Plans to renovate and expand the 44-year old Loma Linda University Church (LLUC) began with a simple problem. Space.
In 1960, the congregation had fewer than 2,000 members. Today it has more than 6,000. Young adults, youth, children, adults—all have outgrown their space in the present structure.
Given the limits of the church’s land on the Loma Linda University campus, what could be done? Razing the too-small Sabbath school classroom wing, and rebuilding it wider and taller, seemed like the best solution. A new upper level would house multipurpose rooms for 1,000 young adults and 300 youth (academy-age students). On the main floor, children and adult groups would gain larger quarters.
But, before the old wing could be torn down, new restrooms had to be built. The ones serving the sanctuary were in the demolition zone. Adding restrooms at the balcony and main level, and expanding the church entry, might cost $600,000 and be finished in four months. Then work could begin on a new Sabbath school wing.
Surprises
The first surprise emerged just before the congregation moved out of the sanctuary in September 2003 and began worshipping across campus in the university’s Gentry Gymnasium. While enlarging the lobby, workers discovered a costly obstacle—asbestos. “We had no idea it was there but we had to deal with it,” said Nathan Dockery, owner of N. J. Dockery Construction Company.
"When you take out asbestos, you have to gut ceilings and walls," said Darold Retzer, executive pastor. "We hadn't planned to re-do the entire sanctuary. Now we had no choice. Everything had to be brought up to current building codes—including installation of a sprinkler system and new electrical wiring.”
"The asbestos removal company said their job would be much easier if we took out the pews,” added Donauvin Krause, church business administrator. "The pews needed repair and reupholstering. How would the cost of fixing them and storing them a few months compare with buying new ones?" In the end, the church ordered new pews and donated the old ones to small congregations in the U.S. and Mexico.
By early 2004, remodeling the sanctuary became the primary goal. The Sabbath school wing would have to wait. Committees began evaluating acoustics, lighting, heating and cooling, the overall aesthetics of the large worship space, and an infrastructure for media and television production.
“Tearing down the chancel area brought another surprise,” Costin Jordache, associate pastor, explained. “Once we could see the organ pipes, we realized many had warped or been damaged with time. All were dirty.” A specialist was hired to remove, repair and/or clean 7,200 pipes.
Plans evolved and the construction schedule lengthened. Loma Linda pastors realized the sanctuary would not be finished by spring. The university gymnasium is not insulated or air-conditioned and outdoor temperatures soar above 100 degrees in July and August. To be habitable for worship services, the large geodesic dome would have to be cooled on Sabbath, despite the cost of renting special equipment.
Overall, the sanctuary renovation will cost about $6 million. Meanwhile, Sabbath schools suffer a critical shortage of space. Phase II of the building will begin as soon as more funds can be raised.
On Mission
Although talk of remodeling and expanding LLUC began more than 15 years ago, members put their own needs on hold. First, they agreed that the Loma Linda Academy elementary school desperately needed to be rebuilt and invested heavily in the project.
Then, they became excited about building a sister church in Russia. William Loveless, then senior pastor of the Loma Linda University Church, presented the vision. The iron curtain was crumbling and new religious freedoms were emerging. Evangelistic meetings were resulting in hundreds of baptisms. Loveless and others wondered where all these new Adventists would worship.
In short, LLUC members helped build a beautiful church to seat 750 in St. Petersburg. Originally, they thought it would cost $30,000. Estimates increased to $150,000 and more. Eventually, Loma Linda Adventists donated more than $630,000 toward the project. Designed by the St. Petersburg city architect, the unique, light-filled church was dedicated in 1997, marking the 100th anniversary of the first Adventist worker coming to Russia.
Renovating the Loma Linda University Church is long overdue. Expansion and upgrades will support innovative ministries for university students, couples, singles, parents, children, youth, retirees and the local community.
The church is often featured, for example, on the Loma Linda Broadcasting Network (LLBN). The network has its own board and raises its own operating funds. Via satellite it provides programs 24 hours a day, seven days a week. One of its programming gems is the Sabbath morning worship service from Loma Linda University Church. It’s just one way in which members share the Gospel with people around the world.
“We are convinced that, for the believer, worship of God must come first,” stated Randy Roberts, senior pastor. “Everything else in the Christian life leads to worship or flows from it. Our aim is to complete the sanctuary renovation with enough care that any who visit will be able to say with certainty, ‘This is clearly a congregation that places first priority on the worship of God.’”
