KINGSTON — A little paint splashed here, a new set of chairs there and $2 million worth of remodeling tucked in everywhere greeted residents and church members during the Bayside Community Church open house Sunday night. Amid oohs and ahs, members of the congregation gave tours through the building, showcasing the new and improved place of worship.

After more than a year of construction, Bayside has now expanded to twice its previous size, about 20,000 square feet, including a larger sanctuary, lobby and Sunday school area. The new classrooms have been painted in different themes — from under the sea to a market place in Jerusalem — each room offering students a different method of learning. There are also places for preschoolers and kindergarten and elementary school students to learn the different facets of the church.

“We want children to have a sense of awe and wonder when they step into each room,” said volunteer preschool coordinator Karen Brown. Each space offers different learning tools for Sunday school students. “A lot of adults have expressed a desire to go back to Sunday school again so they can use the new rooms.”

On the other hand, adults have their own new facilities to be excited about, said Lead Pastor Scott Montagne.

The new sanctuary and lobby drew excited remarks and congratulations from both church members and visitors.

“I am, yes definitely enjoying it,” said Port Gamble resident and church member Vivian Florio as she stood in the new lobby area. “It’s gorgeous, and I’m so excited to be here.”

“I feel relieved, exhilarated and tired,” Montagne said. “Not the bad tired, but the biggest part is behind us now. Someone said the other day, and I think it really captures where we are, ‘We haven’t arrived, but we’re here.’ This is a tool for us to use, the building helps refocus what we’re trying to do.”

The church hasn’t completed its metamorphosis yet, there is still a little more paint to be applied and few small chores to be finished, but the bulk of the remodel is done, much to the joy of the congregation. Throughout the construction process, church members worshipped in the sanctuary every Sunday, waiting for the changes to be finished.

Administrative Pastor Brent Hirschy said he saw many new faces during the open house, and he’s hoping the new, more spacious building will invite potential members to give the church a try.

“There’s a lot more room for the current congregation to grow in different ways,” he said. “We are offering new and different things to the church community. Our hope is to outgrow this place. We are seeing a lot of new faces tonight, and that’s exciting.”

“We love it,” said Kingston resident and church member Dee Maki. “We’ve looked forward to it for a while now.”