[2] The building was designed in the Romanesque style by architect H.M. Patterson of Los Angeles and built of red pressed brick laid in patterns and trimmed with white terra cotta.

[3] The Los Angeles Times wrote that the "immense auditorium, the roof of which is fifty-five feet above the floor, gives one the impression he is entering one of the cathedrals of Europe.

[5] The church sustained extensive damage in the 1933 Long Beach earthquake and was closed for several months while repairs were made.

The church practices a liberal theology and has a long history of social activism, including programs to assist the poor, homeless and disabled.

In 1992, the church publicly declared that it welcomed gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons into membership, employment and leadership.