For 46 years, members of the Norco church parked in dust, dirt and potholes in summer and mud puddles in the winter. At one time it was graded, graveled and covered in a light coat of asphalt, but even that wore thin. But on June 10, about 50 members, parents and teachers from the school baked in noon-day heat to dedicate their new asphalt parking lot that cost just under $309,000.

More pressing goals and financial concerns have hindered the parking-lot project for years. Yet dreams of a church complex, complete with paved parking, remained alive. In 2004, Pastor John Champlin and architect Gilbert Alcala conceived plans to have an asphalt parking lot, outdoor lighting, a Pathfinder building and a gymnasium.

Champlin retired in June 2005, and Vaughn Nelson became the new pastor. The project forged ahead with a bid of $73,453 for the parking lot, and the Pacific Union approved a loan on Oct. 30, 2006, for $115,000.

But paving didn't progress smoothly. City requirements for lighting, etc., were more expensive than anticipated; using the old gravel and asphalt as a base did not work out; and the ground prep equipment struck boulders and granite just beneath the surface. That, plus additional trenching for electrical wiring, pushed the cost to $308,779.76.

"This summer is the beginning of our new outreach programs," says Nelson. "We are exploring a variety of ways we can minister to our neighbors, including service projects, reaching out to families at the school, and some creative events that cater to our unique Norco community. We hope to have the new 120-space parking lot filled with cars someday soon."