Church Seeks New Home in Shopping Center
A Simi Valley church wants to move into a shopping center and conduct its services and Bible study classes near a liquor store, pool hall, gun shop, dry cleaners and Chuck E. Cheese pizza restaurant.
The Simi Valley Planning Commission tonight will consider Sonrise Christian Church’s request to rent part of a 36,811-square-foot shopping center at the northwest corner of Tierra Rejada and Madera roads.
According to a staff report, the 250-member church was organized about a year ago and has been operating out of Sequoia Junior High School. Its lease expired in April, but a grace period has been granted until the city decides on its request to relocate.
The church wants to lease three spaces totaling about 4,565 square feet for church services, classrooms and offices. The congregation now meets once a week for a Sunday service, but at its new location would hold services twice on Sundays in addition to group meetings weekday evenings, Pastor Ken Craft said.
The center is already crowded during peak hours, so the city will require that church members park behind the rented buildings on Sundays.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
