It's a familiar story for many parishes in the Los Angeles Archdiocese: Start with a small church (or no church), build something temporary but useful, and then plan and save and pray, as the population grows, for a large, permanent facility to be built someday.

For Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Irwindale, living with that temporary church was a decades-long proposition --- but one that will come to a close with the unveiling of a new church building early next year.

"This new church was more than 40 years in the making," says Andy Reyes, communication coordinator for the parish, established in 1964.

The parish's first church --- an old rock church that still stands on Arroyo Highway --- was replaced by a "temporary" church constructed in the mid-1960s, seating about 600 people and located on East Cypress Street near Irwindale Avenue, next to the San Gabriel Region Pastoral Center.

The growing population, pledges from the parishioners for $1.2 million toward the estimated $5.5 million for the church construction, and the inspiration of current pastor Father Joseph Canna sparked the campaign to finally make a new church a reality.

Groundbreaking took place in December 2007. The new church building --- designed by Victor Newlove and John Datson, who have designed other churches and facilities in the archdiocese --- will seat 1,000 people and incorporates several features from the previous church (stained glass) and the original church (a statute of Our Lady of Guadalupe and a replica bell tower).

Fund raising is a constant sight at the church where every Sunday, a different ministry group hosts breakfasts. In addition, religious articles, ice cream and snacks are routinely for sale and parishioners are often seen wandering among a never-ending community yard sale.

Understandably, parishioners are excitedly anticipating their new church, says Reyes, noting that every Sunday new photos of the construction are posted in the vestibule. "Everyone can see the progress," he says. "We just can't wait."

---Brenda Rees