June, 1995

Dear Pastor,

It is my honor to share with you this month the exciting news that on Sunday, June 25, the Woodland Drive-In Church will be celebrating twenty-five years of continued ministry in the Grand Rapids area!

This outreach program had humble beginnings. You may remember the original site of this ministry: The first service was held at Woodland Drive-In Theater on 28th Street on June 25, 1970. What you may not know is that the early services were transmitted from a hay wagon as the platform, and the sound emanated from a makeshift system that was constructed every
Sunday. Winters have always been quite blustery in Michigan, and it wasn’t until 1973 that the Drive-In Church offered outdoor winter services, and we have continued year-round ever since.

Another turning point in the Woodland Drive-In ministry occurred when the popularity of drive-in theaters wanted in the late1970s. Seeing the handwriting on the wall, the Task Force decided to be proactive in their reaction to the inevitable demise of the Woodland Drive-In Theater and began looking for alternate sites. An ideal location appeared to the “Greenhouse” property on Breton near 28th Street. After a series of planning meetings, ground was broken for the construction of the new facility on September 18, 1988. This building was dedicated on Sunday, December 5, 1988, the same facility from which we transmit our services today.

I have served the Woodland Drive-In Church since September 1984. I look upon this upcoming anniversary as a time of celebration and thanksgiving to God for twenty-five years of trying to bring honor and glory to his name through our ministry.

Would you and your church care to help us out during this commemorative year? Our visitors look forward to our special music program week in and week out at our 11:00 a.m. service. Do you have any people in your church who might be willing to provide special music? If so, please contact Cliff Schutter at 531-4720. If you have any other questions, please contact me during the day at 698-3471 and in the evenings at 235-2871.

In His Name,
Verlyn D. Verbrugge