Nov. 4--HUDSON -- Its members call it "The Church in a Trailer" because everything needed for worship services -- from the cross to the cables for the sound system -- is stored in a utility trailer that is unloaded and reloaded before and after each service.

"In a way, it's a very freeing thing," said the Rev. Michael Conklin, pastor of Rejoice Lutheran Church of Hudson and Streetsboro. "It really helps us focus on what we're really all about. It's helped us realize that church is about relationships. It's not about buildings. It's about sharing our faith."

Shortly after being called to the church a year ago, Conklin suggested that the 10-year-old congregation not renew its lease, sell most of its assets, return to its mission status and start fresh.

That request was not something Sandy Smith, the church musician, wanted to hear.

"I said, 'I think I'm going to be sick to my stomach,' because the last thing I wanted to do was start over," Smith recalled. "But, at the same time, I knew we had been through some struggles and I knew we needed a fresh start to move forward. It was the right thing to do because we've gotten rid of the material baggage and can really focus on the gospel."

The church is a mission congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America that aims to serve people in Hudson, Streetsboro, Twinsburg, Stow and Macedonia. It offers a blended, or liturgical and informal, worship service at 10:30 a.m. Sundays at the Hudson American Legion, 5790 Hudson Drive. The service includes both contemporary and traditional music.

Every Sunday, members of the congregation meet at the American Legion hall to unload the utility trailer, which has the church logo painted on the back. They take everything inside the hall and set up for 9 a.m. Sunday school and the worship service. When the service is over, they put everything back in the trailer.

In addition to the worship service and Sunday school, the church also offers Bible studies on Sunday mornings. A women's Bible group meets on Tuesday mornings and Monday nights at the homes of various members. A men's group meets on the second Saturday of each month at Perkins restaurant in Hudson.

An ongoing book discussion group meets at various members' homes. A prayer group meets at 7 p.m. on Thursdays, usually at Conklin's home. A family fun event is planned every month and the youth group meets on the first and third Sundays after the worship service.

The church also sponsors a monthly Common Ground fellowship that offers family-oriented entertainment. The coffeehouse-style fellowship is held at different venues in the Hudson and Streetsboro areas.

"Because we are portable, we are able to reach out to people beyond Hudson," said Carla Maurer, who has been a member of the church for seven years. "It's amazing how we are working as a team to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to as many people as possible. We're really focused on the mission of the church and don't worry about a building because we know that will come in God's time."

Rejoice Lutheran Church began in 1996 at the Barlow Community Center in Hudson and later moved to a leased space in a building owned by Nye Investments Limited. The church lost its space there last year to a fire and moved the worship services to the community room at Laurel Lake Retirement Center. Services were moved back to the Nye building after the fire damage was repaired.

In May, the congregation started worshipping at the American Legion. It is currently looking for space to lease in Streetsboro to offer a liturgical service in addition to the blended worship. It also plans to eventually construct a church building on property it owns near the corner of Stow and Middleton roads.

"We will build when the time is right," Conklin said. "The problem with buildings is, you always have an ongoing expense of maintenance. Right now, our money can go into ministry.

"What we are doing embodies the concept of death and resurrection. We just don't want to get caught up in this growth thing and fall into the trap of believing that once we build a building, we're done.

"We want to make sure we understand that when the building is done, it's time to start all over again. The church always has to die and rise every day. Grace is always about raising the bar. When you reach one goal, the level of the bar raises."

Colette Jenkins can be reached at 330-996-3731 or cjenkins@thebeaconjournal.com.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Akron Beacon Journal, Ohio

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