(Photo: Facebook/United Congregational Church)United Congregational Church in Bridgeport, Connecticut
Posted on 12/08/2016 8:59:07 AM PST by SeekAndFind
A Christian congregation in Connecticut that dates back to the 1600s has sold its church building to a Muslim group that plans to turn the building into a mosque.
(Photo: Facebook/United Congregational Church)United Congregational Church in Bridgeport, Connecticut
According to The Wall Street Journal, the historic United Congregational Church will sell its 1920s Georgian-Revival style church building to the Bridgeport Islamic Community Center for a price of $1 million.
The church dates back to the Colonial Era, when it was founded in 1695 as the Ecclesiastical Society of Stratfield. In 1916, the congregation merged with another congregation and officially became the United Congregational Church. Although the congregation once totalled over 3,000 members when the main church building was constructed, WSJ reports that the congregation total has dwindled to just 300.
Although the congregation has sold the church building, it will still remain a part of the community. The United Congregational Church plans to temporarily rent space at another building in the town until it can find another permanent location to buy. The two ministries will also form a partnership to run a soup kitchen and homeless shelter that will be located at the Islamic center.
"This is much bigger than a sale of a building. It's about healing wounds. It's about building peace. It's about making friends," the Rev. Sara Smith said at a press conference on Monday. "It is about showing a witness to the world that the children of Abraham and everybody else included can work together, can live together in respect and dignity. Isn't that what all of our faiths are about?"
Ahmed Ebrahim, who heads the Bridgeport Islamic Community Center, told WSJ that the two factors that led his organization to purchase the historic church building were that it's already zoned for religious use and has the space needed for the 1,000 Muslim families in the Bridgeport area that expect to worship and pray at the mosque.
"It's a perfect fit for our needs," Ebrahim explained, adding that the outgoing Christian congregation will help prepare the building by removing the cross from the altar.
"It's sad," Ellen Carter, a member of the United Congregational Church, told WSJ. "On the other hand, it's necessary, and we are happy it's again going to be used as a house of worship."
Similar things are happening in Bristol Township, Pennsylvania, where the closed Immaculate Conception B.V.M. Catholic Church was sold to the United American Muslim Society of Brooklyn for nearly $1.8 million in October.
The sale of the Catholic church comes after the congregation merged with the Queen of the Universe Parish in 2014. The church remained open as a worship facility until Jan. 1, the LevitttownNow.com reports.
Sorry I was unclear.
The church closed, was sold, and turned into a Mosque.
The building across the street from that Mosque
became a BBQ joint.
(though we do have a couple of former churches around here that were turned into bars)
ML/NJ
Yeah, and all the leftists are celebrating. Their fondest wish is to eliminate Christianity. Unfortunately, replacing it with izzlam is insanity.
Good for the BBQ place.
There’s hardly any of His real people left that even care.
Those that do probably number less than 10% of this nation.
This is the most disgusting thing a church can do!
“And so it begins.”
Actually, it seems like it began awhile ago. Take a gander at the Rev. Sara Smith’s church. Kumbaya? Mucho. How Great Thou Art? Nope.
It appears that we think alike.
^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^
My point, exactly
This is the most disgusting thing a church can do!
Don't know the details of what led it to this decision (I'm guessing empty pews played a part) but it's sad that another congregation didn't offer to buy it.
Better to demolish it.
Moron.
This is highly symbolic for what 0dungsh*t has done to America.
More “mainstream” Protestant baloney.
Not to mention a million bucks.
Your post sparked a thought for me. - This is what drug addicts do. They don’t like reality, so the start smoking/snorting/shooting something that will take them away from it. No concern for consequences: prison, exquisitely poor health, poverty, theft, prostitution, homelessness...
Anti-God folks do much the same thing. As long as they get away from God, they don’t care what they have to do (right now). By the time the consequences come, they can’t be avoided. No rehab if you go too far.
BARF!
Islam is not a religion, it is a political system.
Don’t know the details of what led it to this decision (I’m guessing empty pews played a part) but it’s sad that another congregation didn’t offer to buy it.
Obviously, the lesbo “Reverend” wanted her paws on a million bucks. That is a lot of globe trotting “retreats.”
Sickening.
Desecration accomplished: the former Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Church is now a functioning mosque.
===========================
Islamic State: 45 churches desecrated and converted into mosques
( https://www.jihadwatch.org/2014/08/islamic-state-45-churches-destroyed-and-converted-into-mosques )
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