Florence Baptist, which recently moved to a new $15 million church on Mount Zion Road, sold its former church building at 283 Main St. in Florence for $1.64 million to the Cincinnati-based Church of Scientology of Ohio.
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.
The Cincinnati church purchased the property and is relocating to Florence because it has outgrown its location on West Fourth Street in downtown Cincinnati, spokeswoman Thalia Ghiglia wrote in an e-mail.
Cincinnati will be still be serviced by the church through the Florence location.
"Parishioners from around the country and around the world come to Cincinnati for services at this church as it is one of the leaders in its quality of delivery of spiritual counseling," Ghiglia said. "The church also offers weekend seminars, participates in volunteer activities to benefit the city and runs the church's anti-drug and human rights campaigns.
"Accordingly, we have picked the new building to be able to better service our parishioners and the community," she wrote.
A grand opening is scheduled for late this year. The Church of Scientology will renovate the property to include:
- An area to watch videos about Scientology and Scientologists.
- A large chapel and auditorium for Sunday services, naming ceremonies, weddings and other functions.
- Rooms for counseling and instruction.
- Church offices.
The move to Florence is part of a program that includes the purchase of more than 80 new buildings over the last four years. Ghiglia said there are more than 7,900 Scientology churches, offices and missions in 164 countries.
Florence Baptist began holding services in its new church in March. It features a soaring steeple visible from Interstate 75 and a sanctuary that can hold up to 1,500.
Pete Coleman, associate pastor at Florence Baptist, said the sale had overwhelming support among its congregation.
"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 it."
Scientology was founded in the 1950s by L. Ron Hubbard, a prolific writer of science fiction.
"The Church of Scientology is a practical religion, based on the research and discoveries of American writer and philosopher L. Ron Hubbard," Ghiglia wrote. "People find the philosophy of Scientology extremely useful in their lives, especially since it sees the individual as spiritual, but without trying to enforce any dogma about God."
Many associate Scientology with some of its famous followers, including actors Tom Cruise and John Travolta.
Directly across Main Street from the former Florence Baptist property is the Florence Christian Church Disciples of Christ.
Co-pastor Rev. Diane Zehr, who ministers at the church with her husband Jerry, said Wednesday that she not know about the sale but that recently a member of the church stopped by and left some information about scientology.
"I don't know very much about (Scientology)," Zehr said. "I think it's very different from what we believe."
Zehr said when the Scientologists move in she'll walk across the street to welcome them to the community.
"Am I going to believe everything that Scientology believes, probably not," Zehr said Wednesday. "But am I going to reject someone because they have a different idea, absolutely not."
- An area to watch videos about Scientology and Scientologists.
- A large chapel and auditorium for Sunday services, naming ceremonies, weddings and other functions.
- Rooms for counseling and instruction.
- Church offices.
The move to Florence is part of a program that includes the purchase of more than 80 new buildings over the last four years. Ghiglia said there are more than 7,900 Scientology churches, offices and missions in 164 countries.
Florence Baptist began holding services in its new church in March. It features a soaring steeple visible from Interstate 75 and a sanctuary that can hold up to 1,500.
Pete Coleman, associate pastor at Florence Baptist, said the sale had overwhelming support among its congregation.
"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 it."
Scientology was founded in the 1950s by L. Ron Hubbard, a prolific writer of science fiction.
"The Church of Scientology is a practical religion, based on the research and discoveries of American writer and philosopher L. Ron Hubbard," Ghiglia wrote. "People find the philosophy of Scientology extremely useful in their lives, especially since it sees the individual as spiritual, but without trying to enforce any dogma about God."
Many associate Scientology with some of its famous followers, including actors Tom Cruise and John Travolta.
Directly across Main Street from the former Florence Baptist property is the Florence Christian Church Disciples of Christ.
Co-pastor Rev. Diane Zehr, who ministers at the church with her husband Jerry, said Wednesday that she not know about the sale but that recently a member of the church stopped by and left some information about scientology.
"I don't know very much about (Scientology)," Zehr said. "I think it's very different from what we believe."
Zehr said when the Scientologists move in she'll walk across the street to welcome them to the community.
"Am I going to believe everything that scientology believes, probably not," Zehr said Wednesday. "But am I going to reject someone because they have a different idea, absolutely not."
