BY FRED KNOPPER AND MICHELE STOTZ

hurch leaders from the North American Division (NAD) joined lay members and community guests as they officially dedicated the Adventist Media Center on February 7.

About 250 persons attended the hour-long ceremony. Although the event consecrated the new 123,000-square-foot building, the dedication focused on the center's sole purpose: leading others to Christ.

NAD president Don Schneider, said, "We now have the best facility the Adventist church has ever had for our media. But it isn't only about this building. It's not about microphones, lights, and cameras. It's about lives that will be changed because of what's happening in this building. We celebrate our faith in the great God of heaven, that He will use these facilities to change lives."

Located in Simi Valley, California, the structure houses four major Adventist radio and television ministries (La Voz de la Esperanza, Voice of Prophecy, Faith for Today and It Is Written) and provides leadership and support services for two additional media ministries, Breath of Life and LifeTalk Radio. The building also houses TRANSDA, an Adventist advertising agency; Adventist Media Productions, the team responsible for in-house and off-site productions, and several administrative service units.

Simi Valley council member Barbara Williamson welcomed the media center with open arms. "We're proud and happy to have you in our community, and we hope you plan to stay a long time," she said. "I hope to attend your church more often." The city is regularly listed among the safest in the United States.

Visitors saw first-hand the new technical features of the center. The new facility houses two cutting-edge television studios, audio and video production rooms, and editing suites. During the tour, many commented on how surprised they were with the facilities. "This is awesome. I don't think the average person, including myself, has any clue as to the technical ability and the capabilities of what's here in this facility," said North Pacific Union president Jere Patzer.

"I'm so thankful the church can have the very best facilities to bring the greatest message to the world," added Southern Union president Malcolm Gordon.

Studio A measures 72' x 84' and is 26' high, and can handle up to one million watts of power. It will be used for larger programs, and can even accommodate a studio audience. The cyclorama, a large, hand-woven backdrop that encircles the entire studio, is the largest hanging on the West Coast. It allows for almost any background to be used behind a set, so that, with special lighting, it can turn into a cloudy sky, a sunset, a rainbow and more.

Studio B also incorporates many cutting-edge features and measures 40' x 60' x 22'. The walls in both studios are two feet thick for sound proofing. Numerous motorized hoists raise and lower multiple lighting grids for convenient access. These and other features means set-up time for each production can be reduced by three days.

Kermit Netteburg, assistant to the NAD president for communication and media center president, said "It Is Written recently shot its first television programs in the new studio. Because we have a more modern, sophisticated, facility, we got the entire job done in six working days, when it used to take 12-13 days. We now have facilities that are built to twenty-first century standards. It's not like we can do twice as much work because we have two studios: we can do three-to-four times as much work because the facilities are much more efficient."

In comparing the new location with the previous one, Netteburg pointed out, "Although the square footage is about the same as Thousand Oaks complex, the utilization of space is much better. The old campus was beautiful with soaring buildings, but if we were still there, we wouldn't be doing the kind of ministry we're capable of here."

The Thousand Oaks location had only one television studio, two audio rooms and three video editing suites. The Simi Valley building has two television studios, four audio studios and six video editing suites.

Two master control rooms can be used with either studio. More than 25 miles of cable lies beneath the floors of the central machine room where the major recording equipment is stored. The production area includes the latest digital audio, television recording and editing tools, and digital satellite transmission equipment which can broadcast programs in more than 40 languages almost anywhere in the world.

The equipment (and the Adventist Media Productions team) can also be taken on-location, which happened when It Is Written traveled to 10 countries for its "ACTS 2000" series. Mark Finley, speaker/director of It Is Written, is thrilled about the new facilities. "This state-of-the-art media center will enable us to touch more lives for the kingdom. I praise God for it," Finley said.

The center allows each of the ministries to save time and money by using the most advanced technology available. "At this point, there is no production task we can't handle," Netteburg said.

The moving process took over seven years. "For a while, it was like we were the Children of Israel in the wilderness, although we didn't walk for 40 years--just seven," Netteburg said. "Throughout this �waiting period,' ministries had to find alternate television studios. We appreciate the staff who have been patient and supportive in the midst of this construction project. It was not an easy project, but God opened many doors. Every time we were stumped, God opened another door. And that happened at least a dozen times in major ways."

It Is Written founder George Vandeman suggested his friend, Terry Moreland, an Adventist builder, become involved in planning the new studios. "Terry came down and looked at the project and said he was interested in participating," said Netteburg. "He sent his brother Dan, free-of-charge, to be construction supervisor. Dan and Terry did some fabulous things to help us with this project."

The media center also enjoys a unique honor. Marshall Chase, a NAD associate treasurer and media center manager, adds, "We are the only institution and building the North American Division owns, so that really makes this special."

Although the center is owned by the North American Division, funding comes from three sources. Gifts donated directly to the various media ministries amount to about $20-25 million. In addition, the North American Division appropriates $5 million annually for media ministry, and the center itself generates about $4 million a year from service revenue.

Both Chase and Netteburg have great visions for the future of media. "From now on, we are going to focus on strengthening the ministries to carry out their missions to the fullest extent," Chase said.

Netteburg seeks to create synergy between the media ministries and increase their ties with local churches.

Now that the center is in full-production, the influence of each television and radio program can grow exponentially. "People don't always realize the immense impact of the media ministries," Netteburg said. "As people watch and listen to our programs, they are drawn closer to Jesus Christ and become more receptive to the Adventist message. Although they may be uncounted now, they will be numbered in heaven."

For more information on the media center and its ministries, please visit www.sdamedia.org.

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Fred Knopper is creative and marketing director, and Michele Stotz is the associate public relations director at It Is Written Television.

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