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Church parking near stadiums scores big in win-win for congregations and sports fans_我的网站

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A | CHESTER, Pa. -- The Eagles and the NFL might still be the sports favorites at Calvary Baptist Church, just outside Philadelphia. But many here are also rooting for a neighboring team which last year reached the championship game of Major League Soccer.Their new-found fandom is all about location — and revenue from parking. The Philadelphia Union plays at Subaru Park, a stadium beside the Delaware River just a few blocks from Calvary in the economically challenged city of Chester. Its poverty rate is among the highest in the metro area.As the Union continues to attract loyal fans and reach new heights, so have the blessings bestowed on this historic church where Martin Luther King Jr. attended as a seminarian.It has been crucial. Like many other Black Protestant churches, Calvary Baptist struggled financially during the coronavirus pandemic. Attendance fell, and along with it, funding. But the church has transformed its parking lot to accommodate game-day fundraisers, with volunteers from the congregation staffing the lots and selling spaces for $15 per vehicle.These days, the church raises up to $3,000 per game — about half of what goes into the collection plate on Sundays, said its pastor, Keith Dickens. The welcome influx of extra money is being used to pay for utilities, ministries and a new speaker system that will allow Calvary to reach a broader audience by broadcasting its services online.“It’s been a blessing,” said Dickens, who on a recent game day proudly sported a Philadelphia Union hat. "Not only just to generate funding, but also to meet and minister to new people.”Across the nation, houses of worship located near stadiums — from Boston’s Fenway Park to the Green Bay Packers’ Lambeau Field — have opened their parking lots to legions of fans.For churches offering parking near pro-soccer stadiums, their coffers recently received an assist from the world’s best active player, Lionel Messi who joined an MLS roster this year. All 250 parking spaces at the Calvary lot were full when Messi’s Inter Miami played the Union.Jeffrey Scholes, co-author of “Religion and Sports in American Culture,” said churches like Calvary show a growing willingness to use “secular entities like sport for religious purposes” including, “continuing a ministry, feeding the poor, keeping the lights on, things that ideally churches do."In the past, Scholes said clergy might have preferred the “old-fashioned way” of getting churchgoers to donate while shunning the sports-fan parking business as too “worldly."“There’s just much more openness to different kinds of nonreligious tactics to perform the necessary functions of a church or synagogue or mosque,” Scholes said. It also offers an opportunity to share with fans the history of congregations like Calvary, which was founded in 1879 by a group of formerly enslaved Africans seeking freedom to worship.On a recent game day, fans decked in the Union's navy, signal blue and gold colors pulled into parking spots in front of Calvary's colorful mural that pays homage to King. The civil rights leader worshipped at the church from 1948-1951, when he attended Chester’s Crozer Theological Seminary. Chester has a notable cultural and industrial history, but now has economic difficulties that make Calvary's new parking revenue all the more appreciated.“For us, if it gives back to a cause, it makes it all the better,” Abe Gitterman, age 37 and Jewish, said before he paid the parking fee. Next to him, his 6-and 7-year-old sons pointed to the mural and asked parking attendant and church member Lisa Lewis if this was the same man they had learned about in school. “Yes,” she replied, smiling. “It feels good,” she later said, “to tell them the history about the church.”It can also be fun. In Lubbock, Texas, Leslie Cranford, a parishioner at St. John’s United Methodist Church, said Texas Tech football fans have tailgated with RVs — taking up to four spots ($10 each) — in the church parking lot, near the Red Raiders' Jones AT&T Stadium. Sometimes, rival fans park at the church. “We tell them: we got to charge you extra!” Cranford said, laughing. She introduced the parking program at her congregation two decades ago. On a good season, they make up to $2,000 per game. “Dwindling attendance is a problem," Cranford said. "So, this helps us maintain our ministries.” In Boston, the Christian Science Church opened its parking garage to the public in 2014. That includes Red Sox fans who can park for $30 — a lower rate than closer to Fenway Park. Kevin Ness, manager of the Christian Science Committees on Publication, said the revenue helps cover the operating expenses of Christian Science Plaza, a popular tourist attraction which sits on top of the garage in the Fenway neighborhood. “This in turn allows the contributions from members to directly support the worldwide healing mission of the church,” he said. In Green Bay, Wisconsin, Bethany Church began its Packers parking program in 2010.“We thought it would be a great avenue for outreach, and a way to get funds to help support the growing ministries,” Bethany’s administrative assistant, Jill Connerym said via email. The church doesn’t have a set charge, and instead asks for donation, Connery said, adding that “many people are very generous.”Packers parking helps fund programs, including youth ministries, small group learning and building facility upgrades, Connery said. The church parking lot is often full on game days.“We are known for our hospitality,” she said. “We had a volunteer who began giving rides to Lambeau from our parking lot, free of charge to whoever didn’t want to walk the .5 miles to the stadium. So, now we are known for our shuttle service, and friendly volunteers.”Churches also have embraced other fans. Nashville First Church of the Nazarene offered their parking lots for three shows attended by thousands at nearby Nissan Stadium during the Nashville leg of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. The parking program ($30 a spot) also is popular during Tennessee Titans games and has helped fund ministries in Nashville and missions in Haiti and Kenya.“Every one of these dollars comes right back in to help people,” said its senior pastor, Kevin Ulmet. “When people hear that, they love that, they say ‘we want to be a part of that.’ And that, to me, is the classic definition of win-win.”__Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.。 8月26日讯 B费接受采访，谈及他对新赛季的期待等话题（注：此次采访在英超首轮比赛前）。

