TAMPA --

Cuba has allowed construction of the country's first new Catholic church in 55 years that's being funded by Tampa parishioners, the church said Monday.

Experts said it's a sign of improving relations between the Vatican and Cuba's communist government.

The church will be built in Sandino, a citrus and coffee-growing town in the far-western province of Pinar del Rio.

Father Ramon Hernandez at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Tampa said they've been collecting donations from their parishioners for the past few years to fund the Cuban church.

So far, they've collected half the amount of the total cost of the church which is expected to be $90,000 and open in the next couple of years.

"In Cuba, time is different than here," Father Hernandez said. "I hope in one to two years well be finished.

The church publication "Christian Life" said it will have space for 200 people.

"The construction of a church is a clear demonstration of a new phase, of an improvement, in relations between the church and the state," said Enrique Lopez Oliva, a professor of the history of religions at the University of Havana.

Father Hernandez, 69, who was born in Cuba and left the country in 1980, said St. Lawrence Catholic Church was built by Cubans.

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Tampa parishioners fund first new Catholic church in Cuba in 55 years

Seven months of construction is now complete on the expanded Loft building at The Woodlands United Methodist Church.

The Loft worship community will held three identical dedication services to celebrate the building opening: Saturday, Oct. 25 at 6 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 26 at 9:30 and 11 a.m. These will also become the new worship times for the Loft community.

The church will open expanded nursery and childrens areas and a new hospitality area, as well as the renovated worship center, which now seats up to 850 people.

We never imagined Loft worship becoming so popular that we needed to expand, said Dr. Ed Robb, senior pastor.

That tells me were doing something right. The modern music and media-driven format resonates with an audience looking for something different in worship. Weve created a safe place for people to come ask questions and to seek connection with others and with God in new and meaningful ways.

The Loft worship community has been meeting in a gymnasium space on the church campus during construction. Attendance averages 1,400 for three Loft worship services each weekend, causing crowding in previous worship spaces.

The Loft expansion is the third of three building projects to expand the church and its ministries as part of the $20M Imagine capital campaign. The church is expanding to keep pace with new construction in Town Center and overall population growth in The Woodlands and South Montgomery County.

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Expanded Loft reopens at The Woodlands United Methodist Church

TAMPA (FOX 13) -

The first stone for a church is laid in Santino, Cuba.

A priest blesses a new building.

"(They say), Father, this is ours," said Father Ramon Hernandez. "(They say) this is what we want. That's important."

For decades, Father Hernandez has wished his native city of 40,000, could have a place to worship.

"I never broke my tie with my family, my friends and my church in Cuba," Hernandez said.

But Cuba's government blocked new churches, forcing believers to hold services in their own homes.

After visits from several Popes, the government relaxed its opposition.

This year, Father Hernandez, of Tampa's St. Lawrence Church, helped win approval for a new building.

"Some Cubans are looking for the past," said Hernandez. "I am looking for the future. In that future, the church has a special role in Cuban life."

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Tampa parish raises money for new Catholic Church in Cuba

For the first time in 55 years, a new Catholic Church will be erected in Cuba -- a sign that the countrys communist government is improving relations with the Vatican. The church which will be built in Santiago de Cuba, where many churches were damaged or destroyed during Hurricane Sandy.

I think its not only about improving attitudes to the Catholic Church, but to churches in general, Archbishop of Santiago de Cuba, Dionisio Garca Ibez, told the BBC. I think theres a better understanding of religious affairs, so we hope it wont only be this church that we build. We hope therell be more.

Soon after Fidel Castro became president, many church properties were confiscated. The communist country was officially atheist between 1962 and 1992. Since then, a network of home churches was established. Tensions began to ease in 1998 after Pope John Paul II visited. The countrys permission for the new Catholic church may be a sign the tide is changing.

"The construction of a church is a clear demonstration of a new phase, of an improvement, in relations between the church and the state," Enrique Lopez Oliva, a professor of the history of religions at the University of Havana, told the Associated Press.

The church is funded in part by parishioners from Tampa, Florida, most of whose members are Cuban exiles or descendants of exiles. The church will be able to house 200 people. Part of it will be built from steel beams from the stage Pope Benedict XVI stood on when he performed Mass in Havana in 2012.

"Reusing the metal means keeping alive the memory of something good for us Catholics. It gives it new life, so it can serve future generations," Fausto Veloz, an engineer on the project, told the BBC. According to the Catholic Church around 60 percent of the Cuban population has been baptized. Only a small fraction are regular churchgoers.

Most religious groups have reported reduced government interference in religious organizations, which includes attracting new members, conducting services, importing religious materials and receiving foreign donations. Official observance of Christmas has been returned. Homilies and mass are allowed to be broadcast on official media. Still, a recent U.S. State Department report on religious freedom in Cuba shows theres more progress to be made.

