Pastor regains ownership of church following foreclosure - ABC 12 – WJRT – Flint, MI

(10/16/12) - One of the pastors leading the fight for justice after the shooting of a homeless man, was also fighting for the survival of his church at the same time.

Pastor Hurley Coleman was one of the more visible pastors at the rally's in the wake of the Milton Hall shooting.

While he was calling for justice, he was also praying that his church would stay open.

The Greater Coleman Temple Church of God is one of the more well-known churches in Saginaw, but it was very close to going out of business.

The funeral services for children who've been the victims of violence in Saginaw have been held here, and when the nation was watching following the police shooting of Milton Hall, civil rights leaders Jesse Jackson came here as well. 'Here' is the Greater Coleman Temple Church of God, a fixture in the Saginaw community.

Coleman was very active during the rally's and demonstrations after the Milton Hall shooting, but while the rallies were going on, Coleman was in discussions to save his church.

"When the congregation experiences their financial pressure, then the church experiences financial pressure," Coleman said.

Saginaw property records show the church was behind on its $1.1 million mortgage and was foreclosed on in July by Citizens Bank.

"It's not just churches like ours, it's not like you guys bit off more than you can chew, no, we were all exposed because churches are people. When people hurt, churches hurt," Coleman said.

Coleman says with the help of Pastor Larry Holley of Flint and Holley's Church Funding USA organization, and a new bank loan, he was able to regain ownership of the church.

"We've settled all of that debt, our church was in foreclosure, it's out of foreclosure," Coleman said.

The church has a ways to go before it reaches its fundraising goal, but Coleman says it's a miracle the church is even in this position, out of foreclosure and on the road to recovery.

"I give a lot of credit to God, it's a faith thing," Coleman said.

Larry Holley of Church Funding USA says his organization helps raise money for churches in financial distress, which played a part in saving the Coleman church.