5/30/2007

St. Matthew's Watch...Week #3



Visited St. Matthew's on Sunday afternoon. A neighbor told me that the grass had been cut earlier in the week for the first time in years. I've been playing phone tag with the building inspector all week.

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click image to enlarge

Heard from one fixBuffalo reader that the ministry that seemed to vanish from St. Matthew's - after stripping out the architectural detail, pews, alter and stained glass - has set up shop just north of Atlanta - Vision of Faith International

Spoke with a neighbor on Moselle Sunday afternoon. She recounted attending mass twnety five years ago when St. Matthew's was still open and from her second floor porch has watched the Church descend to its current state. She smiled when she'd heard that the church was no longer being flipped on Ebay.

Here's the expanding post regarding - St. Matthew's History
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15 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is interesting that those apparently "recycling" St Matthew's church furniture work for a "church-in-a-box", no address available!

Anybody out there near Alpahretta (with a camera)who can check out their "Mission"?


QUOTE: "Vision of Faith exists to advance and enhance the Kingdom of God in our city"

Dick Kern

COPY: http://www.visionoffaithintl.org/
Faith Empowerment Hour
Every Tuesday
7pm-8pm
Call for location

Vision Of Faith International
P.O. Box 589

Alpharetta GA 30004

Office: 770.572.8354

Anonymous said...

i know the ministry your looking for and that building was sold away to a non religious entity and the ministry vision of faith in not in relation to st Matthew that,s a different ministry

Anonymous said...

in think its a shame that you don't have your facts strait this building is no longer the church property vision cathedral ministry dissolved after the pastor died from cancer
since then the church which was not sold but in now in the hands of a heathen company and has no direct connection with Vision of faith & the pastors there ministry was on the west side of buffalo before relocation to Georgia so then once again you don't have your facts strait and its a shame that you would even try to link this pastor who have help many of people and do some great things unknowned to most to such a thing their name is not even on the sign how much sense does that make so then if your going to go after those who are at fault go after who owns the building not this ministry i only hope the pastor will pray for you after trying to attach him to such non sense slandering. how do i know all this is because i was a staff member of the ministry before they left and i seen personally the things this ministry has done shame on you for doing this

fixBuffalo said...

Anon 9:35

Which building are you writing about? 1066 East Ferry or a different one?

fixBuffalo said...

Hey...

Mr. Perry is in Buffalo Housing Court. He will most likely not be held responsible for the condition of the building - which is a shame.

It was on his watch that the building deteriorated. City records show that the building was sold on 4/13/07 to a "heathen" company (whatever that means - I believe one of the new partners is Jewish...tell me you're not going down that road...).

Whatever the ministry did on the westside is not important, here. What's important is the lack of stewardship regarding the care of the building.

Do not mix up the issues. Just because the ministry - in your eyes has done some good things - doesn't mean it gets a free pass on taking care of this building.

Anonymous said...

once again the ministry vision of faith has no connection to the building and while your the watch dog how come you don't have your facts strait as the other said these are two separate ministries, i am a pastor who knows this pastor and had him ministry to my congregation quite often and i know for a fact that he is not in connection with this building and by the way there is no mr perry on their website what's the connection any how???? so if your going to do your job please do it correctly i understand you have a heart for buffalo i do to i pastor here how ever the best way to get things done is to do it in a proactive way not this a going to get the world way your doing it in. remember what goes around comes around. ( you wouldn't like that would you. i am praying for you and tell you to keep up the good work (when your doing a good job) that on the facts i mean Bless ya
rev.carter

fixBuffalo said...

Proactive? I do what I can. I believe it was my work that finally inspired some additional coverage regarding the mis-management of this church and the attempt by the "heathen" company to flip it on Ebay.

You want me to mow the grass?

If you know Mr. Perry, let him know that there are many neighbors who are royally pissed at the way he mis-handled this building. What did he do with all the stained-glass and architectural detail including the pews?

I believe the church north of atlanta has a minister that may be Mr. Perry's daughter.

Anonymous said...

i don't get you so then what does mr.perry daughter who suppose to be a part of the church in Georgia has anything to do with this building that now belongs to David.s.sekotta and scott d. Weinstein of 24 heathwood in williamville new york are you going after them???? no but you want to pick on a church !! wow your mean, and you are really going to reap what you sow i dont care about who had it i care about whats being done now!!! if you really care about fixing buffalo then why dont you pursue them yet you have a ministry info posted on this site with supposedly mr perry's, daughter who with the ministry in geogia who as i see it dont have no relation with this building yet you are going after them do you have a personal problem with Church peopl. not once after reading these blogs have i see anything about the owners of this building yet your going after that ministry what's up with you, that ain't cool!!!
by the way i found out that it was his daughter who died from cancer that was the pastor of that church building yet with out compassion of their terrible situation you go after this mr. perry not even knowing what kind of tradagy he and his family could have been through thats a shame i am going to contact that family and offer my prayers for the forgivingness of ignorant people such as your self who have nothing better to do with their time but circle the issue and not deal with the issue at hand i have not seen nothing posted about David or scott who currently own the building according to my searching the records. for you had me almost up set at this church and this family only to find out it was not a church anymore because it dissolve
you do understand in most cases no pastor -no church . so if you want to fix buffalo lets see what the currently owners are going to do with the building other then try to sell it on ebay for 85,000
what are you going to do now!!!!
i agree with that pastor's blog get your facts strait first!!! if you really want to fix buffalo

fixBuffalo said...

