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Ministry Expansion Campaign

PRAY • SERVE • GIVE

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

1 CORINTHIANS 3:10-11

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Our Ministry
Expansion Campaign

St. John Lutheran Church and School are resolutely committed to “Building on a Foundation of Faith” for future generations in Chester, Illinois. Through generous contributions from past members, memorials, and community members, we have nearly $2,000,000 in the building fund. We are now determined with God’s guidance to make our dreams a reality and are reaching out to current and past church and school families, community members, Christian organizations, and the public to help us reach our final goal. We urge you to prayerfully consider a contribution to help us build a new school and continue our ministry of Christian faith in Chester. 

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“Building on a Foundation of Faith will result in the blessing of an amazing new facility that will provide more opportunities for education and ministry.”

Dr. Steven Platt
St. John Ministry Expansion, Campaign Director

How Can You Support This Campaign?

PRAY

Pray frequently for the success of a mission that executes God’s will.

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GIVE

Make a monetary contribution. Our dollars - big and small - added together will help us reach our goal. No gift is too small.

SERVE

Contribute to the ministry of Christ through service at our church and school.

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Be Informed!

Download The Booklet To Learn More About The Campaign And How You Can Be A Part Of It.

Upcoming Events

November 3 | 11:00am

Commitment Celebration

St. John Parish Hall

December 15 | 11:00am

First Gifts Reception

St. John Parish Hall

Our Progress

My name is Alexa Young

When the "Building on a Foundation of Faith" began, we had over $2,000,000 from the generosity and faithfulness of members past and present. The campaign set a goal to raise another $1.5 million with final building expenses expected to cost $6 million or more. This chart shows the commitments made for the campaign, along with the contributions that have been fulfilled.  

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Construction Update

As of November 17, 2024

  • New Stainless Steel LED Cross:

    • Now standing in front of the parish hall.

    • Will remain on display until hoisted onto the roof of the new facility.

    • Designed, transported, and erected by volunteers.

    • Manufactured at cost as a donation.

    • Remaining expenses covered by a generous family of the congregation.

  • St. John Building Committee Meeting (10/28):

    • Suggested shifting building location 15’ north for better access and to keep the existing retaining wall.

    • Noted minor changes to the floor plan and suggested adding a brick ledge for potential brick veneer.

  • Accepted Construction Schedule: 

    • Preliminary site work: March 2025

    • Relocate church office: April 2025

    • House/garage demolition: May 2025

    • Civil/Site contract work: May 2025

    • Assume control of High St.: May 2025

    • Change traffic flow: May 2025

    • Building construction: July 2025

  • Requests and Decisions:

    • Request to trustees for funds report for year #1 of the project.

    • Accepted part of the foundation as a crawlspace to keep the existing retaining wall intact.

    • Main floor elevation set at 18” above parish hall floor for ADA, storm water, and sewer considerations.

    • Basement with 12’ tall concrete foundation walls for future utilities and ceiling space.

    • Main level with suspended acoustical ceiling at 9’ a.f.f. and drywall sub-ceiling at 13’-14’ a.f.f.

    • Exterior finish to be sheet metal with a brick ledge for potential brick veneer.

  • Key Contributors and Plans:

    • Paula Arbuthnot developing civil/site plans and storm water plan.

    • Randy Winzen developing architectural plan with ADA considerations and new building codes.

    • Structural engineers (AL-IMAN Group, LLC) developing foundation and framing system.

    • Ryan and Jeff Korando working on cost-effective HVAC system.

    • Keith Wittenbrink developing preliminary lighting plan.

    • Kurt and Tammi Schroeder donating equipment, labor, and landfill expenses for demolition.

    • Tom Caraway determining needs for future daycare for architectural development.

Campaign Videos

  • What is the “Building on a Foundation of Faith” campaign and its purpose?
    “Building on a Foundation of Faith” capital campaign asks stakeholders of the ministry at St. John to prayerfully consider gifts above and beyond their normal tithes and offerings to facilitate the ministry God has entrusted us to carry out. The purpose of the campaign is to raise funds to replace our school and our church offices.
  • Who is LCEF? Why are we doing the campaign with them?
    Extension Fund (LCEF) has served as the financial extension of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) since 1978, offering funding and resources in support of the church. LCEF’s investors make it possible for them to provide customized loans and support services to new and growing ministries. LCEF’s Ministry Solutions department is facilitating St. John’s Ministry Expansion Campaign.
  • How will decisions be made concerning the master plan?
    The St. John stakeholders and Building Committee are working with skilled designers, consultants, and contractors to make the best decisions for the new facility.
  • How long will it take to build out the campus plans?
    That will depend on how many commitments are made and the gifting follow through. Ideally, this work would be split into phases. If the response to our “Building on a Foundation of Faith” capital campaign is beyond expectation, the timetable may be shortened.
  • How were the building’s estimated costs calculated?
    Costs were calculated based on data from contractors and architects. Price comparisons from other projects in the area and costs for school construction in other areas provided resources for estimates.
  • How much do we anticipate receiving from commitments to the “Building on a Foundation of Faith” campaign relative to actual building costs?
    The building fund currently contains over $2,000,000. We have identified a confident goal of $1,000,000 in commitment for the campaign, with a courageous goal of $1,500,000. Phase 1 cost projections are between $3,500,000 and $4,000,000. Additional funding is available through LCEF loans.
  • When will we break ground?
    Some parts of the plan may be able to start as early as Spring 2025, with more significant work to occur over the summer.
  • Is this capital campaign just for building or will the funds be used for other purposes?
    This capital campaign is strictly a building fund campaign.
  • Are we planning to build all of this at once or are we going to build in stages?
    The funds committed at the completion of this campaign will determine the phases necessary to reach our goals.
  • Are campaign pledges to be documented and made public?
    No, pledge donors and amounts will not be made public. Only total pledge amounts will be shared — with no names. Pledge donors and amounts will be seen and documented by only the Impact Phase Team.
  • When will giving to the campaign begin?
    Pledges and commitments begin in September 2024 and will extend for a period of three years. Donations are welcome anytime.
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