Rock Harbor church finds new home

Deirdre Newman

After six years of renting, Rock Harbor is finally dropping anchor

and settling down in a place of its own.

The church, which evolved from an offshoot of Mariners Church, has

been renting space at the Costa Mesa Senior Center, but the services

usually draw large crowds. Church officials have gotten city approval

to establish their church within an industrial building at 345

Fischer Ave.

Church officials say the building -- at 35,000 square feet -- will

provide more space and flexibility in what they can offer. But they

don’t want to lose their connection with the community that they

established by being homeless for so long, said Stacy Scott, director

of involvement.

“Just because we have a building doesn’t mean we’ll isolate

ourselves,” Scott said. “It means we can be more purposeful and more

intentional.”

In addition to the senior center, Rock Harbor has rented space at

Triangle Square and the Orange County Fairgrounds, Scott said.

This month, the Planning Commission approved Rock Harbor’s use of

the Fischer Avenue facility. It also allowed off-site overflow

parking at Mariner’s Christian School provided the church will not

hold the city liable for any damages, claims or legal actions

involving property damage, injuries or death caused by congregants

going to or from the off-site parking.

Construction is expected to start around April and should be

finished by mid-September, Scott said. Rock Harbor’s new home will

hold about 900 congregants, while the senior center only can hold

about 550.

“Having more space will allow us to touch more lives -- not only

on weekends but now throughout the week,” lead pastor Todd Proctor

said. “We do not see this building as a permanent home that can

somehow contain our ministries, but instead as a launching pad for

our work in changing lives across Orange County.”

The property owner is refurbishing the office space, and the

church is taking care of renovating the rest of the building, Scott

said.

“It’s pretty much gutted, so we have to do everything, and what

we’re doing is major,” Scott said.

When it’s done, the church will include a main sanctuary that will

also be used as a multipurpose room, a children’s worship room, a

sitting area and possibly a theater and art gallery. It will also

have spacious children’s classrooms, several meeting rooms and

offices -- amenities church staff has gotten used to living without,

Scott said.

“We currently have six to seven employees sharing a room in a

house, whereas what we’re moving into has offices, which is exciting

and scary at the same time, because we don’t know what that’s like

anymore,” Scott said.

Church officials are calling on all the congregants to be part of

the move, Scott said.

“The whole church has been waiting for so long,” Scott said.

“Everyone’s waiting to just put their hand in and say, ‘We’re going

to be a part of this. We’re going to come together and make this all

it can be.’”

Senior center Director Aviva Goelman said she was thrilled for

Rock Harbor that it finally will get its own facility.

“This is something that was necessary for them because they’re

growing, and even though it will be a loss for us, we’re really happy

for them,” Goelman said. “I wish them nothing but the best.”

Revenue from Rock Harbor accounts for about 15% of the senior

center’s budget, Goelman said. The center will spend the time before

the church moves out deciding how to replace that revenue, Goelman

added.

* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers Costa Mesa. She may be reached at (949)

574-4221 or by e-mail at deirdre.newman@latimes.com.