By ROWENA PLETT

Staff writer

After 20 years of talking about it, Zion Lutheran Church members decided to build a fellowship hall one year ago. The building is now complete. An open house was Saturday.

The 60x85-foot structure has half-wall stone facing to match the limestone church. An enclosed walkway connects the two buildings.

The new building contains a large dining area furnished with round tables, a kitchen, pastor’s study, classrooms, and restrooms.

Pastor John Werner said the new building was needed to provide ground-level restrooms and would provide a roomy social gathering place for the congregation.

The building is available to rent by members of the larger community for group events.

“The schedule is filling up fast,” Werner said.

A family reunion and graduation party are planned for this spring.

Just $50,000 of the more than $500,000 cost remains to be covered, Werner said. He praised the congregation for its generosity. The many volunteers who contributed to the building financially and in labor and services included Ray Remmers, Tom Koslowsky, Jon Meier, Merle Schlehuber, Lloyd Anderson, and Joe Alvarez.

The congregation is celebrating its 135th year. The present church sanctuary was built in 1954. The church has 80 members and an average attendance of 60.

Werner has served the church for three years. He is happy that some people who had left the church have been coming back. He also is pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Marion.

Overseeing a building project was monumental.

“It’s been a great experience,” he said. “No one got exactly what they wanted, but we are very pleased with the final product. We want it to serve the community.”