The Cuban Communist Party, through its Office of Religious Affairs (ORA), has harassed outspoken religious leaders, prevented human rights activists from attending religious services, and in some cases employed violence to prevent activists from engaging in public political protests after services, the report said.

Indeed, thousands of dissidents have been arrested in Cuba over the past couple years -- mostly due to the rising number of citizens who are publicly opposing the government. According to the report, many were arrested during or after organizing meetings or public protests and on their way to or from church.

"There are more demonstrations of the people's discontent," Elizardo Sanchez, president of the The Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National Reconciliation, told Reuters.

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First Catholic Church To Be Built In Cuba In 55 Years

TAMPA For the first time since Cuba embraced Communism in 1959, a Catholic Church will be built on the island and a Tampa parish is responsible for the fundraising.

St. Lawrence Catholic Church of Tampa, through parishioner donations, has raised $45,000 half of the $90,000 needed to complete the church but enough for Cuba to approve the start of construction.

The church will be located in Sandino, a municipality in the Pinar del Ro province of Cuba that has never had a church. Catholics there have long been congregating in homes.

They already started holding Mass on the property, said Luisa Long, coordinator of Hispanic ministries for St. Lawrence church, 5225 N. Himes Ave. The first rock was put on the property location just this past September and blessed.

Fidel Castros revolution brought an end to the open practice of religion as the government officially declared Cuba an atheist nation, in line with Marxist teachings. Church properties were nationalized, forcing Catholics to congregate in homes.

More than four decades later, relations between the Cuban government and the Catholic Church began to improve in advance of a 1998 visit by Pope John Paul II. Fidel Castro declared Christmas a national holiday for the first time since 1959.

In March 2012, Pope Benedict XVI took a three-day tour of the island, further thawing the divide.

The new church construction project is a major next step, said the Rev. Ramon Hernandez of St. Lawrence, who helped bring the partners together.

And Tampa is the right city for this work, Hernandez said. We have a deep history with Cuba.

Tampas Ybor City was founded, in part, by immigrants from Cuba, and in the late 1800s emerging as the cigar capital of the world using tobacco from Cuba Tampa helped fund Cubas War of Independence against Spain.

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St. Lawrence in Tampa helping found church in Cuba

Cuba has allowed construction of country's first Catholic church in 55 years Experts believe it is a sign of improving relations between church and state The new church will be funded by FloridaCatholicsand will fit 200 people

By Corey Charlton for MailOnline

Published: 12:29 EST, 28 October 2014 | Updated: 12:33 EST, 28 October 2014

Cuba has allowed construction of the country's first new Catholic church in 55 years, in a sign of improving relations between the Vatican and Cuba's communist government.

The new church, funded by donations from Catholics in Tampa, Florida, will be built in Sandino, a citrus and coffee-growing town in the far-western province of Pinar del Rio.

The Catholic Church publication 'Christian Life' said it will have space for 200 people.

'The construction of a church is a clear demonstration of a new phase, of an improvement, in relations between the church and the state,' said Enrique Lopez Oliva, a professor of the history of religions at the University of Havana.

The construction of a Catholic church in Cuba (pictured is the capital Havana) is a sign of improving relations between the Communist Government and the Vatican

The Catholic Church had tense relations with what was long an officially atheist government for many years after the 1959 revolution, but they began to improve ahead of Pope John Paul II's visit in 1998.

The government revived observance of a Christmas holiday and began allowing masses or homilies to be broadcast on official media.

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Cuba builds its first new Catholic church in 55 years in sign of thawing relations with Vatican

The Braselton Planning Commission in a 4-0 vote on Monday has recommended the conditional use permitting of a new church in a Barrow County office park on Hwy. 124.

Norwood Davis, chief financial officer for 12Stone Church, headquartered out of Lawrenceville, spoke on behalf of the applicant.

Church leaders intend to renovate approximately 11,230 square feet of office space in the Madden Building at 935 Hwy. 124, Braselton, to include an auditorium and a space for childrens ministries. The zoning classification on the property is M-D (Manufacturing-Distribution).

The church has also entered into a letter of intent agreement to lease an additional 1800 square foot space in the Mayhew building for church offices. That space shares a parking lot with the Madden Building.

The Braselton campus, which will take approximately 4-6 months to build, is one of five new campuses 12Stone is planning to launch in 2015. Services will temporarily be held at Duncan Creek Elementary School during the construction period.

Davis explained that 12Stone Church has been operating in Gwinnett County for 26 years with four campuses. In 2009, a Hall County church was launched in Flowery Branch. Were excited about this opportunity, said Davis. We have a long record of working with the communities at which we have church campuses and we look forward to working with the city of Braselton as we open this campus.

