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One building, two Sabbaths

Christian and Messianic Jewish congregations have the same address, quite harmoniously.

LUTZ - The ram's horn and menorahs are stashed in a closet at Congregacion De Yahweh each Saturday night to make way for the bold Christian banners used by the House of Prayer.

Both congregations worship at different times in the same brick and cinder block building at 710 Crenshaw Lake Road. A tall wooden sign out front includes the image of a menorah and a cross.

Their leaders say it's a perfect marriage between a Christian church and a congregation of Messianic Jews. Messianic Jews believe that Jesus - Yeshua, as they call him - is the son of God.

"We wanted to help a church out," said Jose Serrano, pastor of Congregacion De Yahweh. "We don't use the building on Sundays."

Property records show that Congregacion De Yahweh's national headquarters in Paterson, N.J., bought the building in 2000 for $180,000.

House of Prayer has been renting space there for about two years. The nondenominational church has a multicultural congregation of about 200 members who normally attend on Sundays.

Its pastor, Joseph Perea, and his wife, Rosa, previously served at a diversely populated megachurch in Denver. Assistant Pastor Paul Ramon said the leadership wants to create that same kind of worship experience here.

"The pastor is bringing to Tampa what he experienced in Denver, and that's multiculturalism," Ramon said, adding that the church membership consists of whites, blacks, Latinos, Asians and other ethnic groups.

Congregacion De Yahweh has about 50 members, who are largely Latino. Most are from New York, New Jersey and Puerto Rico.

Serrano, 34, says the building is not a synagogue.

"We have the menorah out on our sign and we follow Jewish holidays but not the Jewish tradition," Serrano said. They celebrate all the Jewish feasts that are in the Bible. They also worship on Saturday, like mainstream Jews.

Messianic Jews are often products of marriages between Jews and Christians, or Jews in other mixed marriages. All insist they are fully Jewish, even though mainstream Jewish leaders say Jesus and Judaism don't mix.

Serrano said House of Prayer leases the building yearly.

"House of Prayer and I have a great relationship," Serrano said. "They are great people."

Tim Grant can be reached at 813 269-5311 or at grant@sptimes.com