Have you ever stopped think about what constitutes a “church”?
Ten years ago, Focus on the Family devoted 1,200 words to an attempt at adding clarity to the question if not outright answering it. From a global theological perspective, there’s a lot to be considered. [1]
Closer to home and heart on the ground here in Saline, the following excerpt is likely to feel closest to home.
When most people hear the word church they probably think of a building. Maybe it is a fancy building or a simple building where believers gather. But biblically speaking, a church is much more than a building. In fact, some would say that the church is not a building at all, but is all about the people.
Without fanfare, one of our longstanding local churches was out and performing an invaluably community service in partnership with Saline police late last October. Years and years ago, Halloween “candy checks” were offered as a public service until—. Actually, nobody seems to know for sure why they stopped. [2,3]
What we do know is that Oakwood Church has picked up the ball and run with it once again. [4]
Maybe you saw them hosting the “Halloween Candy Check and Wind-Down Event” from 7:00pm to 8:30pm at the UAW Hall on Woodland Drive. [5]
Thinking of other times and other places, who among us hasn’t (frequently!) heard the “Hey Rube!” from Saline Area Social Service Executive Director Jamail Aikens? We need twelve people this weekend to help distribute bags to residences. Does anyone have access to a pickup truck that can be used to transport bushels of fresh produce that were just donated to us? [6,7]
“Oakwood Church has always been responsive to requests from Saline Area Social Service,” Mr Aikens told Saline Journal.
They were the primary source of volunteers for our ‘Family Fun Fair’ and continue to support the Meijer ‘Simply Give’ campaign several times per year. Currently, their children’s program is doing a food drive.
These days, Oakwood Church worship services are held at Woodland Elementary School on weekends, starting at 7:00pm on Saturdays, then 9:00am and 11:00am on Sundays. Those days and times have been pretty consistent over the years. But the physical location has varied over the course of the two decades that Oakwood has been in Saline. For several years they met in the Liberty School building; for many more, at Washtenaw Christian Academy.
Oakwood is a Baptist denomination. And according to our local church founder and senior pastor Frank Radcliff, the congregation currently numbers around two hundred. It’s been as high as three at some points — but every location move takes a toll. [8]
For those curious about logistics, setup for spaces ranging from 50,000 to 65,000 square feet requires eight or nine people over the course of ninety minutes. Take down clocks in at thirty-five minutes, with fifteen to seventeen individuals typically staying after the second service on Sunday to pitch in.
Between weekends, assets are kept packed away in three trailers and a three hundred square foot storage unit that is climate controlled to provide protection necessary for certain A/V equipment.
To put that in perspective, NorthRidge Church chose Saline as venue for its first satellite venture in 2009, starting out at the high school before settling into our middle school for the duration. During the week, its multiple fifth-wheel-sized trailers could be seen stored behind the former Hoover Universal headquarters building on East Bennett Street. Last year they shut down their operation here. [9,10]
No risk of that with Oakwood, Pastor Radcliff told Saline Journal. In fact, Oakwood has just completed a strategic plan aimed at redoubling its community footprint — and impact — here.
As he recalled background to Saline Journal, he and his church governing board initially thought the best approach would be to construct their own church from the ground up and began looking for sites accordingly.
Remaining open in their faith to other direction from God, however, they came to see better and more environmentally sensitive options in opportunities to purchase an existing vacant structure. That will work within their two million dollar budget. They have a little over one hundred thousand dollars banked in their new building fund.
Oakwood has identified ideal options in both the City of Saline and in Pittsfield Township. Before they can move forward, however, they need help raising funds. They also need help in getting the word out that they need help. Ironically, although Saline Journal has been variously familiar with the mission and offerings of Oakwood Church for the past dozen years, we only learned of this present need ourselves shortly before this past Christmas.
We then approached Oakwood (not the other way around) to prepare this article. And now that we know, our readers know.
References
- “What Is the Church?” Robert Velarde (2009) Focus on the Family.
- “Saline Police Department Volunteers Will Be On The Streets For Halloween Tonight, Issuing … Candy” Janet Deaton (October 31, 2018) Saline Journal.
- “Police Department” City of Saline.
- Oakwood Church (home page).
- “Halloween Candy Check and Wind-Down Event” announcement (October 29, 2018) Saline Police Department (Facebook Post).
- “Hey Rube” (July 18, 2012) Disappearing Idioms.
- Saline Area Social Service (home page).
- “The Most Well-known Protestant Denomination: 10 Things Everyone Should Know about Baptists” Amanda Casanova (April 27, 2018) Christianity.
- NorthRidge (home page).
- “Middle-School Mega-Church” Sheila Beachum Bilby (December 2016) Community Observer.
