The new Church of Scientology of Georgia building in Sandy Springs will open for public services on Sun., April 3, according to a church official.

The new Church of Scientology of Georgia building in Sandy Springs is decorated with bunting for its grand opening. (Photo John Ruch)
The new Church of Scientology of Georgia building in Sandy Springs is decorated with bunting for its grand opening. (Photo John Ruch)

The church at 5395 Roswell Road at the intersection with Glenridge Drive is currently decorated with blue bunting for a private grand opening.

“[Starting] Sunday, the facility will be open to the public seven days a week and all are welcome,” said church official Tracie Parker in an email. “We have an information center where anyone can come to take a tour and find out for themselves about Scientology and the many humanitarian programs we support.”

The church, a mansion-like former real estate office, had a long struggle to open that involved a freedom-of-religion lawsuit against the city.

The Church of Scientology bought the property around 2005, but first sought rezoning for use as a place of worship in 2009. The Sandy Springs City Council approved the rezoning, but without a parking reduction the church sought as part of a building expansion. The church then sued the city for violating its First Amendment rights, leading to a 2012 settlement allowing the building expansion in exchange for sharing parking with the adjacent post office.

The new Church of Scientology building as seen from the rear area where the church agreed to share parking with the post office as part of a lawsuit settlement. (Photo John Ruch)
The new Church of Scientology building as seen from the rear area where the church agreed to share parking with the post office as part of a lawsuit settlement. (Photo John Ruch)

Before its move to Sandy Springs, the Church of Scientology was based in a smaller Doraville facility.

To contact the new Sandy Springs church, call 707-394-4414, email atlanta@scientology.net or see scientology-atlanta.org.

John Ruch is an Atlanta-based journalist. Previously, he was Managing Editor of Reporter Newspapers.

41 replies on “New Church of Scientology in Sandy Springs opens to public April 3”

  1. As a Scientologist who worked on establishing this new facility, I’m so happy we were able to come to a new friendship with the people and City of Sandy Springs. I look forward to welcoming everyone and showing how we can work in partnership to improve the mutual problems our community faces.

    1. you mean as a “cult member” of $cientology, don’t you? You guys do nothing for the community or the world. Your touch therapy is a joke. You encourage family members to not talk to each other. Your encourage abortions. You take people’s money away. You give NOTHING AWAY – Not even a Dianetics book. If you walk into a real church they will give you a Bible for free. Not you. You torture people, pay no taxes, and you stalk people who leave the church. On and on. Don’t know why you need such a big building. Nobody new will be inside it.

      1. Phil…
        We welcome Scientologists as we welcomed Christians, Jews, Muslims, and others of the world,s religions. To do otherwise would be to shameful.

    2. Where is Shelly Miscaviage? Did the Church of Scientology have her killed? Is she in prision? Why has no one seen her in several years? The citizens of Sandy Springs (and Atlanta) deserve to know THE TRUTH.

  2. A reminder to all paid crowd fillers, please come one hour early, do not park in the reserved parking areas, wear nice clean clothes and do not speak with the press. Your non disclosure agreement is binding and we will sue to get the $75 back plus damages. Also, do not speak with management personnel unless spoke to and never look them directly into the eye.

  3. Hi Scientologists,
    this is Tommy Davis former spokesperson for your now corrupted church. Mr. Miscavige father has left just like me! Everyone is an SP these days. 3 barriers to the tech right? Misunderstoods,PTS or SP so basically your doomed if you question anything the church does or your management. Scientologists wake up. Do a keyword search Scientology, Youtube Tom Cruise Scientology, there’s more thumbs down on his crazy “we are the authority” neo-nazi speech. Go help homeless people, plant a tree. You are then really helping.

    1. If you are really THE Tommy Davis, why don’t you come out to the public? All we know is that you and your girlfriend are keeping a low profile.

  5. It is good to see that religious freedom is still alive in this country. The web site for Scientilogy shows quite a few social betterment programs that look beneficial to society. Seems like the more the haters hate, the more I want to check it out for myself. Just sayin’.
    Good article.

    1. just make sure to take plenty of money with you. yes, they take credit cards. before you go, i would suggest you go to torymagoo44 on youtube. she was in for 30 years. gave them about half a million bucks, and she lost family members when she escaped.

    3. why don’t you try smoking some crack while you’re at it – everyone says that’s bad for you too. you’ll probably have an easier time getting off that than escaping the church once you’re in. and crack won’t try to hunt you down or stalk your family trying to find you.

    4. The words ‘look beneficial to society’ are telling. It is all about ‘the look’ -there is no substance, just PR. Scientology provides no benefit to society whatsoever, google theories so called social betterment programs, the only results are CO$ PR pieces, no actual news stories, because they don’t actually do anything!

    1. Yes, unless you are gay. The “Church” of Scientology forbids homosexuality and claims it can suppress these feelings by getting you to donate $$$$ and hooking you up to an E-meter. C.O.S. will fit in just fine with the Right-wing ideals of the City of Sandy Springs.

      2. why suppress gay feelings if you are gay? just live a responsible life and find a same-sex person who you love and live a happy life. our sexuality is not chosen. ask a straight person when they “chose” and they will say they never did – they just always have been. exactly!

