Saint John Lutheran Church
Faith Forward Building Expansion Program

“We walk by faith”. (2 Cor. 5:7) These words from Holy Scripture convey three important ideas.  The first is FORWARD movement.  For more than three years various groups including the Building Committee have met to consider the opportunities to improve our buildings and provide better ministry to God’s people in our community and within our St. John family.   Your ideas have been gathered and with the help of Mr. Tom Jaeger, our architect, a building concept has been accepted which we want to bring into reality next year. We want to move forward! 

“We walk by faith.”  The second thing that is clear from this Word of God is that our forward “walk” must always be “by faith.”  Each “step” along the way began with earnest prayer that the Holy Spirit would guide us.  We truly believe that He has and that He will.  We are convinced that now is the time for us to seize the opportunities He is giving us to make a difference in the lives of people.

What do we want to accomplish with our “Faith Forward” campaign?  Our Mission Statement reads: “Gathering in love, Growing in Faith, Sharing Christ Jesus”.  To improve our ability to fulfill this mission, the Lord is giving us the following opportunities:

1)   Ground floor washrooms

• Handicap accessible

• Wonderful blessing to young and old alike

2)   Lift mechanism to basement

• Entire building easily accessible for education and fellowship

3)  Ground floor church offices

• No longer ‘buried’ downstairs

• Easily located by members and visitors

• Pastor and Office Administrator centrally located

• Larger, brighter; facilitate better confidentiality

4)   New entrances

• Immediately off parking area (no more running around building in bad weather)

• Handicap accessible from west driveway

5)   New narthex

• Larger, airy, more attractive welcome area

• Coat areas

6)   New worship center

• Complete plan of 45 years ago

• Seating capacity of 230; 37% increase

• Better seating arrangement for worship, choir, Joyful Noise

• Air conditioned

• More aesthetic

• Overflow into narthex and family life center

• Greater street appeal from Route 176

• Cry room

• Altar guild room with sink

• Audio visual room

7)   Family Life Center   (present worship area)

• Larger fellowship area

• Safer, more pleasant environment for Sunday School classes

• Facilitate varied activities (education, youth, VBS, dinners, outreach opportunities)

• Ground floor kitchen

Building Addition Update

On Sunday, the seventh of September in the year of our Lord two thousand and three, we celebrated and gave thanks to our gracious God with a Dedication Service for our new sanctuary, offices and narthex.

The Rev. E. Nieting, our former Pastor from 1956 to 1965, joined Pastor Hoffmann in the Service. The Rev. William Ameiss, President of the Northern Illinois District of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod delivered the Sermon as our guest preacher.