Title

Building the Foundation for a Preschool at Eastern Heights Lutheran Church

Author

Melissa Fink, Concordia University, St. Paul

Date

1999

Document Type

Capstone

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Chairperson (Advisor 1)

Dr. Kimora Kachelmyer

Reader (Advisor 2)

Dr. Barbara Schoenbeck

Reader (Advisor 3)

Dr. Richard Brynteson

Abstract

Children are our greatest gift and most precious treasure. The duty to guide and nurture children is in all of our hands. Due to many factors in our world today, more and more children are in need of a safe, happy and fun place to be while their parents are working. The following will be a description of one church's endeavor to make such a place for the children on the east side of St. Paul, Minnesota.

We will discuss the history of the Eastern Heights congregation: where they began, and what brought them to the point of looking at a preschool ministry in their community. We will also look at how the process began, and what steps were needed prior to the presentation to the governing body. We will see why each piece of the puzzle was needed and how the pieces were brought together in the end.

Eastern Heights Lutheran Church began the process of a preschool ministry in 1994. At that time I was on the committee that was asked to look into a preschool ministry. In 1997 I was asked by the pastor to represent Eastern Heights at a conference discussing using child care center to plant new churches. From that point I was the chairperson of the task force that was assembled to continue the process that began three years earlier.

The following is a summary of two years work by the Preschool Task Force at Eastern Heights. It intended to aide others that are beginning a similar process. Learn from the mistakes made along the way and improve the process with each new idea.

"Jesus said, 'Feed my lambs."' (John 21:15) Eastern Heights wants to continue to do just that. A preschool ministry is one more way to reach the little lambs of Jesus. This preschool ministry project is in the hands of God and He will guide the congregation to the best end for His children.

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