Church cuts ribbon on new Downey campus

by Christian Brown, Staff Writer The Downey Patriot

After 10 years of stop-and-go construction, the 4,000-member Spanish congregation led by Pastor Otto R. Azurdia, at last completed renovations to a multi-million dollar church facility, which includes everything from a new 3,000-seat sanctuary to a 24,000-sq.-ft. radio and television production studio.

As enthusiastic church members gathered outside for the ceremony, one-by-one church leaders and government officials praised the new state-of-the-art facility and the congregation, which spent 10 years hosting fundraisers in order to collect the money necessary to finally complete the building.

Split into three main sections, the expansive church facility includes multi-level administrative offices, a smaller secondary sanctuary, the radio and television studio, and the 75,000-sq.-ft. main sanctuary, which can house a maximum of 4,600 people.

Church leaders boast the house of worship is 100 percent digital, complete with pristine sound and lighting capabilities, multiple video cameras, and a large white backdrop behind the stage that can be used to project graphics and scriptures. Church leaders say Ministerios Llamada Final is one of the first churches to own the innovative multimedia system.

The church has also embraced several green technologies on the property including a water-recycling feature that reuses all rainwater and redirects it into the irrigation of the plants and grass near the church.

During Mondays ribbon-cutting ceremony, Congresswoman Lucille Royal-Allard presented the church with a resolution of recognition and thanked the congregation for its dedication to see the building project through until the end.

"The fact that it took 10 years to build this is a testimony of your faith," she declared in Spanish, drawing cheers from the audience. "You never gave up until the dream of your church became a reality. Now this state-of-the-art facility in Downey is finally your home."

However, Azurdias vision of a large Christian temple came 24 years prior when the then-young immigrant from Guatemala was just starting his ministry.

In 1988, Azurdia moved to Huntington Park and founded a small church, which started with just 70 or 80 people. After less than two years, the congregation had grown to more than 800 people.

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Church cuts ribbon on new Downey campus