St John Evangelical Lutheran Church
302 West Holmes Street
Chester, Illinois 62233
618-826-3545
St. John Lutheran School
224 West Holmes Street
Chester, Illinois 62233
618-826-4345
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
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.
“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.
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.
Upcoming Events
Sat, Nov 15St. John Parish HallJoin us for an evening of exclusive wine samples paired with tasting elements. All proceed from the event support the new facility campaign at St. John Lutheran Church & School in Chester, Illinois
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.
Construction Updates
As of August 2025
On Sunday, August 10, 2025 an open meeting was held at St. John Lutheran Church to update the congregation and community on construction progress.
Paula Arbuthnot, St. John School alumna and civil engineer for the project, presented a list of Phase I items that have been completed by contractors and volunteers.
Phase II, the construction of the building itself, is projected to begin in the next couple of months. Renderings and design details were shared with the congregation, offering a glimpse of what is to come.
Phase III, which will focus on interior completion, is expected to start Spring of 2026.
As of November 17, 2024
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New Stainless Steel LED Cross:
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Now standing in front of the parish hall.
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Will remain on display until hoisted onto the roof of the new facility.
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Designed, transported, and erected by volunteers.
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Manufactured at cost as a donation.
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Remaining expenses covered by a generous family of the congregation.
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St. John Building Committee Meeting (10/28):
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Suggested shifting building location 15’ north for better access and to keep the existing retaining wall.
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Noted minor changes to the floor plan and suggested adding a brick ledge for potential brick veneer.
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Accepted Construction Schedule:
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Preliminary site work: March 2025
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Relocate church office: April 2025
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House/garage demolition: May 2025
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Civil/Site contract work: May 2025
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Assume control of High St.: May 2025
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Change traffic flow: May 2025
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Building construction: July 2025
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Requests and Decisions:
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Request to trustees for funds report for year #1 of the project.
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Accepted part of the foundation as a crawlspace to keep the existing retaining wall intact.
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Main floor elevation set at 18” above parish hall floor for ADA, storm water, and sewer considerations.
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Basement with 12’ tall concrete foundation walls for future utilities and ceiling space.
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Main level with suspended acoustical ceiling at 9’ a.f.f. and drywall sub-ceiling at 13’-14’ a.f.f.
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Exterior finish to be sheet metal with a brick ledge for potential brick veneer.
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Key Contributors and Plans:
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Paula Arbuthnot developing civil/site plans and storm water plan.
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Randy Winzen developing architectural plan with ADA considerations and new building codes.
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Structural engineers (AL-IMAN Group, LLC) developing foundation and framing system.
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Ryan and Jeff Korando working on cost-effective HVAC system.
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Keith Wittenbrink developing preliminary lighting plan.
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Kurt and Tammi Schroeder donating equipment, labor, and landfill expenses for demolition.
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Tom Caraway determining needs for future daycare for architectural development.
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