      3. Just did a bit of research.
        Wikipedia suggests Scientology has tamed its bigotry.

        What I know, for sure, is that Pastor BillyBob
        and his Hallelujah Chorus of babblers
        energize a virulent LGBTQ hate
        that hisses, slithers, and coils around The Halls of the GA Legislature
        much as vermin rots flesh.

        Accordingly,
        I’ll suspend judgment re: Scientology
        but will continue shun The Bleaters as one would a swamp of reptiles.

        Thank you for your comment.

        1. Your response doesn’t sound as robotic as most of the the C.O.S. plants on this forum, so I’m assuming you’re NOT a memeber of the Cult. However, I am sure that the C.O.S. and the Southern Baptists could have a little competition when it comes to LGBT Hate. Peace.

          1. Well, TTssyf, I am not privy to the internal goings-on re:Scientology… what I do know, however, is that Scientologists seem to mind their own business, rather than shoving it up the heinies of the unredeemed.

            Contrasted with the disgraceful antics of certain thuggish Christo-centered cults I think Scientology comes off the more decent and civilized.

            I know, as well, that I’d sooner a Scientologist darken my threshold than an EvangelicoTalibanicoChristoBabblico digit wagger.

  9. great deal if you can find cult members delusional enough to buy into things: get them to go into massive debt, take out second mortgages on their homes and drain their 401(k)s, buy a building and pay to renovate it, then give the deed to a company controlled by David Miscavige and pay him rent! Meanwhile, your ‘religion’ is circling the drain & events like this are done only to convince the few sheep left in the cult that it’s expanding like gangbusters.

    You people are so stupid it’s really difficult to believe.

    1. Ben, the building is stunning, and I am happy for the community for that, but after learning so much about this cult, I sure don’t wish them the best. They’re just too evil.

      1. Tom? Tom Cruise? is that you? or John Travolta? which one of you girls are posting under the name “Nikki”? Wouldn’t PAT or TRACY be more appropriate and androgynous ?

  11. Google:
    Going Clear
    Paulette Cooper
    Lisa McPherson
    Monique Rathbun (YouTube)
    Scientology Fair Game
    Scientology Disconnection
    R2-45
    Operation Snow White
    Ron Miscavige
    Jenna Hill Miscavige
    Tony Ortega

    Judges around the world have compared this cult with the mafia for good reason. Germany and Russia have banned them for good reason.

  12. I was at the Grand Opening ceremonies this afternoon and the festivities began with a beautiful rendition of Georgia On My Mind by some pro gospel singers. It set the tone for a day of hope and joy. There were speakers from the far reaches of Atlanta’s most needy communities, including a couple of black ministers, an advocate for children’s rights and a black legislator, none of whom are Scientologists yet have used the teachings of L. Ron Hubbard — especially his groundbreaking little but powerful book, The Way to Happiness — to help further human rights, help educate children, reduce illiteracy, fight drug abuse, secure a brighter future for the downtrodden and all of humanity. One of the speakers spoke about how an alcoholic mom who was without hope took a course in learning the precepts of The Way to Happiness and completely got off alcohol, got a job, turned her life around and is finally and utterly happy. YKou can find out about it at http://www.thewaytohappiness.org/#/precepts. It is great to have such a fantastic center for the community and all of Atlanta to enjoy. All are invited to come inside and take a look!

    1. XENU is calling you Ellen. Last spaceship leaves at 10 pm, so don’t miss it or you’ll be stuck in a rental car between Travolta and Cruise.

  13. The hate… the bigotry…
    the nasty hissing slithering coiling snark so starkly on display here.

    One would think these pundits were, in some essential way, threatened by Scientology.
    But then this is, of course, the underlying dynamic, isn’t it?

  14. Scientology technology SAVE honest people lives. If you want answers, dare to look for yourself. The doors of the fastest growing religion on the planet are open every day from 9am til 10pm to all public and with services available in at least 17 languages

    1. Maria, it is NOT The fastest growing religion in the world. #1: it is a cult, not a religion. #2: LDS IS THE fastest groing religion. my sister went to a $cientology cult two times in her life. of course, they got her name and address and 40 years later she is still getting mail from them, and they WILL NOT Take her name off the mailing list. it is very boring. i can’t even read one all the way through. that is how your cult claims millions of members. Actual numbers are closer to 40,000, worldwide. how much money are you giving them to help you get “up the ladder?”

  15. The hate… the bigotry…
    the nasty hissings, slitherings, and snarks
    so shamefully on display here.

    One would think these sniping souls were, in some essential way, threatened by Scientology.

    But then, this is often the tale, isn’t it.
    “The Other” seems always to be walking a False Path.

    1. Church of Scientology is a CULT that breaks up families and friends. All they care about is taking your $$$$$. Ask them how they feel about living an openly gay life? Ask a Scientologist about what it means to be a happily married gay person

  16. read up on $cientology unless you are already a cult member and are not allowed to. This is not a “do-good” religion. Learn before you speak.

  17. “THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN CONTROL PEOPLE IS TO LIE TO THEM. You can write that down in your book in great big letters. The only way you can control anybody is to lie to them.”

    Lecture: “Off the Time Track” (June 1952) as quoted in Journal of Scientology issue 18-G, reprinted in Technical Volumes of Dianetics & Scientology Vol. 1, p. 418

    Even children learn Scientology TRL(training routine lying).

  18. I am proud of Scientology and their new church building. The future is in our hands and if all of us that believe in the value of the human spirit pull together it will be a sane and strong one.

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