B | 记者：布鲁诺，我们上一次对话还是在四月份，之后曼联在最后六场比赛拿下五场胜利，再度拿到欧冠参赛资格。如今新赛季已经到来，曼联新赛季的目标是什么？对曼联而言，拿到怎样的成绩，才会让你感到满意？对我来说，就是争取赢下每一场比赛。我不接受低于这个标准的结果。只要我们踏上赛场，每一场比赛都要全力争胜，我们不会有第二种想法，这家俱乐部本就不该背离这样的追求，我相信曼联有能力应对每一场比赛，无惧任何对手。记者：上赛季很多时刻，你仿佛总能在自己想要的节点掌控比赛走势，当你送出与众不同的助攻时，你的内心是什么感受？防守球员在你眼里是不是变得更容易对付，传球线路也变得更加开阔？上赛季你的内心状态是否产生了变化？我已经说过很多次了，重点不在于我的助攻数据，更在于完成破门的队友。如果你观察我的比赛方式，其实并没有发生改变。我知道外界总觉得我的表现出现了一些变化，但我创造机会的数量，一直都处在联赛顶尖行列。真正的区别在于，我的队友把握机会完成了得分，毕竟助攻本就建立在队友进球的基础之上。在我看来，没有什么比球员取得进球更重要。记者：你内心真的是这么想的吗，就好像你每个赛季本都可以送出21记助攻？或许还能更多，但我更乐于看到队友收获进球。我希望队内的前锋们不断破门得分。当然，如果我能更多为他们创造得分机会，我会十分开心。这不是为了我个人收获助攻，而是希望他们可以打进更多球。记者：和其他战术体系相比，在卡里克的中场体系当中，你所承担的角色有哪些不一样的地方？显然，在迈克尔接手之前，我的站位会更靠后一些，更多负责把控比赛节奏，在更深的位置拿球。这也就意味着我距离更容易制造威胁的区域更远。要知道在对方最后三分之一场区，创造机会远比回撤拿球时容易得多。但与此同时，我回撤也给其他队友腾出了空间与时间，让他们去创造机会，把球输送给前锋完成终结。

C | 真正的变化就是我的场上站位有所前提。再加上球队的战术体系发生改变，整体运转模式也随之变化，禁区内的接应点变得更多，在对方最后三分之一场区的传球选择也更为丰富。

D | 记者：这个休赛期球队的阵容再度完成重塑，曼联签下年轻巴西中场安德烈·桑托斯，尤里·蒂勒曼斯也正式加盟。蒂勒曼斯十分喜欢高位、尽早接球，而且擅长一脚出球完成处理。过去这几周你们一同合练，你们之间形成了怎样的配合默契？蒂勒曼斯身上哪些特质令你印象深刻？蒂勒曼斯拥有丰富的英超征战经验，已经在英超效力多年。他的持球能力十分出众，所有人都清楚他覆盖范围极广的传球，终结能力同样堪称顶尖。他有大量禁区外远射破门的精彩代表作，我们也十分期待他可以为球队贡献这类得分。除此之外，他还能为中场带来经验与从容，能够快速向前出球，利用对方防线的空当，让身前的队友可以从容拿球，减轻我们做决策的压力。能和这样一名后场出球能力出众的队友并肩作战，是非常棒的体验。再说说安德烈，他的逼抢能力很强，擅长快速向前出球，击穿对手防线。如果我没记错，上赛季英超联赛里，他们二人的穿透性传球次数都排在联赛前列。

E | 这对于身前的球员而言意义重大，意味着我们可以频繁拿到皮球。记者：你曾表示，曼联想要在全部38轮联赛当中具备争冠实力，最需要做到的就是持续稳定，场场保持专注。要如何培养这种特质？是单纯依靠训练就能达成，还是需要通过其他方式去养成？如果是后者，该怎么做？我认为需要通过多种途径去打磨，同时这也要根植于我们的思维当中。每一名球员都要明白，赢下一场比赛远远不够。就拿即将到来的首轮联赛来说，我们的对手是一支升班马，这场较量会十分艰难，赫尔城的主场球场届时必定人声鼎沸，球队重返英超，揭幕战就对阵曼联，他们一定会给我们制造巨大麻烦。