All these anonymous people...yikes. As if they have no names. HIding...

For the record - with regards to the new owners...I have pressured the City into bringing a new case (Inspection Dept. and inspector Tracy Krug to this case) in this matter.

I have been VERY proactive regarding this Church as soon as I found out that Mr. Perry is no longer the owner.

You fail to answer a few questions regarding this church...so I guess it's ok with you to have a (failed) ministry, gut the church of all the beautiful architectural detail...and leave it like a pile of shit along side the street for someone else to clean up.

Get real...my facts are straight.

Why should Mr. Perry be able to walk away from his responsibilities and not clean up his mess?

Perhaps you are new to this online forum. I have a blog. I write posts. People comment.

Be VERY careful who you are calling ignorant.

Anonymous said...

wait a minute who said the ministry failed did you not hear what that other blogger said if the pastor died and there were no one left to take over the ministry unless you were going to pastor the church then maybe they had no other choice but to close down and dissolve so then i still have not heard what the plans for the property now is you know with the present owners David.s.sekotta and scott d. Weinstein what are their plans your still Going after the church or mr perry i quote"Why should Mr. Perry be able to walk away from his responsibilities and not clean up his mess? how do you how do you know if Mr perry is still alive i heard he was an older gentleman in his early 80's who may not be around today why else would the taxes not be paid or what ever was not!!!! but the questions still remain what are you guys doing now with this building wait a minute why don't you get with the owners and do something meaningful in that community you really want to help fix buffalo start now!!! start today. you can make a difference cant you! or do you too need ownership of the building. help out that community by making a difference. and Fix Buffalo.

fixBuffalo said...

There are always choices. Sometimes people choose to abandon buildings and try to explain why they should not be held accountable. Sometimes they are caught.

I'd like to see both Mr. Perry held accountable for his lack of stewardship of this building and also the new "heathen" owners as you or someone else has described them.

Couple points...

1. It is very hard to have a conversation with someone when they have not identified themselves. Who are you?
2. I've brought the matter of the "flipping" of St. Matthew's to the public, the courts and City Hall. This is now I'm attempting to fix Buffalo...by simply calling out wrong doing. I gather you find no value in this. Am I right?

Anonymous said...

well after further study of the situation i see you have been doing a number really helping to fix buffalo and i am greatful that their are some one trying to do right in this city my issues was i seen you trying to attack a church and all i was saying was you don't know if mr perry was still alive last i heard after searching was he was terribly sick and may even have died by now and i could not understand how this was a focus of your when the new owners were alive and well!!! but i do see that you are striving to make difference keep it up by the way i still do see the relationship of the ministry in alpharetta Ga to all this. ive been on there website and don't see a connection to the pastor s or mr. perry at all???? yet you have that ministry on here as if it was them trying to flip the church??? that i don't Get!!! how ever i still say why don't you get with the owners and strive to do in that community i really want to see that, yes not just you blowing the whistle but why don't you do something to make a difference in this community by join up with the present owners to make a difference through some kind of outreach! by the way i was the one who wrote the last one and if you want to talk My name is John lanair and i reside on Moselle and east ferry let meet and talk and i will come with some ideas for the place lets do it. do more i need you to do more

Unknown said...

it

Unknown said...

it doesnt matter if a church or a private buyer owned that property. when you purchase, it kind of means that you are willing to keep it up. Nevertheless, the fact is that the property was neglected by the Vision owners. the minitry was never fully operational even when Perry's daughter was the overseer of the property. If you looked at the sign, it said 21st centry bible delivernace..etc. it was his umbrella and vision was under that covering. Upon her passing, one of her children took over the ministry. Finances never caught up the vision of vision.
THis being said, that is NO REASON for the property to fall like it did. Admission that you cant handle it and then sell it to someone who could rehab or do something positive with it. they could of took precautions to make sure it was secure, cut the lawn, made it appear that they were interested in doing for the hood.

I agree that the Niagara st. location has nothing to do with this. It is better to not speak on things you dont know about as the property on that street was never theirs because once again, the finances were not there. Im sure if you were to check out their track record, handling money is not one of their stong suits. THey are more effective preaching and changing OTHER lives.

Anonymous said...

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--------------------
see you around haha.