The Free Church of Tonga has bought the Mauna Ziona church property sold for $51,000 dollars during an auction earlier this week in Hawaii.

The Hawaii Tribune Herald reported that this historical North Kona church was listed at an upset price of $46, 641 in back taxes and the Free Church of Tonga, one of several groups that currently use it for worship, bought the 10 acre property.

Tongan Pastor Fine Teutau who held off two other bidders to win the property said he intends to keep the church in its current use for his congregation and likely for others who are now using it, including Kahu Norman Keanaaina’s Kekaha Congregational services and Micronesian services.

"It's going to remain a church and still belongs to people to use this facility for church. I feel blessed, we feel wonderful for this opportunity."

Teutau’s bid was at the end of a long list of around 100 properties to be sold for back taxes.

He said the congregation decided to bid for the property after seeing an article in the Sunday West Hawaii Today depicting the problems the church faced.

The property taxes have not  been paid since 2009, when the Hawaii Conference United Church of Christ turned over the church to Keanaaina as settlement in a lawsuit.