Planning commission member Chris Meadows said the residents he has spoken with are really excited. He asked if the church had any plans for accommodating the traffic.

Davis said he anticipated that there would be about 300 seats in the auditorium for adults for one service and the church plans to accommodate its members with two Sunday services, at 9 a.m. and at 11 a.m. He said the church employs off-duty police officers and plans to work with the City and the Braselton Police Department to ensure that traffic is not impeded on Hwy. 124.

There will be parking to the front and at the back of the Madden Building and an agreement has been entered with the Mayhew building, said Davis, in order to accommodate overflow parking. I think its pretty incredible that you already have 240 families involved, said planning commission member Edd Price.

Davis said the Hamilton Mill branch, opened in 2007, is the most active campus, which hosts five services, and it is in the process of moving to a larger campus that was opened in April of this year. The church still owns the other building and it is used as offices and youth ministry space.

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Planning and zoning commission in Braselton recommends approval of 12Stone Church in Barrow office park

The Church of Scientology is an organization devoted to the practice and the promotion of Scientology, a new religious movement. The Church of Scientology International is the Church of Scientology's parent organization, and is responsible for the overall management, dissemination and propagation of Scientology.[2][3][4] Every Church of Scientology is separately incorporated and has its own local board of directors and executives responsible for its own activities and corporate well-being.[5][6][7] The first Scientology church was incorporated in December 1953 in Camden, New Jersey by L. Ron Hubbard.[8][9] Its international headquarters are located at the Gold Base, located in an unincorporated area of Riverside County, California, the location of which is kept secret from most Scientologists.[10]

The highest authority in the Church of Scientology is in The Church of Scientology International (CSI) and the Religious Technology Center (RTC), whose headquarters are in Los Angeles. CSI "is the mother church and has the mission of propagating the Scientology creed around the world." RTC's main function is to "preserve, maintain, and protect the purity of the Scientology technology in accord with Hubbard's original research and to insure its proper and ethical delivery." The Scientology Missions International is under CSI and RTC and functions as "the central church to Scientology missions worldwide."[11]

Although in some countries it has attained legal recognition as a religion,[12] the church has been the subject of a number of controversies, and has been described by its critics as both a cult and a commercial enterprise.[13]

The first Scientology church was incorporated in December 1953 in Camden, New Jersey by[8][9]L. Ron Hubbard, his wife Mary Sue Hubbard, and John Galusha, although the Hubbard Association of Scientologists International (HASI) had already been operating since 1952[14][15] and Hubbard had been selling Scientology books and other items. Soon after, he explained the religious nature of Scientology in a bulletin to all Scientologists,[16] stressing its relation to the Dharma. The first Church of Scientology opened in 1954 in Los Angeles.[17]

Hubbard stated, "A civilization without insanity, without criminals and without war, where the able can prosper and honest beings can have rights, and where man is free to rise to greater heights, are the aims of Scientology."[18]

Hubbard had official control of the organization until 1966 when this function was transferred to a group of executives.[19] Although Hubbard maintained no formal relationship with Scientology's management, he remained firmly in control of the organization and its affiliated organizations.[20]

In May 1987, following Hubbard's death, David Miscavige, one of Hubbards former personal assistants and video photographer, assumed the position of Chairman of the Board of the Religious Technology Center (RTC), a non-profit corporation that administers the trademarked names and symbols of Dianetics and Scientology. Although RTC is a separate corporation from the Church of Scientology International, whose president and chief spokesperson is Heber Jentzsch, Miscavige is the effective leader of the movement.[21]

The Church of Scientology promotes Scientology, a body of beliefs and related practices created by L. Ron Hubbard, starting in 1952 as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics.[22]

Scientology teaches that people are immortal spiritual beings who have forgotten their true nature. The story of Xenu is part of Scientologist teachings about extraterrestrial civilizations and alien interventions in Earthly events, collectively described as space opera by Hubbard.[23] Its method of spiritual rehabilitation is a type of counseling known as "auditing", in which practitioners aim to re-experience consciously painful or traumatic events in their past, in order to free themselves of their limiting effects.[24] Study materials and auditing courses are made available to members in return for specified donations.[25] Scientology is legally recognized as a tax-exempt religion in the United States[26] and other countries,[27][28][29] and the Church of Scientology emphasizes this as proof that it is a bona fide religion.

