Landmark generates intrigue

SPIRIT LAKE — Michael Giannini hadn't hardly gotten off the ladder after putting Israel's flag on his 1908 church building for sale in Spirit Lake when the first curious onlooker arrived.

"She asked who did that and why," Giannini said. "When I told her that I love Israel and its people, she smiled in support. It's not a political thing. It's a simple 'I love you.'"

Giannini hung the flag on the former Catholic church two weeks ago and wrote words of support for America and Israel on the side of the aged building.

It has drawn photos and widespread comments on social media with the most common question being, "Why?"

Giannini confirmed one report that, at one point, the building drew buying interest from an Aryan Nation member. He said that when he bought the property 2.5 years ago he later learned through a real estate agent that the person he was in a bidding war with over it was an Aryan.

"He said, 'Michael, your deal stopped the other one from going through,'" Giannini said. "We were awestruck when we found out. We have a strong faith in God, so if we've done nothing more with this property than that, we've done our job."

Giannini said he isn't aware of the Aryan Nations being among the plethora of folks who have expressed interest in the building since it went on the market a year ago. The building at the intersection of Highway 41 and Jefferson is listed at $76,900.

Giannini said the apparent one-time Aryan interest in the building was not the reason he put up the Israel flag, which is white with two horizontal blue bands and a blue Star of David in the center. He said he and his wife, Genevieve, are passionate about helping the country because it has Biblical roots and the technological advances that originated there.

"Through the Jewish people, the word of God was given to us as believers," he said, adding that he and his wife are not Jewish. "The world dramatically changed because of the walk they walked for us as pioneers. We are very grateful for what they have done for humanity and the world. They have a lot of poverty."

The couple, who live in Post Falls, started their nonprofit called Moriah Rain Ministries in 2011 to assist Israeli humanitarian causes. They have been been to Israel six times in the past eight years as volunteers.

Giannini said he doesn't fly the American flag alongside the Israel one because the American flag must be lit at night.

"We love our country and we love that we're allies with Israel, but I did not want to dishonor the American flag (by not lighting it at night)," he said.

Spirit Lake Police Chief Keith Hutcheson said his department has been called in regard to the Israel flag, but it is simply a freedom of speech matter.

Giannini, who has worked in construction, said he purchased the old church with a bell tower to renovate it.

"But our lives changed not too long after that, so we shifted gears," he said.

Giannini said the property, which is zoned residential, would make a nice art or community center, museum or bed and breakfast. He said he'd like to see the building, which has been gutted inside, renovated rather than razed.

"It deserves to be restored to its original beauty," he said.

Giannini said he has had a "ton" of interest in the building from entities throughout the country.

"People fall in love with the building, but a lot don't have the money," he said. "It's going to take some money to fix it."