Mars Hill Downtown Bellevue didn't just get one new building Sunday, it got two. The Eastside church celebrated the opening of arguably the finest facility Mars Hill has seen, and in line with their long-term vision, it announced that a church in Sammamish had decided last weekend to join as the newest Mars Hill church and will open in January. "We are a church that is on the move," said Thomas Hurst, pastor of the Bellevue church. Initially they planned to wait a year before launching a new church, but when God opens a door, Mars Hill is ready to act, he said. "It literally came out of nowhere."

Pastor Thomas

The church was so serious about growth two years ago, its members met monthly in regions to plan for eventual plants.

While the Sammamish announcement was a "grace bomb" Pastor Mark had been hinting about on social media for a week, the focus was all on Bellevue, which made its second move in the past three years to a permament location, right in the middle of Downtown Bellevue. The grand opening celebration brought in over 1,000 visitors and regular attendees for each service, packing the 926 chairs in both morning services, plus a few hundred kids. The evening service brought in another thousand visitors, for a grand total of over 3,200 for the day. Fifty-two baptisms for the day energized the worship sets, which went long during the second service to accomodate them all. "Praise him," yelled a woman as she snuck up the side to get the glimpse of a young man being submerged in the stage's built-in baptismal. "Congratulations," she continued, hugging a young woman who was the man's partner. Planted in a the middle of condo towers and skyscrapers, the church's closeness to hotels and restaurants is optimal for conferences and Resurgence training. While unmistakenly in sync with Mars Hill style, its aesthetic is much brighter than other locations with its white walls accented by light wood paneling. A backlit skyview photo of downtown greets visitors in the entrance. Vintage blown glass chandaliers hover above couches in the foyer. A sign declaring "He is risen" is the centerpiece of the space. "It feels hip," said Sarah Bayless, who comes up from Renton for church. "It feels like Bellevue." It's unusual for a church to open in a downtown space, but it makes sense, because it's the place people do life and visit, Hurst said. Joe Colannino, from Mercer Island, first discovered the new location two weeks ago, after visiting the bookstore next door. Having attended the Ballard church for a couple months, he decided to visit. The location was so close, and it only took him a 10-minute bus ride. "It's very inviting," he said, enjoying the hundreds of people chatting in the lobby. "It's important, because church is about community. We need to transform community." Bothell's Sara Zandi stopped in her tracks as she entered the building the first time. "Wow, it's huge," she said. "I just love the location, and how it's the center of everything." A few blank walls in the lobby promise to host a variety of local art. A collage of wedding photos filled the wall Sunday, in theme with Pastor Mark Driscoll's sermon on marriage. The church is already in communication with the Bellevue Arts Museum about possibly hosting some of their gallery work, and being open to artists during one of the city's massive arts festivals. Barn wood makes up the kiosks at the children's check-in. The kids area is marked with colorful paintings for kids. The building brings a similar amount of space, but teachers no longer have to tear down classrooms. Windows let in plenty of daylight for the kids. So many children came to the grand opening, children filled up the pastors' offices. Mothers packed the nursing room, which has deep chairs and live video. The Bellevue church started four years ago, after merging with The Vine in a Redmond funeral home. It was a quiet launch, but it was only a few weeks before the church outgrew its space. Three years ago it moved into a remodeled gym at Eastside Christian School, near Bellevue College, but the group has been in pursuit of a more permanent situation since. Pastors discovered the John Danz building about two years ago. The church overcame a number of obstacles, including raising $2 million dollars to renovate the space, before its grand opening yesterday. In the '70s and '80s, the Danz building played home to one of the biggest four movie theaters in the area. In the past 10 years, its served as a Good Guys and an Underhill's furniture store. It now has a new purpose. Pastor Mark Driscoll was so moved by what is going on in Bellevue, he committed to preaching a couple evening services a month at the new location. "This is a fantastic place," he said, spectating the growth. "I feel like I'm a kite, and God's a hurricane." This story was written by volunteer Celeste Gracey. Photos by Thien Lai and Roger Wilcox.