Introduction

In 2003, the membership of Bethel adopted the goal to develop a Lutheran Parochial School as part of its ministry review. Space identified for “Parochial School” is to be used in conjunction with the Parish Education classrooms and offices to provide for a Parochial School.

While Bethel Lutheran Church does not currently have a parochial school, there exists a rich tradition of providing Christian education in the Lutheran Church. The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod operates the second-largest parochial school system in the United States, and we foresee the need to establish this opportunity sometime in the future. According to Dr. Bill Hinz, Director of School Ministry of the Texas District, LCMS, the Texas District has seven high schools, 43 elementary/middle schools, and 135 congregations with preschools/early childhood centers. Nationwide, 83% of private school enrollment was in Christian schools. From 1990 to 2002, enrollment nationwide in private school enrollment increased over 10%, and during that same time, enrollment in Lutheran schools increased 15%.

Lutheran schools provide a Christian environment in which to educate children. As such, it provides a twofold purpose: To nurture Christian children and to outreach to non-Christian community. Again from Dr. Hinz, “As it appears that our society as a whole is moving more and more away from being a Christian society both functions will remain vitally important. In a society where Christmas can in many places no longer be publicly acknowledged and in a society that continues to hold up more and more values that are decidedly non-Christian and in a society where all "beliefs" are given equally weight or value - Lutheran schools will need to continue to be places where both nurture and outreach are evidenced.”

“As our society seems to move farther from that ideal, Lutheran schools will continue to be places where eternal truths are taught and modeled by Christ-centered teachers. In the direction our society appears to be heading (in a decidedly non-Christian direction) it will also be a large challenge to continue the kind of support that is needed for Lutheran schools - both in terms of numbers of students and also in terms of the people and financial resources.” (Hinz) With prophetic voice, Dr. Walter Maier warned in a 1941 broadcast of “The Lutheran Hour” of the changes happening already even at that time in public education and of the need for a solid Christian education:

"Renew our days as of old!" we repeat as we recall the startling change which has overtaken American education. The first schools founded on this continent taught the Christian religion and were based on the Scriptural maxim "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Today much of public education is pointedly antireligious, with a deep-rooted determination on the part of many teachers (whose salaries are paid from public funds) to poison young minds against the Bible. Most of you have no idea of the startling extent to which textbooks used in many public schools feature an away-from-God tendency. While recent years have witnessed a remarkable increase in school building and enrollment, on a steadily mounting scale we have been forced to erect more prisons in the battle against juvenile crime. In many cities we are training children to be mentally shrewd rather than morally good, cute and cunning instead of honest and straightforward. Because the collapse of morality and reverence constitutes a serious menace to the future of the nation, we ought constantly to ask the Almighty for a return to the early American educational ideals. They had no modern theories of training in those pioneer decades, no "progressive" systems, no theories of self-expression; but they kept first things first. For them no training was complete without the study of the Bible, the memorizing of its passages, the exalting of its truth. (Maier, pp. 196-197)

Dr. Maier did not suggest that the public education system could be returned to a Christian centered curriculum, and this is even more so in our increasingly pluralistic society today. However, he saw the answer in parochial education for the training of Christian children. “The Christians of our country can return to the colonial practice -- and the conditions after the war may make this necessary -- by which the churches built their own elementary schools to insure religious instruction. My own Church annually spends millions of dollars to maintain and expand a system of child training which helps the pupils keep the Lord Jesus uppermost in his mind. We gladly pay our taxes to support the public educational system; but we also believe that the nation and the churches require hearts and minds illuminated by the Holy Spirit, souls daily instructed in Biblical truth. Therefore we maintain hundreds of Christian day schools throughout the land, offering more than secular culture can legally give -- a sound, Scriptural training. These schools are open to your boys and girls. Give us your children so that we can help give them to Christ! Juvenile court statistics show conclusively that youngsters thus trained have a moral and spiritual force in their lives which goes far in keeping them away from crime and closer to Christ.” (Maier, pp. 197-198)

As we consider providing a Lutheran School, we would do well to realize that it is a ministry, with a primary focus of providing a Christian education and environment where children can be nurtured with the Word of God. Parochial schools will operate on a fraction of the funds that public schools have available, and yet they still provide a solid academic base as well. Nevertheless, it is the “Christian” aspect that is the foundational characteristic of a true parochial school. There is no doubt that developing a Lutheran school will require sacrificial giving of time and resources.

6.0 Parochial Education

General Description

Summary of Spaces

Relationship to Other Spaces

6.01 Office-Superintendent

General Requirements

Finishes

Millwork and Accessories

Technology Requirements

Furnishings (Not in Contract)

Equipment (Not in Contract)

Relationship to Other Spaces

6.02 Nurse/Health Room

General Requirements

Finishes

Millwork and Accessories

Technology Requirements

Furnishings (Not in Contract)

Equipment (Not in Contract)

Relationship to Other Spaces

6.03 Teachers’ Lounge

General Requirements

Finishes

Millwork and Accessories

Technology Requirements

Furnishings (Not in Contract)

Equipment (Not in Contract)

Relationship to Other Spaces