「熏肉大盗」不阻德州教会外展：Irving熊溪社区教会牛胸肉被盗后获捐补缺，外展照常
据Baptist Press 10月30日报道，德克萨斯州Irving市的熊溪社区教会（Bear Creek Community Church）几周前遭遇一桩盗窃：牧师Dennis Webb为教会无家可归者事工Many Helping Hands的年度募捐晚宴熏制牛胸肉时，发现少了两块。Webb起初以为是自己放错了地方，查看监控录像后确认肉被偷走。
被盗的两块牛胸肉每块价值300美元。教会把监控录像交给警方并报了案。几天后，其中一名窃贼向Irving警察局自首，并供出同伙姓名；警方了解到，两人已把两块牛胸肉卖掉。Webb说，这名自首者当天早些时候刚在教会领过食物；一名警员告诉他，此人已有悔意。
事情传开后，一名当地电台主持人采访了Webb，并捐出20块牛胸肉弥补损失；因教会没有地方存放，首批先送来10块，Webb已把它们用在青少年团体的募捐活动上。Webb说，如今人人都谈论这桩「熏肉大盗」事件，也想尝尝他的烧烤。
熊溪社区教会的外展服务并未因此停下：除食物外，教会还为无家可归的邻居提供医疗与咨询服务、可移动淋浴车，冬季提供庇护；每周五晚，教会成员还为幼儿园到12年级的学生提供免费辅导。该教会最初由Webb在家中发起的一个互助小组发展而来，后正式成立；2006年购入现址26,000平方英尺的设施。2017年，一场三级火警烧毁了4,000平方英尺的礼拜堂，会众此后九年持续募款，要新建一座7,500平方英尺的礼拜中心，并坚持现款现付、不背债务。
（来源：Baptist Press）
'Brisket Bandits' Don't Deter Texas Church's Outreach: Irving's Bear Creek Church Receives Donated Briskets After Theft
Two briskets smoked by Pastor Dennis Webb of Bear Creek Community Church in Irving, Texas, for an annual fundraising dinner benefiting the church's Many Helping Hands homeless ministry were stolen a few weeks ago, Baptist Press reported on October 30. Webb said something did not look right as he checked the meat; after retracing his steps, he confirmed from security camera footage that the briskets were gone.
The two briskets were valued at $300 apiece. The church turned its security footage over to police and filed a report. Days later, one of the thieves turned himself in to the Irving Police Department and named his accomplice; police learned the men had sold the two briskets. Webb said the man who turned himself in had been served food at the church earlier that same day, and that an officer told him the man was remorseful.
As word spread, a local radio show host interviewed Webb and donated 20 briskets to make up for the loss; with no room to store them all, he brought 10 last week, which Webb used for the youth group fundraiser. "Everyone now talks about the 'brisket bandits' and wants to know about my barbecue," Webb said.
The church's outreach has continued: alongside food, Bear Creek provides medical and counseling services for homeless neighbors, a portable shower trailer and shelter in the winter months, and church members offer free tutoring on Friday evenings for students from kindergarten through 12th grade. The congregation grew out of a support group Webb started in his home and formally launched with 37 people; in 2006 it purchased the 26,000-square-foot facility it now calls home. In 2017, a three-alarm fire destroyed its 4,000-square-foot sanctuary, and members have spent nine years raising funds for a new 7,500-square-foot worship center, paying cash as they go so the church carries no debt.
(Source: Baptist Press)
来源：Baptist Press
发布：GSM·美国（发布链接）
图片来源：烟熏牛胸肉（资料图）。Johnsparks75 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Smoked brisket (file photo). Photo by Johnsparks75, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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