Mars Hill Church Begins Church Closures Due To Financial Trouble
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/08/mars-hill-church-closures_n_5784804.html
In this photo taken Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2013, the Mars Hill Church, a 1910 building that previously was home to the First United Methodist Church, is seen from a nearby skyscraper in downtown Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson) | ASSOCIATED PRESS
By Antonia Blumberg
Posted: 09/08/2014 3:28 pm EDT Updated: 09/08/2014 5:59 pm EDT
Mars Hill Church announced on Sunday the closure of three of its church locations due to financial strain, with a possible fourth on the horizon.
Downtown Seattle and U-District churches in Washington will be consolidated with Mars Hill Church Ballard as of October 12th. The Mars Hill Church in Phoenix will close its doors on September 28th. The organization also announced that it has ceased development of a Los Angeles church plant and may be forced to close its Huntington Beach location if it is unable to raise funds by the end of the year.
"We have found ourselves in a serious financial situation, as giving and attendance has declined more than we had anticipated over the last few months," Mars Hill Communications & Editorial Manager Justin Dean told HuffPost by email.
The closures mark another blow to the organization, which has found itself in the spotlight in recent months over church founder Mark Driscoll's alleged plagiarism and misuse of church funds.
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