MANSFIELD, Ohio — On Dec. 5, St. John’s United Church of Christ in Mansfield auctioned its downtown building.
The church, founded in 1845 by German settlers, moved to the corner of Park Ave. East and S. Franklin Avenue in 1912.
The decision to sell was painstaking, but one Rev. Dr. Faith A. Proietti, senior pastor, said was to better control finances and continue its ministry in the face of shrinking membership.
On Dec. 5, Proietti and Chartwell Real Estate Auctions confirmed a bidder out of Brooklyn, New York, agreed to purchase the church building for $120,000, which totaled to $132,000 after fees.
Watch News 5's original report detailing the church's history and reasoning for auctioning its century-old building.
However, Proietti confirmed the bidder failed to make a down payment by an established deadline, forcing the auctioneer to reach out to the other bidders to see if there was still interest in the property.
Proietti said the church has accepted a $65,000 bid from someone who’s from the area, and the deal is set to close on Jan. 10. She added that the person has given the church an option to remain in the building as renters.
Proietti said decisions on the church’s location will be decided in the near future and that an option to proceed with plans to rent space at Hope Lutheran in Mansfield still stands.
