THREE
A Marriage Made with Love
The Merger of the Hollywood Tabernacle and the Pasadena Corps
“HOLLYWOOD MOVES TO PASADENA” trumpeted the front page headline. The first edition of the West’s new Territorial newspaper, NewFrontier, shouted its major front page story in early February of 1983.
The story did not concern the moves of any major motion picture studios. Instead, it reported the merger of the Pasadena Corps and the Hollywood Tabernacle, two historic and significant Salvation Army corps programs, into a single location bearing a single name – the Pasadena Tabernacle.
Both corps had lengthy histories of service to their different communities. The Hollywood Tabernacle’s roots went back to 1886, and the first Pasadena Corps opened its doors in 1888.
The Tabernacle came to Hollywood in 1964. It changed its name from the Los Angeles Tabernacle to the Hollywood Tabernacle and moved from 48th Street and Hoover Ave. into the Hawaii Theater, an historic and aging motion picture house on Hollywood Blvd. Included in the purchase and on the same property was the Palms restaurant, a famous nightspot for Hollywood celebrities in the heyday years of Hollywood. These two well-known locations, locked firmly into Hollywood history, had suffered the wear and tear of time. Moreover, while still attracting thousands of tourists annually, Hollywood itself was beginning to reveal its age, and much of the boulevard took on a “run-down” countenance with all the characters and crime characteristic of that condition. This was especially true of the Boulevard east of Gower Street where the Army’s new property was located.
Nevertheless, this location comprised approximately two and one-half acres of prime land spanning the depth of an entire block between Carlos Avenue and Hollywood Blvd. Located just west of the Hollywood Freeway and only a few hundred yards from the well known Hollywood First Presbyterian Church, the property screamed out for development of a location that seemed to have the potential of local, national and international recognition as well as service to a very needy population.
To provide a corps facility, the building was remodeled with an auditorium located in the front two-thirds of the building and a youth hall in the back third, behind a large stage. Classrooms were constructed on a second floor above the youth hall. Corps offices, a tiny nursery, and the only available lavatories were located on the mezzanine above the lobby.
The Palms restaurant shared a common driveway into a large parking lot. This facility, too small for a congregation of over two hundred people, became the corps kitchen, dining room, multi-purpose room, boy scout meeting room, adult Bible classroom, home league room (etc.)
Captains Robert and Marianne Tobin were corps officers during the period of the move from Los Angeles to Hollywood and remained for six years at the new facility. They were followed by a large number of dedicated Army officers, and in August of 1982, Army leadership appointed Captains Richard and Bettie Love as corps officers.
Recently, while examining this period of time Love stated: “When we arrived, we found the Tabernacle building on Hollywood Blvd. in need of significant remodeling and refurbishing. The congregation was troubled, not only by the condition of the building, but equally, by the deteriorating neighborhood and declining attendance. Meeting attendance during this period had slipped to 100-150, the band was led by an interim-bandmaster, and the songsters boasted about 20 members. During the preceding summer a bandsman had been accosted and shot in the Corps parking lot during the midweek Band and Songster practice.
The Santa Ana (corps), and Orange County in general, were in an expansion mode that resulted in some soldier transfers from the Tabernacle Corps,” Recognizing that something needed to be done, Love said. “We spent a great deal of time in prayer asking for Divine guidance and direction for this exceedingly complex issue.”
One obvious option considered was extensive remodeling, refurbishment and further development of the Hollywood site.
The corps council formed a planning team and sought funds to develop the entire site. Plans for a proposed first phase included a large youth center, a new multipurpose room, a service point for runaway youth attracted to the Hollywood mystique, improved offices, auditorium seating, and other essential modifications necessary for current building codes, including relocating lavatories to the ground floor. A second phase included a Silvercrest residence. Early bids on these plans indicated remodeling, refurbishing and property improvement costs for the first phase to be in excess of one million dollars. The Division initiated a general capital campaign for a number of Army projects, including the Tabernacle. This effort achieved its goal, but the Division was able to allocate only sufficient funds to Hollywood to achieve compliance with building codes and some refurbishment. No new construction could be funded.
Love continued: “As we began objectively to evaluate the available options, and in further consideration of the fact that in the 18 years that the Tabernacle had been at that site in Hollywood a grand total of 5 new senior soldiers had been enrolled from the Hollywood community, it became apparent that other solutions had to be considered.
“A group of local officers brought forward the proposal that we consider a merger with the existing corps in Pasadena,” Love added.
Considerable discussion at both locations ensued.
The idea did not receive universal acceptance in either corps. Both corps had strong traditions and widespread recognition. The fourteen-year old Pasadena facilities were outstanding, with one of the most excellent designs ever achieved for a corps, including a new youth center/gymnasium immediately adjacent to the corps building. Love notes, however, that “the corps attendance had declined significantly with average Sunday morning attendance in the 20’s and the Sunday evening attendance averaging 5 – usually, four officers and Brownie Johnson.”
The Tabernacle had a consistent core group, a location that seemed to be a good fit for the Army, and strong program in open-air evangelism at Hollywood and Vine. The corps had discontinued Sunday evening services except for special events. The Hollywood facilities, however, presented serious deficits for a complete program.
