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At its founding more than three decades ago, Glendale’s Community Church of Joy had a vision of creating not just a church, but a whole community.
With a multi-use development called Aspera now underway, senior pastor Walt Kallestad says the vision is becoming real. Currently the largest development in the West Valley, Aspera was a long-time coming because of financial planning issues and also because the church says it was awaiting the “right” developer.
When the mega-church built its campus in 1978, leaders purchased 220 acres at the northwest corner of 75th Avenue and Loop 101. The church was built on 135 acres and the extra land was expected to increase in value over the years and be sold to help eliminate the church’s debt and create revenue for its missionary work.
