In December, the Southern California Conference (SCC) held a grand opening for its new media production studio—a moment that had been in the making since before the start of the covid pandemic. The space was dedicated with a prayer before the ribbon was cut, and then the studio was officially open, allowing visitors to tour and learn more about the space.
“This is the fulfillment of a dream that we had for some time,” said Velino A. Salazar, who was the SCC president when this project began. Interest in this new digital method of doing ministry had been cultivated throughout the past few years, as the conference began to invest in tools that would allow them to reach even more people with the gospel.
“This studio will be one more tool in the toolbox that helps our leaders as they work toward our mission of cultivating healthy churches and schools,” said John H. Cress, SCC president. “We are here to serve our churches, schools, and conference departments, and this space helps us do that.”
More than six recording bays, or scenes, offer flexibility for recordings of various types, maximizing the usefulness of the space. Conversations for podcasts are easily facilitated in a dedicated podcasting room, a greenroom enhances the flow of livestreamed events for a streamlined production, and a wardrobe room creates a comfortable space for outfit changes that are often needed when multiple recordings are done in one day.
Salazar pointed out the three sources of funding for the project: the conference allocation, dedicated offerings from our church members, and generous donors who were invited to support the project.
“We thank you, Lord, that that you have given us the space to use through the generosity of many, and through the vision of many,” Cress prayed to close the event. “Now, Lord, may we use it to your glory and may the gospel that is preached through this space—the stories that are told about people whose lives are changed out of this space, the podcasts that are given from this place—may all of these accumulate to build up the kingdom of God on earth until we see you face to face.”
