Christian Science Church Sold

The First Church of Christ Scientist, a fixture in Massapequa for 77 years, has sold its building to a new congregation.

The Malankara Archdiocese of the Syrian Orthodox Church in North America recently purchased the building, members of both congregations said.  

The keys to the church were turned over to the new owners on May 21st, according to Kay Zurcher, who had been conducting services at the Christian Science parish.

It ended a nearly eight decade association with Massapequa. The Christian Science church originally formed in 1933 had used a structure in Biltmore Shores to worship. The building, since razed, stood next to the recently sold church, which opened in 1954.

Zurcher, who served the church in various capacities over about 40 years, said the congregation had become too small to continue carrying out the needed functions of the parish.

She said the sale was "bittersweet."  

"We were quite anxious to have [the church] sold, but we would rather [have] had it continuing as our church," Zurcher said.

Evidence of the sale is already visible at the building.  The old name on the signboard has been covered with paper and signs identifying the church as being Christian Science have been taken down.

A roadside sign displays the name of  the incoming parish.

The sale has ended the Malankara congregation's two decade wait for a permanent home. Established in 1990, the parish had rented space for most of its existence from other churches.

They've previously been housed at locations in Queens and Westbury, but now the 61 families in the parish finally have a place of worship to call their own.   

Securing the funding was not easy. The parish became aware of the church building's availability during the winter. Once the contract was signed in February, they raised more than $1 million thanks to loans secured from their parishoners and with financial help of sister churches as far away as Denver.   

The parishioners couldn't be more pleased with their new home.   

"All our life we used to go to an auditorium to worship," said Varghese Mathew, who is a member of the parish building and management committees. 

"But finally we got a church building and we are very happy and we are really excited. And it's a nice location."

"I feel so proud", said Nisha Jayan of Floral Park, who has been a parishoner at the church for ten years.

"We like our new church. I'm really proud to be a member here and I like the neighborhood".   

The pastor of  the new parish is Rev. Isaac Paily.  The church was first established in North America in 1975   after followers of the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Christian faith began emigrating to this continent in the 1960s.