Embassy of God Launches Construction Project in Kyiv
KYIV – On April 5, 2010, Kyiv Post reported that Sunday Adelaja, the pastor of the Embassy of God Church, announced the launch of the construction of a "Ukrainian cultural-spiritual center" in Kyiv's Osokorki district.
According to the pastor, the complex will be shaped as an ark and include a church and hotel with conference halls, offices, an exhibition hall, a fitness center, restaurant, and underground parking.
According to segodnya.ua, approximately 2 million UAH of donations have been collected. Adelaja is to offer another 2 million and the rest of the necessary amount is to be provided by investors. Approximately 50 million is needed for the whole complex which will take two years to build.
The church, which faces opposition from local Eastern Orthodox and Catholic churches, authorities, and political groups opposed to the Westernization of Ukraine, claims to have tens of thousands of followers in Kyiv and elsewhere in Ukraine, including Kyiv Mayor Leonid Chernovetskyi.
Adelaja was accused in November 2009 of being involved in the matters of King’s Capital, a financial group led by a member of his congregation. The company promised as much as 60 percent returns on investments and drew many of its investors from the church. Several church members complained to the authorities that they were unable to recover the money they invested, which left many of them bankrupt. Police later arrested one of King’s Capital leaders, Aleksandr Bandurchenko, on suspicion of fraud.
