Wonder how much they "raised" from the people for this purchase:
http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20090603/NEWS0103/306030080/Scientologists+buy+church
http://nky.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20090603/NEWS0103/306030080/Scientologists+buy+church
Scientologists buy Florence church
By Patrick Crowley • [email protected] • June 3, 2009
FLORENCE - The Church of Scientology is coming to Northern Kentucky, setting up in a building formerly owned by the Florence Baptist Church.
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Florence Baptist, which recently moved to a new $15 million church on Mount Zion Road, has sold its former church building at 283 Main Street in Florence for $1.64 million to the Cincinnati-based Church of Scientology of Ohio.
• Church of Scientology Web site
• Florence Baptist Church Web site
The deal closed last week and was announced to Florence Baptist members in a letter from the church trustees.
"After over five years of being on the open market, we are pleased to announce" the sale, the trustees wrote in the letter. "The money will now be applied to the cost of construction of the Florence Baptist Church at Mt. Zion campus."
Also under contract with another buyer is a second piece of property owned by Florence Baptist that is adjacent to the former church. The church has not released the identity of the potential buyer of the property, which is at the corner of Dixie Highway and Main Street in Florence.
Pete Coleman, associate pastor at Florence Baptist, said the sale had overwhelming support among its congregation.
"They are so excited about what God is doing here at Mt. Zion, and they are very excited because the sale of the property is going to make it easier for us to what we are doing here," Coleman said.
Florence Baptist began holding services in the new church in March. It features a soaring steeple visible from Interstate 75 and a sanctuary that can hold up to 1,500.
Florence Baptist had been working with a corporate Realtor "for well over five years" to sell the Florence property, Coleman said.
"We've been waiting for a long time to sell this property. Many people looked, all kinds of different businesses," Coleman said. "The Church of Scientology of Cincinnati saw that the building was for sale, made an offer, and ... purchased the 283 Main St. property.