What to do? Love remembers it this way: “An open Soldiers Meeting, with regular worshippers and friends invited, was scheduled for Sunday afternoon, following the morning service.
“At this meeting,” Love said, “I presented the basic four options to the congregation. They were (as I remember, at least): (1) stay in Hollywood and complete the limited remodel; (2) stay in Hollywood and delay the remodel until such time as additional money could be raised – (by whom was unclear); (3) attempt to relocate to an, as yet, undetermined location in Hollywood (which would have had to use the available money plus whatever could be realized from the sale of the present facility – a long range choice requiring the corps to continue in the present facility with no changes made); (4) relocate the corps to Pasadena and propose a merger with the existing Pasadena Corps.
“This was a four hour meeting in which virtually everyone present was able to speak and share opinion. The membership faced an exceedingly difficult decision. For most of the tabernacle senior soldiers there was an 18 year family history at this location. This was their ‘church home’ and to consider moving was emotionally disturbing.
“The corps also had a very visible open-air ministry and presence every Sunday afternoon at Hollywood and Vine. This was an internationally recognized outreach by The Salvation Army and was a defining characteristic of the Tabernacle Corps. It did not, however contribute to the soldier-making growth of the corps since most of the growth over the years at that location was, in fact, transfer growth from other Corps.
“At the end of the Soldiers Meeting,” Love continued, “I called for a signed vote. Admittedly, this was not exactly a standard practice in the Army. It was, however, essential that we knew where every soldier stood on this issue. We received, as nearly as could be determined, 100% of signed ballots from those in attendance.”
Love noted, that when he and his wife finished counting the ballots that evening, the vote split exactly 50-50 with half voting to relocate to Pasadena and half voting to remain in Hollywood.
He went on to describe how he resolved this dilemma. “When we ‘weighted’ the ballots, giving additional consideration to Local Officers, regular tithers/givers, bandsmen, songsters, (etc.) it became clear that the majority of the local leadership and support base of the Corps were voting to relocate to Pasadena.”
The following Wednesday evening, Love convened a meeting of the Corps Council at which he “announced results, along with the rationale for the ‘weighting’ of ballots, and recommended that the Corps merge with the Pasadena Corps.”
Love forwarded that recommendation to the Divisional Commander, Lt. Colonel Kenneth Hodder, who added his endorsement of the recommendation and forwarded it to Territorial Headquarters.
Most Pasadena soldiers saw the impending merger as a win-win situation for them with some recognizing the problems of “being swallowed up” by a much larger congregation. Mrs. Georgia Law, the Pasadena Corps Youth Sergeant Major, put it this way: “When I heard about the merger I was very excited. The membership was very low, so I was happy that our prayers were answered. I welcomed the merger.
“After the merger took place,” Law continued, “I had mixed feelings. I thought the young people were never merged. The Sunday School classes were kept separate. The kids never came together in youth activities such as youth band and singing company. I still think that after 20 years we are still separating people. I think it is getting better, but even now, I think we could have more Friendly Love,” she said.
The Spanish speaking Army congregation of 50 to 70 members that had shared the Hollywood Tabernacle facility and met on Sunday evenings would remain, become the Hollywood Corps, and try to expand. No remodeling would be approved. They moved their meeting time to Sunday morning on the first Sunday the Tabernacle congregation initiated its services in Pasadena. At that first meeting, led by their founder, Reginaldo Tippol, greeted 250 people.
The Loves had maintained excellent relations and open communication with all points of view expressed at the Tabernacle during this delicate period. Subsequent to the formal announcement by Hodder, they were appointed as Corps Officers of the newly named Pasadena Tabernacle. Majors Les and Gerry Hood, Pasadena corps officers, had been extremely helpful and gracious during this entire period and facilitated the transition admirably from the Pasadena end. They were reassigned as Administrators of the Army’s downtown Silvercrest residence.
In preparation for the merger, Love sent a letter dated January 7, 1983, to all local officers at both corps. He asked “that all Local Officers turn in their commissions for re-evaluation by the Corps Officer.” He stated that this would need to be accomplished by January 21 and provided a form noting that new local officers would be appointed that took into consideration the membership of both corps. The form also allowed the local officer the opportunity to check whether or not he or she would be willing to serve in that capacity in the future. All local officers complied.
No one wanted a split in either congregation. Love was able to build bridges over troubled water, and lay leaders took the position that the cohesiveness of the congregation was more important than the location of the facility in which it worshipped. They urged everyone to “stick together” and to maintain the strength of spirit that was the hallmark of the corps. Most of the Tabernacle local officers continued to function in their assigned roles – now “without portfolio.” Later, those willing were formally reappointed.
And so it was done. Most stayed. Some Pasadena soldiers did feel somewhat overwhelmed, but all stayed for at least six months. Some Tabernacle members did find the drive farther than they were willing to make, but over 90% of that congregation made the move to begin serving the Pasadena community. The corps continued to thrive.
The Army later developed the Hollywood property fully – very similar to the facilities recommended by the Tabernacle’s original planning committee. It is currently an outstanding representation of the Army in the Hollywood community.
