News . . .

Pretty soon you will be hearing about a large property purchase in our fair city. There has been talk of it for some time, and was even mentioned in the newspapers a few months back. It involves the property that was originally owned by Calvary Temple Ministries on the corner of Lima Road and Washington Center Road.

The Paino family were pastors at that particular church for many years and a church split happened in 2003 after allegations of financial issues and indiscretion of the pastoral staff . The Paino family went on to found Carroll Road church, from which they recently resigned after Paul C. Paino's marriage to Sharon Carney last fall. The congregation that was left formed Lifebridge. It has been a rocky road with a lawsuit by the Paino family, a foreclosure on the building on Washington Center. Both churches that formed from the old Calvary Temple have since gone on to build new buildings.

The Washington Center Property reverted back to the hands of the Assemblies of God Financial Services when it didn't get enough money at a sheriff's auction last year. At this point, First Assembly of God on Coliseum Boulevard began to actively search for a buyer for their building. A seller was found and was courted over the past few months. That seller was courting another buyer for their property.

Today the dominoes all fell. In a joint closing, Saint Francis bought the piece of property across from the university that was owned by Abundant Life Ministries. They in turn purchased the land that First Assembly currently sits on, and that left First Assembly open to buy the Washington Center property. The Washington Center property will undergo extensive renovation since most of the building behind the new 3,000 seat sanctuary is old and very outdated and will house First Assembly as early as this fall.