St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wapakoneta has been undergoing a large update and renovation to help integrate more technology into the nearly 70-year-old building.
WAPAKONETA — What began at St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in 2019 as a plan to upgrade restrooms and implement technology in worship services soon developed into something much bigger than originally envisioned. In a project that mirrored the multiplication of the loaves and fish in the biblical account, the “Renewing God’s House” project also multiplied to include a new gathering space for fellowship following services, an additional family restroom, and an adult Sunday School classroom.
Church treasurer Tina Waltz said that bathroom upgrades have been needed for many years.
“When I returned to the area 10 years ago, we had a bathroom fund [started],” she said.
Church members recognized that upgrades were needed to the church that was built in 1955. St. Mark’s Mission Focus and Strategic Planning Committee, led by Kristin Doll, obtained suggestions from the congregation prior to the onset of COVID-19. It was determined that restroom upgrades were needed to accommodate those with mobility issues. Plans were made for wider doorways and easier access to gathering spaces.
As the rollout of the renovation plans was nearing the implementation phase, the onset of the pandemic necessitated a need to focus on the technology needs to enable worshippers at the church to remain connected. Dustin Jeanneret, St. Mark’s Technology Coordinator, made it possible for St. Mark’s to continue its work by implementing the necessary technology.
In January 2022, with the approval of the congregation, St. Mark’s created a Capital Appeal Committee, chaired by Chad Doll. The committee appealed to parishioners, who pledged more than $500,000 over the next three years to proceed with the renovation project.
“It was a much larger response than I anticipated,” St. Mark’s Pastor Doug Pretorius said.
Once pledges were obtained, Mike Burton, leading the church Renovation Committee, hired Freytag and Associates, Inc. Architectural Engineering firm to assist them in moving forward with the project. The firm was selected, in part, due to its professional experience in working with houses of worship.
“The committee then began to ask themselves, what else can we improve along the way?” Waltz said.
New Beginnings Learning Academy Preschool rents space from the church. When the renovation plans were initiated, it became apparent that asbestos was present in two of the preschool classrooms. A $50,000 grant was obtained from Auglaize County to cover the cost of the asbestos abatement, which took five weeks to complete. The preschool also obtained an additional grant of $15,000 for a new playground, expected to be completed in July. The executive director and owner of the preschool, Amanda Wilder is a member of St. Mark’s.
The church staff acknowledged the tremendous support received from their general contractor, H. A. Dorsten Company in Minster. The project is expected to be completed in mid-May with a public open house anticipated in June.
St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church is located at 302 E. Pearl St. in Wapakoneta. Parishioners eagerly welcome visitors to the church and invite the public to view services remotely on their FaceBook page or on YouTube via live streaming. Visit www.stmarkswapak.org. for further information about the church, Pastor Pretorius can be contacted at [email protected] or by calling 419-738-3122.
