?p=227, for further reading).  This is the prominent factor that the Taiwanese could inherit (in every sense of this word) this church in its entirety.   The church vitality was still very strong then. Soon after this Robertson ministry, the church went down hill.

Transition Period from 1969 to 1973: The Changing of The Means of Spoken Word

At that time, the Rev. Andrew Kuo (not related to me), working then at America Bible Society, NYC, resided near the church and realized the bind the church underwent with. He recruited Taiwanese students and immigrants to attend the worship at Winfield. With the blessing of the classis, he served as “status supply”5 minister from 1969 till 1973. He preached in English all through his ministry here and Taiwanese interpretation was provided when needed. His vision benefitted those who came to worship and congregate at Woodside after his ministry.

Post 1973: Taiwanese Congregation

At the outset of the Rev. Huang’ ministry (his first tour at Winfield from 1973 till 1978), the Sunday service was in Taiwanese and English interpretation supplied, for the Taiwanese was more in number than English speaking ones. By the virtue of this fact, Winfield Reformed Church in New York had become the very first Taiwanese-speaking church in Northern America, a very dubious honor.  At 1976, the church purchased an adjacent property from a church member as the Christian Education Building.  As it came to pass, the church endured the pain of the first-born and the blessing and the joy of the birth of a new Taiwanese congregation abided with us forever!

At the heydays in term of church attendance, the church formed in 1983 one Building Committee to consider the feasibility of extending the sanctuary to the rear under the Rev. Wong’s ministry, through whom the vitality of the Taiwanese congregation had been solidified and well run in terms of quantity and quality of the membership. During that period, church had 7 practicing MDs.  This is the golden era of Winfield Taiwanese congregation.

During mid 1990s under the Rev. Lin’s ministry, the church embarked a series of projects building the chapel, renovating the old parsonage as a student center & the Christian Education Building as the parsonage and renovating the sanctuary (reinforced the sagging roof and fixed the cracked ceilings and fresh painting). All these things took money and ton of money. The grace is sufficient for all the members to bear and to contribute. The chapel was completed in 1995. In the end, all these construction and renovation were paid off with more or less $300,000 left in the bank. Even the church statistics remained in the plane but the fellowship among the church overflowed with abundant joy.

Winfield had contracted with Mr. Sean Quinlan since 19946 as church Youth Christian worker and Jim Long (1999 – Sept. 2001) replaced his position in 1999 on full-time ministering to our English-speaking congregation. At that time, the Rev. Peter Chao (served from 1999 – 2009) answered our call and was installed on March 7, 1999. In his initial two, three years he seemed to lead us to a promised land. But it is like a blooming flower and soon withered. Jim Long left Winfield and soon thereafter the whole youth congregation was disappeared from our midst. Likewise, a large number of members left Winfield also. The chapel stayed vacant till 2011, and now serves as a rental property to a Korean church group. The quarrel between two church ministers and the bank out-size balance had become the source of curse in rendering the Winfield’s downward decline in quality and quantity of church members. It was a dark, troubling and trying time.  May God have a mercy on us!!

And now, the Rev. Amos Mo (ministering since Sept. 2001 and installed on 4/15/2012), a gifted speaker and spiritualism inclined7, has brought back the moribund church to life. We hope the new wine being put into the new wineskin!  Lead us to a greener pasture!

May Glory be to our Lord only!

– Livingstone Kuo

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1This writing is based on an article written by Elder Franz Lin as appeared in the Church 2000 Millennium Edition on page 2. He told me that the late Elder Shih searched through historical documents in preparation for the chapel project during 1994-1995 and shared with him these facts and information. Elder Lin is gracious enough giving me permission to prepare a shorter version based on his article.  However, I am unable of verifying the accuracy on some information mentioned within this article as of Dec. 11, 2012

2See, Inventory of Church Archives of NYC: Prepared by the Historical Records Survey, Division of  Professional and Service Project, by James Richard Joy, 1940, p. 95, the church entity was referred as Hope Mission.  Internet searchable.

3See, the third paragraph of the following post, www.laijohn.cpm/archives/pc/Li/li,SChiong/ministry/1980-1997.htm, The post is in Chinese.  It was the Rev. Billy Lee ‘s (李信彰牧師) reflection on his 20-year Taiwanese ministry at Newtown Reformed Church.  He mentioned this set of fact.

4The name of the community was mentioned officially as Winfield Junction, see, Charles Edward Corwin, A Manual of the Reformed Church in America (Former Reformed Protestant), 1628-1922,  Page 684 under Borough of Queens. The name-sake of Winfield Junction is related to Winfield Scott, who had made Winfield Junction a prominent rail transportation hub sometime after the Civil War.  For this issue, please visit internet article entitled asforgotten-ny.com/2004/12/the-general-and-queens/, by Christiana Wilkinson (Dec 3, 2012). We shall note that the initial congregation in fact was Dutch speaking while the German-speaking immigrants establish their Catholic church at the south-side of Queens Blv. of Winfield Junction as St. Mary Catholic Church.

5On this ecclesiastical matter per our denomination regulation, minister under contract or “status supply” is a minister without the status of being installed as a full member of the classis; thus this kind of minister can not preside over the consistory business transactions.  Other than that, such a person is a minister in every sense of that word but the administrative responsibility and privilege.

6Per the Winfield 1994 Annual Report #24, it stated his title as ‘Assistant to Pastor’ to lead youth Sunday service, Sunday school and the related.

7Please see a video recorded on March 12, 2012 at PRMI, a Dunamis [Δυναμισ] Chinese Project, www. vimeo.com/39174434; or  a video post at:  prmi.org/…/a-church-being-restored-in-the-power-of-the-holy-spirit.

Livingstone Kuo, Amended, the 2nd Week of Advent, 2012

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