F | 记者：比赛场次变多，也意味着曼联青训小将能获得更多证明自己的机会。季前赛有两名19岁小将表现收获大量关注，他们是谢伊·莱西、哈里·阿马斯。你认为谁会成为曼联本赛季爆发的新星？有没有哪位球员，外界讨论不多，但你看到他在训练场上状态火热？除了你提到的年轻球员，还有杰克·弗莱彻与泰勒·弗莱彻，二人的表现都十分出色，天赋出众。丹·哈默的发挥同样亮眼。我们队内有一大批潜力出众的年轻才俊，但我们不能揠苗助长，需要给予他们成长的时间。球员唯有上场、拿到比赛分钟数，才能真正打磨成长。与此同时，一线队的竞争十分激烈，他们需要靠自己的实力去争取队内位置。

G | 记者：如今是你征战英超的第八个赛季，过去七个赛季你持续奉献顶尖水准。

H | 对比2020年1月初来曼彻斯特的那个你，现在坐在我面前的你，发生了哪些改变？没有改变。我依旧是那个渴望胜利、渴望登场、享受足球的球员，内核没有丝毫变化。唯一的区别就是，2020年我初来乍到，而现在我已经在这里效力许久。但我每个赛季给自己定下的目标，从来都不会因为效力时长而发生改变。记者：真的一点变化都没有吗？确实没有。记者：你现在已经31岁。勒布朗、迈克尔·乔丹这些运动员都聊过，步入三十岁之后，会适度调整打法，扬长避短。

I | 而你，完全没有做出改变？我会按照主教练的战术要求，发挥自身优势。如果我做不到，那我就该让出位置。每一名球员都要认清自己所处的阶段。上赛季我的发挥很不错，但还不够好，所以本赛季我必须做得更出色。记者：那心理层面呢？历经八个赛季，坐镇老特拉福德球场，你保持心态鲜活的秘诀是什么？对我来说，就是尽自己所能做到最好，留在最高水平的赛场，为曼联征战英超。记者：你在2020年1月30日加盟曼联，六年半过去，你身上最具备曼彻斯特特质的习惯是什么？要说的话其实并不多。唯一一点就是，我现在很爱去咖啡馆。

J | 说实话，在葡萄牙我也会去，但只吃早餐的时候才会光顾。现在一天当中任意时段，我都愿意去喝杯咖啡，这是我从前没有的习惯。不过英式茶我还是喝不惯，实在接受不了往牛奶里加水再放茶包的喝法。汤姆·伊顿手里总拿着一杯，但如果他约我出门喝东西，我会赴约，只不过我会选卡布奇诺、拿铁这类饮品，暂时还是不会尝试英式茶。记者：聊聊咖啡之外的话题，你为曼联送出过诸多助攻，你个人最中意哪一记？我会说是下一记，我永远想要更多、想要做得更好。但如果非要选出印象最深的两记，有一个我总容易记混，那就是欧冠对阵莱比锡，我不看人传球助攻马库斯·拉什福德破门。当时边裁先举旗示意越位，随后VAR介入判定进球有效。

K | 另外一记就是足总杯决赛对阵曼城，助攻科比·梅努得分。就我所处的位置而言，那记助攻更多考验场上观察意识，而非单纯的技术、传球脚法。

L | 你要时刻留意空当、队友的跑位，把握传球的时机与球速。这两记助攻，我都十分喜欢。

M | 记者：新赛季你希望自己交出一份怎样的答卷？比上赛季做得更好，不拘泥于哪一个环节。我希望比赛当中的方方面面都取得进步，职业生涯每一年都成为更好的自己。我的目标始终是竭尽所能提升个人能力，只有这样，我才能帮助球队取得更多成功。

N | 记者：布鲁诺，你的职业生涯还有很长。

o | 但当你的球员生涯落幕，你希望自己被人们记住怎样的标志性成就？你希望世人如何铭记布鲁诺·费尔南德斯这名球员？我最希望大家记住的，是我为每一家效力过的俱乐部倾尽所有。每到一处，我都会毫无保留，竭尽所能。无论是心理层面还是身体层面，每一场比赛我都拼尽全力，这一点对我而言不容妥协。有些比赛我的技术发挥有好有坏，但拼搏、求胜欲望、跑动，每一场都为球队、为俱乐部倾尽全力，这一点我永远要做到满分。