Labels: Boston, Scientology

On a sunny day in May, 2008, Boston Scientologists teamed up with the New England chapter of Artists for a Better World to transform the wall of one of their new properties into a work of urban art.
The Church of Scientology of Boston purchased two buildings in January--once restored and renovated they will be the new headquarters for Scientologists in New England. But before the Church acquired them, the buildings stood vacant for years, and local Scientologists did not want to wait till the planning for these buildings was completed to begin upgrading the neighborhood. So, on a sunny day in May, 2008, they teamed up with the New England chapter of Artists for a Better World to transform the wall of one of their new properties into a work of urban art.

The group enlisted the talent of children's book illustrator Trish Rouelle, who created the basic design and outline for the neighborhood project and helped the children and adults who came to contribute their time and talents to creating the mural. Families also enjoyed music provided by musician and songwriter, Kelly Riley, and kids of all ages rounded out the afternoon by learning how to create balloon animals.

Although the Church of Scientology of Boston is located at 448 Beacon Street, Scientologists have been involved in projects in the South End Lower Roxbury neighborhoods for the past several years. In fact, one of their main projects, the Boston Volunteer Ministry, is housed in a storefront facility just a few doors down from the new property the Church just purchased.

The story of their presence in this neighborhood is simple. In 2004, tired of hearing about the crime and violence in their city, a group of Boston Scientologists decided to do something about it personally. They knew that people who can't study are often unable to get or hold down jobs. Hopeless, demoralized and feeling disenfranchised, such people often seek solace in drugs and alcohol and resort to crime to support their habits or just to get by. So, to do something effective to help the community, they opened the Boston Volunteer Ministry in Dorchester, MA and in 2006 moved the project to larger premises in the South End/Lower Roxbury. But this Volunteer Ministry was not an entirely new concept. In fact, Boston Scientologists have been providing community service through the Scientology Volunteer Ministers program for the past thirty years.

The Boston Scientology Volunteer Ministry is manned entirely by volunteers who tackle the problem of illiteracy with free tutoring and phonics classes, not only for children, but for people of all ages. The ministry also participates in community projects. For example, in 2006 they got 1000 guns off the streets of Boston by volunteering to be an official drop-off point in the police department's Boston Gun BuyBack Program called "Aim for Peace."

Gerard Renna, President of the Church of Scientology of Boston said, "We enjoy working with other community groups, the Boston Police Department and the Mayor's office to help improve the quality of life in our City."

In the mid-1970s, L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of the Scientology religion, concerned about the rise in immorality and an increase in crime, created the Scientology Volunteer Ministers program. He wrote, "If one is going to find fault with something, it implies that he wishes to do something about it and would if he could. If one does not like the crime, cruelty, injustice and violence of this society, he can do something about it. He can become a Volunteer Minister and help civilize it, bring it conscience and kindness and love and freedom from travail by instilling into it trust, decency, honesty and tolerance." These Boston Scientologists have taken his advice to heart, and are serving their city through their volunteer activities.


Author:
Linda Wieland
www.scientologytoday.org

Labels: Gerard Renna, Scientology

Scientology Disaster Response
The International Volunteer Ministers Coordinator has put out a call for volunteers and donations to help in the disaster relief effort. The most urgent relief needed at this point is the providing of food and supplies, particularly for those left homeless or in shelters.

Labels: Scientology, Volunteer Minister

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS MOST COMMONLY ASKED BY MEDIA

* BASIC FACTS ABOUT SCIENTOLOGY

* THE ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF SCIENTOLOGY

* SCIENTOLOGY IN SOCIETY

* MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT SCIENTOLOGY

* L. RON HUBBARD

Labels: Boston, Dianetics, Scientology, Youth for Human Rights International

Labels: Gerard Renna, L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology, Volunteer Minister, Youth for Human Rights International

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Labels: Happiness, L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology

Church of Scientology buys former Alexandra Hotel

By Thomas C. Palmer Jr.
Globe Staff / January 30, 2008



The Church of Scientology of Boston Inc. has bought the historic Alexandra Hotel building at Washington Street and Massachusetts Avenue in the South End and plans to relocate its local headquarters from the Back Bay, following extensive renovations.

The sales price of the Alexandra - ravaged by fire in the 1993, decayed, empty, and recently eluding City Hall's hopes that it would become residences - was not disclosed by the Rev. Gerard Renna, the top Scientology representative in Boston.

The church, founded by L. Ron Hubbard and counting among its members actors Tom Cruise and John Travolta, "pledges to transform the hotel to its original grace and elegance," it said in a news release.

Advised by Staubach Co. of New England LLC, the church bought the former 50-room hotel, at 1759-1769 Washington St., and an adjacent building on Washington. The church already has a storefront presence a few doors down on Washington.

City officials said the seller was Macedonia Realty Trust, which had owned the building for several years and had presented several plans to renovate the building and create condominiums.

Built in 1875, the Alexandra was a luxuriously appointed hotel in Ruskinian Gothic style. It faded in prominence when the elevated transit line was built along Washington Street in 1900. It closed in the 1960s and then was gutted by a fire in 1993.

The city had worked hard to get the prominent structure redeveloped, especially since the MBTA's Orange Line was relocated in the 1980s.

"The city's been tortured with this eyesore for so long," said Renna, who has been with the Church of Scientology in Boston since before it opened its current headquarters on Beacon Street in 1974.

Randi Lathrop, the Boston Redevelopment Authority's director of community planning and former head of the Mayor's Washington Street Improvement Task Force, said that as of a few weeks ago the city thought the building's former owners might redevelop it into condominiums, with extensive ground-floor retail space.

Because the building is so prominent, situated at a major intersection, City Hall wanted shops opened there to generate street-level business activity for the neighborhood. It is not yet clear what the church will install on the first floor, but after searching for a new home in Boston for three years, church officials clearly liked the visible location.

"This is a very prominent building - it's one of the criteria. They've found it with this," said Brian Smallman, vice president of Staubach of New England.

Staubach has done other work for the church around the country and will be project manager on the design and redevelopment.

"It could be an absolutely gorgeous building by the time they're done with it, and they do everything first rate," Smallman said.

The building had been for sale in recent years, at one point with a price tag of $3.5 million, said Lathrop, but the sales have always fallen through.

The city at one point went to court to have a receiver appointed for the property, because it had languished and rotted for so long, but later relented.

The building is not itself designated as a Boston Landmark by the city Landmarks Commission, but it is part of the South End district, which does have landmark designation. Any changes to the exterior of the building would need advance approval.

The project will also need approval under the BRA's small-project development process, which is expected to take months.

No architect has been selected, Smallman said; officials at church headquarters in Los Angeles will be involved in the process and have many decisions to make about the final configuration.

"The city and the mayor, especially, have focused on this as his pride corner," Lathrop said, referring to Mayor Thomas M. Menino. "It's a very important building to the district. The good news is the church will spend millions of dollars on the building."

The Church of Scientology is based on what followers call founder Hubbard's "technology" and its ability to help them understand more about themselves and others. The church acknowledges the controversy it creates on its own extensive website. "As Scientologists have openly and effectively advocated social reform causes, they have become the target of attacks," the site says. The church has battled with the media, the Internal Revenue Service, and supporters of certain psychiatric drugs and treatment.

Renna said he answers "ecclesiastically" to the mother church in Los Angeles.

Thomas C. Palmer Jr. can be reached at tpalmer@globe.com.

© Copyright 2008 Globe Newspaper Company.

Labels: Boston, Gerard Renna, L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology, Volunteer Minister, Youth for Human Rights International