Although Wilbo is Hardly a Religious Guy, He Stops by The Corner to See What Reverend Mark is Preaching in the Back of an Old, Defunct Church.

After morning services, Pastor Mark Miller hangs up his robe and sash at Central United Methodist Church and takes a short walk to the once lifeless chapel at Third and Muskegon. That's why the huge building is called "The Corner". At 11:11 AM, he dons his headset, and begins a service backed by a rock band and a tech crew of four, sound and projection pros. Pastor Mark has made Bob Marley tunes into church music.

It's not your Grandfather's Methodist church. People snack and drink coffee as he chats from the front. All the lyrics can be sung along with, making choir into Karaoke. Delivering sermons that bounce between YouTube videos of noodle shops in the Orient to discussions of Starbuck's cups, Miller is determined to lighten up the worship service while making it more real and more inspirational. The gathering of thirty locals of all ages and walks of life are here to have a down to earth Christmas this year.

Pastor Mark's team has stabilized the former home of Christian Science in Muskegon, and the City of Muskegon has blessed the plan to reopen the auditorium for the first service in years on December 9th. Called "Christmas at the Corner", the worship team plans to celebrate a Youth Unity Christmas Festival in the huge auditorium with almost sixty pews and a thrust stage that could host a Shakespeare Play.

This makes a great addition to the Third Street South district, which recently welcomed Hamburger Mikey and Third Coast Vinyl to the street. Keep an eye on the body shop because an investor from GR has announced big plans.