Religion and History Collide in Battle Over Old Church

The fate of a tiny cinder-block church, built in 1926 and one of the last vestiges of the Santa Clarita Valley’s pioneer heritage, rests in the hands of state and county officials.

But those on both sides of the controversy over whether to preserve or rebuild the Agua Dulce Christian Church claim to have the backing of a much higher authority.

“We’re taking our direction from headquarters--from the Lord,” said the Rev. Warren Arey, the church pastor and the leading advocate of a plan to raze the nondescript building to make way for a larger, modern facility. “We need a more efficient sanctuary.”

On the other side is Jim Johnson, a former church elder, who heads a group of about 300 residents who have signed petitions urging that the church be saved.

“I don’t think God wants to destroy it,” said Johnson’s wife, Genevieve.

The tug-of-war has been going on for more than a year, creating a bitter split among some residents in rapidly developing Agua Dulce.

“It’s the only building around of historical significance,” said Johnson, who has lived in Agua Dulce for 26 years.

The parcel on which it sits was donated in 1914 for a community school site by the Wrights--a local pioneer family--when the area was homesteaded, Johnson said. The building at the center of the controversy was used as a school until 1946. In 1950, it was converted to a church, he said.

The building is no architectural wonder, Johnson said. The building’s only distinguishing architectural feature--its wooden bell tower--was built in 1976 by church members.

Peg Spry, a retired Granada Hills schoolteacher and member of the church, said Sunday that while the facility “looks like a country church from a distance, up close it’s ratty.” Not to mention that it’s unusable.

In 1989, the county Board of Public Works issued an order to vacate the facility because, as an unreinforced masonry structure, it is not earthquake-safe. As a result, the congregation has held its church services in the nearby Sunday school building since December.

The latest chapter in the dispute was written Thursday by the Los Angeles County Historical Landmarks and Records Commission.

The commission declined to reconsider its March 12 vote recommending that the church be designated an official Point of Historical Interest. If the commission’s recommendation is approved by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, and supported by the State Historical Resources Commission, church leaders would be required to file an environmental impact report before they could get approval to raze the church.

But the bearded Arey was undaunted by the commission’s decision and vowed to take his fight to bring a modern church to his congregation to the doorstep of Supervisor Mike Antonovich.

“We’re going to talk face-to-face with the supervisor,” Arey said.

Both sides believe that Antonovich, as Agua Dulce’s local representative, is the key to the case when it goes before the Board of Supervisors for a vote.

Both sides also claim to have Antonovich’s support. “I think he’s scratching both our backs,” Arey said.

But Antonovich has not decided how he will vote on the issue. His aide, Jo Anne Darcy, said she is hoping for a compromise decision, such as finding a donor to pay to move the church to another site.

If the preservationists prevail, the church congregation faces the costly job of retrofitting the building to make it earthquake-proof, said Arey, who has been pastor there since 1975.

Even after spending $100,000 on such improvements, the congregation’s other goals would still not be met, Arey said. These include having a church large enough and upscale enough to keep pace with both the area’s growing population and its increasing affluence, he said.

But those supporting demolition of the old building are keeping their faith.

“We believe the Lord’s will will be done,” Spry said Thursday after the county commission had taken its action.

“But we just wish it would happen faster than it has,” Arey added.

Times staff writer Aaron Curtiss contributed to this story.