Save Our National Landmark...the former Timken Stables!!!

Please, Help Us Save Our National Landmark...the former Timken Stables!!!

We, Beit HaKavod Messianic Synagogue (The House of Glory), own this property and we are raising funds to restore this treasure to which the Lord has entrusted us. Our beautiful building is listed on The National Register of Historic Places. This is an ominous undertaking and we are in the process of applying for grants. Being that we are religious in nature, this excludes us from many of these grants.

We are doing the Restoration, Reconstruction and Preservation in phases. This first campaign is Phase One; The Structural Design. By our Architect, Structural Engineer and their Design Team.

Our desire is to be a "Welcome Center" for this Football Hall of Fame City! Conveniently located right off I-77. Our ministry networks all places of worship and ministries of help, together as an "Underground Railroad."

Please consider partnering with our community outreach as we bring transformation and restoration to this unique landmark building and to our amazing city of Canton.

Our History and Story; Details and Current Litigation with The City of Canton:

Behold, the former Timken Stables. This structure was the horses' stables for Henry Timken - the founder of the Timken Company in Canton, OH, and inventor of the tapered roller bearing, which revolutionized the auto industry and is still used in motor vehicles to this day. This building has come a long way since he built it in 1906.

In a day vision 35 years ago, Heidi (Hickman) Lancaster saw angels going up and down from this historical building, similar to "Jacob's Ladder." She was the only person to step forward to save it from being demolished by a wrecking ball in 1988. Football player Chris Spielman purchased it in 1991 and turned it into a sports-themed restaurant/bar.

He sold it to a businessman from Egypt in 2001. He kept with the football theme until 2009 when Beit HaKavod Messianic Synagogue (The House of Glory) began leasing space for the newly-formed congregation, led by Rabbi Mark Lancaster and his future wife, Heidi.

In keeping with the vision God had given her all those years ago that this place should be used for the Glory of God, she boldly made arrangements with the owner to hold weekly Shabbat services in a side banquet room. One year later, the owner shut down the business and moved out of state, leaving us the key.

In 2013, we acquired the building through a sheriff's sale/auction. We were barely able to come up with the $20,000 down payment just to be able to bid. But we did. Rabbi Mark was the highest bidder at $168,000. Money we did not have.

Thirty days later, a fellow brother in faith gave us the money in cash, and we were, and still are, the owners of that building. A true miracle! The building had fallen into disrepair over the years, and the roof began leaking in 2014.

Initially, we made many repairs on our own, but then we were blocked by the City of Canton from doing so. They said that if we continued to do repairs, our Rabbi would "go to jail."

In 2018, we presented a plan to the City of Canton officials. We had our architect, structural engineer, and roofing company in place to begin the work as well as local companies willing to donate the materials to repair the roof and exterior.

Instead of choosing to work with us, the city officials denied our plan.

A year later, the City of Canton shut us down. They then obtained a court order for us to vacate and filed a lawsuit to take the building from us in 2023.

The City of Canton was suing us, a non-profit, community service ministry, for violations of $4,000 a day!! Totaling approximately $6,000,000 (6 million dollars).

Why would they do this, you might ask? Our building is in the backyard of their most prized possession - The Hall of Fame Village. We have evidence that the City of Canton wants our property and is in the process of trying to take it. We now understand why the City blocked our reasonable and well-organized plan of restoration.

Earlier this year, the Stark County Court of Common Pleas sided with the City of Canton and denied our jury trial that we were granted with our corporate attorney, just days before our jury trial. We were denied our day in court to present our witnesses and evidence. Discrimination with prejudice!

Anyone with eyes to see can tell what is going on here. We are appealing this and hope to have our chance for a jury to finally hear our case.

While litigation is going on, we have the opportunity to repair our roof. The City cannot stop us; they are legally being held back. We have this window of opportunity, we MUST TAKE IT but, we need YOUR help!

This is a clarion call to all of our fellow brothers and sisters out there.

Together, let's raise the funds to repair this roof so that it can become what God has called it to be. A place to bring healing to the lost, to serve the community - a place of worship and a place of refuge in these difficult days!

Thank you & Shalom!