Brian Roebke photo
Pastors Kyle Wangelin and Jed McClellan presided over a groundbreaking service and special donors were recognized and thanked, and Keller construction and Zion’s building committees posed for groundbreaking photos.
By Brian Roebke
Editor
Zion Lutheran Church and School of Wayside held a kick-off ceremony and luncheon on Sunday for its school addition and remodeling project that will add classrooms and a new restroom. The current bathrooms are being remodeled and classrooms are getting new flooring.
Pastor Kyle Wangelin broke the ground and provided a blessing, asking God to bless the place they are about to add onto the school for nurturing and upbringing of their young people.
“Grant your favor to and protect all who will be engaged in the work of building and on its completion, may this school serve and honor you,” he said. “Let those who teach and learn in this place grow in grace, and in the knowledge of you and your dear son.”
Congregation President Steve Zirbel said the building committee worked for a long time with Keller and it worked out really well.
He thanked the fundraising committee because they needed to have 30 percent of the goal available to do this and now construction can take place through the non-school time this summer.
Zirbel said members of the congregation decided to build a school more than 150 years ago.
“We’re just continuing that tradition of making and equipping our teachers and our students better every year,” he said. “Thanks for that goes to all of you. You’re all making this possible as you contribute to this build and increase doing God’s work.”
Building Committee Chairman Andy Krahn said planning for the building started about five years ago and he’s very excited to be getting going on it.
“Right where everybody is standing, that will be three new classrooms,” he said. “Right where we’re standing will be new bathrooms and then there will be a mechanical room behind us as well.”
School Principal David Gosa thanked everyone for their support, especially the school staff.
“The endless hours that they put in, their dedication, without the staff that we have here, it would just be a building, and with the staff that we have, it makes it a special place furthering His kingdom,” he said.
Zion currently educates more than 140 students from 3K-8th grade.
Fundraising Committee Co- Chairman Kevin Collins thanked the congregation members for their financial contributions and commitments so the down payment could be made as well as the students, who also gave money to the cause.
“My second thank you is to the businesses and individuals that have donated that aren’t even members of this congregation that have helped support and see the value in a Christian education,” he said.
Fundraising Committee Co-Treas-urer Wendy Hoeft gave the numbers involved with the project.
They have $967,798 cash in hand, with outstanding pledges of $487,992, totaling $1.45 million for the $2.2 million project.
“We kicked off in early fall and it’s been such a blessing to work with the fundraising committee,” she said, noting she did not vote for the project but now she’s happy it’s moving forward because the congregation had a vision.
“Our unsung heroes are our teachers and school staff,” she said.
The nationwide student-to-teacher ratio in private schools is 13-1, but it’s 19-1 at Wayside, so the teachers are doing an amazing job with what they have but this will give them a better space to work in.
Her occupation was an investment adviser and she believes this financial investment is probably one of the best investments they could ever make.
She thanked Bill Brandt, who kickstarted the project.
Steve Klessig of Keller Inc. liked how every committee meeting he attended started with a prayer that included a request for discernment and direction from the Holy Father.
“That helped us I believe get to the consensus that we reached in design,” he said.