BUFFALO, NEW YORK
SCIENTOLOGISTS CUT THE RIBBON ON LANDMARK BUFFALO CHURCH
JUNE 30, 2012
More than a thousand Buffalo Area Scientologists gathered on Saturday, June 30, to celebrate the rededication of the Church of Scientology Buffalo.
The ceremony marked the transformation of the 41,000-square-foot Ideal Church of Scientology (Ideal Org) to better accommodate its ever-growing congregation and extend the Church’s humanitarian programs to all communities across upstate New York.
The Church’s landmark home, originally constructed in 1898, stands in the Allentown Historic District. In the process of transforming the structure, the Church fully restored and preserved its magnificent Beaux Arts features. The prominent façade stands as it did at the turn of the 20th century, its distinctive buff brick ornamented with glazed white terra cotta and limestone trim. The interior is likewise returned to its original splendor, from the terrazzo and oak plank floors to the elaborately sculpted crown moldings that grace the elevated ceilings. As a fully-realized 21st century Ideal Org, the landmark now stands ready to serve Buffalo for decades to come.
In testament to the significance of the occasion, the rededication ceremony was led by Mr. David Miscavige, Chairman of the Board Religious Technology Center and ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion. In his address, Mr. Miscavige told Buffalo staff and parishioners: “Today we arrive at a higher place wherein possibilities for excellence and good fortune are endless. By the same token, however, it means all present today have quite a role to fulfill tomorrow. For as of this moment, you possess unimaginable resources for positive change and thus the wherewithal to provide assistance to all people of goodwill and to help every person in need, no matter their circumstances.”
Mr. Tim Lomas, Church of Scientology Director of Public Affairs, acknowledged the Church’s work to revitalize Buffalo communities: “Our Church realizes our Founder’s vision that all Churches of Scientology become what he termed Ideal Organizations, to not only provide the ideal facilities for Scientologists on their ascent to higher states of spiritual freedom, but to also serve as a home for the entire community and a meeting ground of cooperative effort to uplift people of all denominations. To that end, we share our Church and our many social betterment and community outreach programs with this city. Moreover, we look forward to collaborating with every group and individual committed to revitalizing Buffalo, in the same spirit that originally built this City of Light. Together, we can achieve our common dream of a drug-free, crime-free and flourishing future for all.”
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The Church of Scientology Buffalo now houses state-of-the-art facilities to introduce the fundamentals of Scientology to those new to the religion. Most notable among these features is the expansive Public Information Center. Buffalo residents are invited to take a self-guided tour of the exhibit’s interactive displays. At the touch of a button, visitors are presented films on the beliefs and practices of the religion, as well as the life and legacy of Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard. The Public Information Center also provides an overview of the many Scientology-sponsored humanitarian programs, including a worldwide human rights initiative; a drug education, prevention and rehabilitation program; literacy and learning centers; and the Scientology Volunteer Minister program comprising the world’s largest independent relief force. In full, the Center’s displays contain more than 500 informational and documentary films, with new ones regularly uploaded electronically from the Church’s international headquarters in Los Angeles. The Buffalo Center is open morning to night and visitors are welcome to stay as long as they like and return as often as they wish.
The Church invites members of all faiths to Sunday Services held in its Chapel. In addition to congregational gatherings, the Chapel also hosts a wide range of community events—from seminars and workshops to banquets and receptions.
The Church also now provides dedicated facilities for the entire range of Introductory Services. Among those are evening and weekend Dianetics and Scientology seminars. Additional classrooms accommodate a wide array of introductory courses imparting tools to improve any facet of life. The newly transformed Church further includes dozens of specially appointed rooms providing the ideal setting for Scientology auditing (spiritual counseling), and an expanded Church Academy with multiple study rooms for the training of Scientology counselors.
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The rededication of the Buffalo Church follows a series of new Ideal Orgs opened in 2012, including the Church of Scientology Phoenix, June 23; Church of Scientology Denver, June 16; Church of Scientology Stevens Creek of San Jose, June 9; Church of Scientology Orange County, June 2; Church of Scientology Greater Cincinnati, February 25; Church of Scientology Sacramento, January 28; and Church of Scientology Hamburg, Germany, January 21.
Ideal Orgs realize the fulfillment of Founder L. Ron Hubbard’s vision for the religion. They not only provide the ideal facilities to service Scientologists on their ascent to greater states of spiritual awareness and freedom, but they are also designed to serve as a home for the entire community and a meeting ground of cooperative effort to uplift citizens of all denominations.
Among the dozens of Ideal Orgs opened in recent years are those that now stand in New York, New York; Washington, D.C.; Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota; Tampa, Florida; Nashville, Tennessee; Seattle, Washington; Las Vegas, Nevada; Los Angeles, Pasadena, and Inglewood, California; Québec City, Mexico City, London, Melbourne, Brussels, Madrid, Rome, Berlin and Moscow. For a complete list of new Churches of Scientology, visit Scientology.org.
Seven new Ideal Orgs are further scheduled for grand opening in 2012.
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The Scientology religion was founded by author and philosopher L. Ron Hubbard. The first Church of Scientology was formed in Los Angeles in 1954 and the religion has expanded to more than 10,000 Churches, Missions and affiliated groups, with millions of members in 167 countries.
