By Meg Peters
Review Co-Editor
Echoes of their clapping climbed up the four giant walls of the Union Church Monday night after the community celebrated the grand opening of the Lake Orion Village Hall.
The golden ribbon was cut, and Cub Scout Pack 37 bore the flags to officially open Lake Orion Village Chambers, now located at 21 E. Church St., which the village purchased after selling their previous building downtown at 37 E. Flint St.
The village purchased the Union Church and previous Orion Senior Center from the township for $1. After almost a year of remodeling, total village investment in the historic building has totaled about $970,000, plus $103,000 spent for the construction of an emergency communications tower equipment shelter required by Oakland County.
Close to 100 community members snaked through the building, touring the more-than 150-year-old church and remodeled village departments.
The opening was quite special for local resident Leslie Pielack, who with the help of the Orion Historical Society, uncovered original stenciling bordering the church walls dating back to 1877.
A local historic preservationist, Pielack was so fond of Oakland County’s oldest timber framed building that she cemented its story in a book, ‘A Church for All Seasons: The History & Architecture of the Union Church?, back in 2006.
Village President Ken Van Portfliet made reference to the book while telling of the church’s history.
‘I think the church has this staying power because it has a way of reflecting the community as it changes. The modified council chambers is just a perfect example of how it means something today as much as it meant in 1859,? she said.
The black, curvy stenciling was more than likely painted by itinerant painters, she said, who brought their paint and stencils from town to town.
Van Portfliet said it was the village’s goal to preserve the historic condition of the church as much as possible, naming the stenciling, along with the near 20 feet tall stained glass windows, as top priorities.
Council members felt especially connected to the church’s original founders, who came from multiple different parishes in the early 1850s.
The church was named the Union Church because it was actually shared by different congregations, Pielack confirmed, as no one parish could afford to build its own church. Instead, multiple local congregations pooled their resources together to erect the first church of Lake Orion, a 30-by-50-foot building.
‘We’re here today largely in part by collaboration, so it’s coming full circle,? Van Portfliet said, thanking the community for their continued support. ‘It’s because of you guys.?