With a nod to the past but eyes on the future, several thousand members and friends of the Loma Linda University Church (LLUC) marched from Gentry Gymnasium to their newly renovated sanctuary on Jan. 22, a rare sunny Sabbath during an unusually rainy winter. The joyful journey capped a 16-month construction project.

Forty-four years ago the congregation first marched from Burden Hall Chapel across campus to their new church. Senior Pastor Randy Roberts invited more than 30 individuals who had participated in the first march to lead the procession. “We follow in the footsteps of history,” he said.

At the same time, today’s congregation has positioned itself to witness in the 21st century. “We experienced a paradigm shift during the renovation,” explained Costin Jordache, pastor for media ministries. “We began with a traditional worship space for one congregation. But now, by investing in systems that provide up-to-date acoustics, audio, video projection and lighting, LLUC has become a place of worship for Adventists around the world.”

Broadcasting live TV at most Adventist churches today means renting expensive equipment, setting up and taking down special lights, and working around miles of wiring. “LLUC is now a production and sound stage. It’s all there, ready to go,” he said. “Yes, we benefit as a congregation and a university. But the space also has a servant role. It is ready to facilitate Adventist global outreach.”

Mission-Minded

Outreach is important to the 6,000-member congregation. The church first delayed renovation in order to rebuild the elementary school at Loma Linda Academy. Overall, the school enrolls 1,500 students.

Then, in the early 1990s, the iron curtain crumbled and new religious freedoms came to Russia. Eager to nurture new Russian Adventists, LLUC members spent $630,000 to help build a 750-seat church in St. Petersburg.

Now, the congregation is returning to its 2003 plan to expand Sabbath school rooms in the south wing. The plan got sidelined because restrooms for the main sanctuary were located in the south wing. Before the south wing could be demolished, the church entry had to be enlarged and new restrooms added. And when construction began, workers discovered asbestos in the old church entry.

“We had not planned to re-do the sanctuary,” explained Darold Retzer, executive pastor. “But we had no choice. Removing asbestos meant gutting ceilings and walls. And that meant everything in the sanctuary had to be brought up to current building codes.”

“We will do the south wing as soon as possible,” Jordache emphasized. “It is essential for our young adult, academy-age youth and children’s ministries. Our church is committed to local as well as global ministry.”