Missions do not have full church status, nor do they have the authority to train or ordain Scientology ministers. Scientology Missions International, based in Los Angeles, serves as the mother church for missions and provides guidance and support to existing missions, coordinates the far-flung network of missions, and helps Scientologists start new ones. Any qualified Scientologist may open a mission and thereby contribute to helping Dianetics and Scientology become broadly applied in society. When a mission and its congregation become large enough, the mission can qualify to become a full-fledged Church of Scientology. Class V Churches of Scientology E ach Church of Scientology serves as the hub of all Scientology activity in its community.
Churches exist in many cities on all continents.
These Churches of Scientology exist above missions in the Scientology hierarchy. Known as Class V organizations, a name which reflects the level of auditor training they deliver, they provide their parishioners a large body of beginning and intermediate Dianetics and Scientology training and auditing. They also have the authority to train and ordain Scientology ministers. In addition to ministering the religious services and ensuring missions and Field Auditor groups located in their communities are maintaining orthodox ministries, Class V churches also assist parishioners with their marital and family problems as well as christenings, weddings and funerals, Sunday Services and congregational gatherings. Staff in every Church of Scientology also help local parishioners establish new groups and missions and organize activities that use Dianetics and Scientology to address community needs.