Congregational Meeting - Proposal to Rent School Facility

On December 13th, there will be a congregational meeting to discuss a proposal to rent our school facility. The meeting will be held downstairs in the fellowship hall from 12:15 to 1PM. 

In the meeting we will gather input and feedback on the proposal, outlined below, and seek voter approval to pursue the proposal further.

Leaders of The Journey School, a public charter school, and Savior of the Nations Experience, a non-profit ministry organization, are interested in renting the school facility starting in fall 2021. Both organizations are led by WELS members at Pilgrim Lutheran Church who were administrators of Pilgrim Lutheran School before it closed.

SON Experience

• Savior of the Nations, or SON, Experience has several ministry programs. One of which is a before and after school care program, called “Royal Ambassadors,” at The Journey School which focuses on sharing the gospel with school children.

The Journey School

• An elementary school that started in fall 2019 with 36 students and has grown to 100 in 1.5 years (well ahead of planned growth goals).

• Primarily draws cross-cultural families of lower income and focuses on incorporating science and technology in the curriculum.

• The current location is on Lexington Ave in former Central Lutheran School building

• The school is funded by the state of Minnesota and operates as its own independent school district. As a result, no ministry can occur during the school day.

Proposal

• The Journey School is interested in launching a second elementary school location in St. John’s facility.

• SON Experience would also operate a before and after school ministry program.

• They are interested in a 5 year minimum lease of the school, gym, and kitchen.

• SON Experience would manage and fund facility improvements to bring the building up to code and St. John would provide a discounted rental rate in the first few years of the lease to offset the improvement costs.

• With coordination, both St. John and Immanuel would still be able to utilize the facility for its ministry programs.

• This proposal provides a tremendous opportunity to partner with SON Experience to carry out ministry work together, but is not mandatory.