LGBT community church crowdfunds to buy historic church building
An LGBT community church is aiming to buy a historic building in New York City, but there's a more to it.
The Rivers of Living Water (ROLW) church has launched a crowdfunding campaign in an attempt to buy the Atlah Church in Harlem.
For many years, the Atlah Church has been vocal about its anti-gay stance, expressing its opposition against gays and lesbians through billboards, and expressed disappointment in President Obama.
The church has reportedly accumulated debt due to unpaid sewage and water bills, amounting to $1 million, leading a state judge to order a public foreclosure of the building, making it open to buyouts.
ROLW is hoping to seize the opportunity to purchase the historic building as its assembly area by launching a GoFundMe campaign to raise money.
According to the LGBT church's campaign, they believe that "it would be divine justice to replace that church with our 'radically inclusive and open and affirming' ministry."
The campaign's description states that the ROLW is a church that caters to the needs of members in the LGBT community, casting a wide net in order to accept everyone who needs the "liberating power of the Gospel."
"ROLW is a church built on the Christian message of radical inclusion with a unique focus on ministering to the needs of the LGBT community."
The church currently does not have a regular assembly area to gather.