Man’s Home Is Castle—and Church, by Susan Kuczka:

When George Michael placed a cross on the side of his lakefront mansion, neighbors assumed the decoration was simply a display of the man’s religious faith. What his neighbors didn’t know is that Michael had decided to convert his $3 million residence into the Armenian Church of Lake Bluff, qualifying him for a nearly $80,000 break on his annual property tax bill. Now, locals are questioning whether the property is a church at all. …

"It’s a honkin’ house," said Shields Township Assessor Teresia Yakes, who recently appraised the Michael mansion. With "No Trespassing" and "Private Property" signs everywhere, the Shore Acres subdivision looks like an unlikely place to open a church.

Michael told state officials last month that he began his North Shore congregation more than a year ago after he got a pastor’s degree from an online religious site. While only a handful of close friends and family attend the church, Michael opened his house of worship to spare his disabled wife the hardship of having to travel to practice her religion, attorney Mark Belognia said.

(Hat Tip:   Donald Tobin.)