By Chris Hagan
Review Staff Writer
For five years members of the Lake Orion campus of Woodside Bible Church gave up their Friday nights to unload trailers in the parking lot of Waldon Middle School.
Inside those trailers were audio and visual equipment, children’s toys and other material to help bring about a weekly worship.
That work and time spent on those nights and weekend days have finally come to a halt as Woodside celebrated their grand opening. On Sunday, May 3, clear skies and warm sunshine glistened over the church as more than 1,500 people descended to the new site at Canterbury Village for a long-awaited opening.
Woodside hosted two services of which both were at capacity filling the 85,000-square- foot facility.
The day before a lucky group of 75 mothers were able to get a sneak peak due to a scheduling conflict. The church scheduled an event for mothers of special needs individuals back in December with the expectation they would have their grand opening on Easter Sunday.
‘Sometimes with stuff like this not everything goes to plan but it was still such a great event we did for those mothers,? Co-Pastor Rick Seidel said. ‘They were treated to a day of pampering with valet parking, a luncheon, live music, masseuses, and several different beauticians.?
Both Seidel and his other Co-Pastor Jim Dahlke were excited to update and upgrade much of the old Christmas store but also kept a keen focus in not losing the beautiful and ornateness of the hardwood that surrounds the building.
Woodside was also able to re-purpose a small castle from a display village used in the first floor of the former Always Christmas store.
The area was converted into a highly functional and ascetically pleasing nursery and pre-school.
‘We love having a building where don’t have to pack up all of our equipment but at the end of the day we would continue to do that for as long it was necessary,? Seidel said.
The two are looking forward to hosting many events in and around their property through the summer and over the next several years. The permanency of the building will allow Woodside to host more consistent, onsite classes and bible study sessions. A main focus of Seidel and the rest of the Woodside Church is to keep a commitment to improving and helping the community.
‘Transitioning to this building has presented us with a lot of opportunities for different kinds of programs and to be able to look for ways to better serve the community,? Seidel said. ‘I’m excited for our congregation.
Unique in its own way is the history of the previous building to what took its place. Christmas, at its core, is the celebration of the birth of Christ and Seidel marveled at the coincidence and overall wonder in the sort of facility took its place.
‘So now to have a store dedicated to that celebration and season become a church that brings glory to the name of Christ is just a beautiful thing,? he said.
Woodside started five years with an attendance of approximately 175 people per week. As their message spread and easy going nature radiated through the church, their numbers have now increased to more than 700 per week.
Seidel says there was no secret or special trick, but a reliance on being kind and true to oneself.
‘All we’re trying to do is be faithful, humble and real,? he said. ‘We want to be open to the community and create a safe place for people to come and explore their questions of life.?