Scientology describes itself as the study and handling of the spirit in relationship to itself, others, and all of life. According to the Encyclopedia of American Religions, it is concerned with the isolation, description, handling and rehabilitation of the human spirit.[30] One purpose of Scientology, as stated by the Church of Scientology, is to become certain of one's spiritual existence and one's relationship to God, or the "Supreme Being."[31]

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Church of Scientology - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Coordinates: 334404S 1505739E / 33.734503S 150.960935E / -33.734503; 150.960935

Hillsong Church is a Pentecostal megachurch affiliated with Australian Christian Churches (the Australian branch of the Assemblies of God) and located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The church was founded in 1983 when the Sydney Christian Life Centre at Waterloo, which was established by Frank Houston, merged with the Hills Christian Life Centre in Baulkham Hills, established by his son, Brian Houston.[1]

While headquartered at its "Hills" location in Baulkham Hills' Norwest Business Park in the Hills District of Sydney, Hillsong is a multi-site church with campuses in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Newcastle, Gold Coast and Noosa. Its second campus, designated as the "City" campus, is located in Waterloo, near Sydney's central business district. In 2009, a third Sydney campus, "South West", located in Campbelltown and a fourth interstate location, the "Brisbane" campus in Mount Gravatt, Queensland were added. In 2012 it was announced that a fifth campus, also interstate, was to be opened in late 2012 or early 2013 in Melbourne, Victoria.[2] Additionally, Hillsong Church currently has 12 extension services across Sydney.[3]

Hillsong Church's international offshoots include Hillsong Church London in the United Kingdom, Hillsong Church Kiev in Ukraine, Hillsong Church Cape Town and Hillsong Church Pretoria in South Africa, Hillsong Church Stockholm in Sweden and Hillsong NYC in New York, United States. Hillsong services are also held in Hillsong Church Paris in Paris, France, Hillsong Connect Group Lyon in Lyon, Hillsong Church Germany in Konstanz and Dsseldorf, Hillsong Church Amsterdam in Amsterdam, Hillsong Barcelona in Barcelona, Hillsong Church Copenhagen in Copenhagen and Hillsong Church Moscow in Moscow.

On 10 August 2013 Pastor Brian Houston announced that Hillsong would be setting up a church in Los Angeles, California.[4]

Hillsong Music has topped Australian charts, with albums having achieved gold and platinum sales status. Hillsong is well-known through its teaching, album sales and annual Hillsong Conference. According to the church, over 30,000 people attend services each week.[5]

Brian and Bobbie Houston moved from New Zealand in 1978 and joined the Sydney Christian Life Centre in Darlinghurst, pastored by Brian Houston's father, Frank Houston.[6] They started Hillsong Church, which was then known as Hills Christian Life Centre, in August 1983 with services held at the Baulkham Hills Public School hall[7] and with an initial congregation of 45.[8] In 1990, the church moved from "the warehouse", which they had occupied since 1984,[7] to hold services at the Hills Centre. In 1986, an annual conference was developed, now called Hillsong Conference.[9]

In the early 1990s, praise and worship recordings from the Hills Christian Life Centre were released in Australia and internationally under the name Hillsong. The name is also used for a television show featuring clips from the videos of the recordings and a message from Brian Houston. In 1997 the church moved into its new building at Baulkham Hills' Norwest Business Park.

In the late 1990s the church realised that the name Hillsong was more well-known than Hills Christian Life Centre due to the branding of its recordings. The church was renamed Hillsong Church in 1999, about the same time its mother church, Sydney Christian Life Centre, was merged into Hillsong Church.[10]

A new convention centre at the church's "Hills" location, was opened on 19 October 2002 by John Howard, the then Prime Minister of Australia. Due to the growth of the "City" location, in 2007 the church announced its intentions to develop a significant area of land on Rothschild Avenue, Rosebery into the new "City" location.[11] In August 2008, Hillsong withdrew the development application they had lodged with the Sydney City Council after an independent report recommended against the council approving the development. In August 2009 it was announced that the site was for sale.[12][13] Since then, Hillsong has opened up another City location in Alexandria.[14]

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Hillsong Church - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

New Ideal Continental Headquarters Launches Key Next Phase for Scientologys European Expansion

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK October 25, 2014

If you happened to be in Copenhagen, Denmark the afternoon of October 25, you could have seen the future of Scientology in Europe unfold literally before your eyes.

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EAST GRINSTEAD, UNITED KINGDOM October 17, 2014

It all began in 1984, a time when Scientology could be found in just 39 nations on the planet. Thirty years later, members of the International Association of Scientologists (IAS) hail from 130 countries across North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia, fortifying the Churchs stature as the only world religion to emerge in the 20th century that's also thriving well into the 21st.

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CLEARWATER, FLORIDA June 29, 2014

More than 4,000 Scientologists gathered in downtown Clearwater, Florida, on Sunday, June 29, to mark the dedication of the landmark Coachman Building. The historic structure now stands transformed as the religious training and counseling center for more than 2,000 members comprising the ecclesiastical ministry of the Flag Land Base, the international spiritual headquarters of Scientology.

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Scientology Church & Religion - What is Scientology?