The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Shoreline Church celebrates new home
The ‘new’ church hosts community event after relocating from Lakeland Community College
“Shoreline has made a considerable investment in our city by renovating and expanding the current facility and improving their site.” — Bob Fiala, mayor of Willoughby
Seven years after branching off from Parkside Church in Bainbridge, members of Shoreline Church in Lake County moved into their permanent home.
To celebrate, Shoreline on Aug. 18 hosted a “community day” at the new site at 3961 Kirtland Road, formerly Hope Church, in Willoughby.
The 250-plus non-denominational evangelical congregation had been meeting at the Wayne Rodehorst Performing Arts Center at Lakeland Community College in Kirtland.
The community day was meant as a way to give back.
“We are a church that exists for all of Lake County, and we have been blessed with a location right in the heart of the county,” Associate Pastor Chris Durbin said. “We want our community to know that we are excited to have planted permanent roots here, and so we decided to open our doors to celebrate this new season.”
Festivities included free food from local food trucks and the grill, bounce houses, games, a petting zoo and live music.
The weather threatened the event early on, but the rain moved in and out fairly quickly.
“It hasn’t really dampened anything,” lead Pastor Scott Kennedy said. “It’s been great to meet people in the Willoughby neighborhood. We’re really happy to show them the finished product.”
Willoughby Mayor Bob Fiala said he is delighted to have the new church in town.
“Shoreline has made a considerable investment in our city by renovating and expanding the current facility and improving their site,” he said.
The church started with a core group of 50 people in the beginning and, since moving into the new site, has drawn more than 400 at times, Durbin said.
Member Dave Komjati of Painesville Township and his wife, Whitney, were searching for a church home and visited several before settling on Shoreline.
“We were at Parkside Lake County, now Shoreline, the very first Sunday at Lakeland and knew we had found it,” he said. “The Bible-based teaching is solid. The new building will house much Christian growth. We look forward to it.”
The move entailed a capital campaign to buy and renovate a 12,000-squarefoot vacant building plus purchase and raze an adjacent home.
Sunday services are at 10 a.m. and offer worship comprised of classic and modern hymns, as well as some contemporary songs, and a systematic teaching of the books of the Bible, Durbin said.
There is childcare for children ages newborn to 5th grade.
“We hope to be a place of service to the community not just on Sundays, but also during the week,” he said. “One example of this is a group we are starting called Parent Connect, which is a group for parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles or anyone who cares for children in their home. This group is meant to provide community and encouragement for caregivers ... and is open to anyone who might be interested.”
The first meeting is 9 to 11 a.m., Sept. 19.