NEWPORT BEACH : Community Church Marks 50 Years in Corona del Mar

When Corona del Mar’s Community Church Congregational United Church of Christ had its first service on May 28, 1944, it was in unlikely surroundings: Balz Mortuary Chapel by the Sea on Pacific Coast Highway.

The church, which celebrated its 50th anniversary Sunday, has come a long way since then, a fact its members gathered to celebrate with special music and prayers, and a time capsule to remind members at the next half-century milestone of its humble beginnings.

The larger, more modern church that stands at 611 Heliotrope Ave. is the long-term fruit of the labors of 10 Christian women who formed the Capilla Circle to make sure their children got a religious education. Originally, they taught Sunday school in a vacant building on Jasmine Avenue.

The church’s former associate minister, Lori Souder, continued a longstanding tradition of leadership by women when she gave the sermon for Sunday’s service.

“Women have played a central role in the life of this church from the very beginning,” the Rev. Dennis Short, the church’s interim pastor, said.

The congregation that gathered Sunday included a few of the early members, still on hand to contribute historical tidbits and memories for a time capsule filled with letters and the church’s recently published history.