In 1957, God all on the heart and lives of Rev. Bill Miedema, his wife Dorothy and two daughters to leave Michigan and come to California to plant a church at a drive-in theater. Three hundred fifty people attended that first service at the Los Altos Drive-In Theater in Long Beach. The church was formally organized in 1958 and in 1961 the property on Norwalk Blvd. was purchased.
The original church auditorium sat 400 people with room for 300 cars to participate in ‘drive-in’ worship on the front lawn. Seven hundred fifty people were in attendance for the first service at the Norwalk Blvd. campus in 1964. The current auditorium was dedicated in 1970. The Singing Fountain Preschool was opened in 1974 and still serves infants, preschoolers and their families today.
Between the years 1971 and 1981, El Dorado Park Church’s morning worship service was televised and sent to 15 different TV stations around the United States. The television program was named “Sunday Celebration.” During this time period, the church grew and prospered to a weekly attendance of 1800 people.
In 1982, Rev. Bill Miedema accepted a call back Michigan and the church experienced many changes in senior leadership over the next 25 years.
The area around El Dorado Park Community Church has changed much in the 50+ years it has served this community. From the days of dairies and open areas to a diverse urban setting, EPCC is seeking to rise to these new challenges. It is our desire to become a church of all nations, a church of all ages, a church of all economic backgrounds and a church where people can meet friends, meet Jesus and impact the world.