Exterior of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Hilton. (Photograph by Walter Horylev)

Interior view of the sanctuary. The center round window is from 1952, the others are from an earlier time. (Photograph by Walter Horylev)

Pastor Zoller with a stained glass window that was part of the original church, built in 1899. It will be back lit and hung on the rear wall of the sanctuary. (Photograph by Walter Horylev)

St. Paul Lutheran's new sanctuary preserves history, provides for future

Opening the doors to a new sanctuary is exciting to the congregation at St. Paul Lutheran Church and School in Hilton - after all they have been more than a decade without one. However, the excitement doesn't rest on the foundation of the 13,000 square foot facility alone, the energy surrounds their building of a ministry.

Pastor Albert Zoller, who has led the local Lutheran Church and school for about 40 years, is one of the biggest fans of the new sanctuary, but is quick to point out that those who invest too much emotion in the building's structure are missing the point.

"The sanctuary brings a sense of comfort and security which the world, society cannot give us," said Zoller. "This has been entrusted to us for the sake of ministry and we have to use it for ministry."

The new, modern $2.1 million facility, which includes several multi-purpose rooms and additional office space, has been a long time in the making. St. Paul Lutheran's first church was built in Hilton in 1899. The church was remodeled three times before it was demolished in 1991 because of excessive structural concerns. Instead of rebuilding immediately, the congregation opted to enhance the school facility with more classrooms, a gymnasium and a chapel that would serve as the main place for worship.

"At that time they opted to focus on facility space that could be used seven days a week. That says a lot about our ministry focus," Zoller said.

Building the building
For the past three years, Mark Bessel has been focused on the many details that are involved in a project of this magnitude. Bessel, who has been a member since 1961, has served as co-chair of the Building Focus Team, meeting with his other team members weekly for three years.

While it was a small group that met regularly to keep the building moving along, Bessel said more than 100 members contributed their ideas or somehow helped with the work. Early on in the process a large group of members met to assemble a list of requirements. After interviewing a dozen different architecture firms, the project was awarded to Labella Associate PC, but the Building Focus Team has continued to meet weekly to address changes and needs as they arose.

There were many challenges during the process that forced them to make alterations to the original plan. Bessel said he believes God was working in all of those challenges. "We ended up with a better design than we had the first time," he said.

The new facility is all on one floor, making it easily accessible. The altar, pulpit, lectern and organ and first two rows of seats are portable to allow for many variations in setup. The church was constructed with a high tech sound and lighting system and two large built in screens and projectors are part of the new amenities. "This allows us the space and flexibility to present the ministry in more and different ways," said Bessel.

Another unique characteristic of the new church is how it blends the old with the new.

Windows from the past help see into the future
Diana Hendershot, a teacher at the school, was added to the Building Focus Team to provide an aesthetic perspective to a group that was otherwise more focused on structural details. A key feature of the new sanctuary is the inclusion of the stained glass windows that were originally in the former sanctuary.

The windows have been in storage since the closing of the old church and were recently refurbished and placed in the new sanctuary. A six foot round window is located above the altar and allows for spectacular color throughout the room when sunlight pours in. Soon another six foot round window will be placed in the back of the sanctuary. This stained glass window was first installed at St. Paul's in 1899. The altar, lectern and communion rails are also from the original church.

"We have the best of the past and the best of the future," Hendershot said. "God has truly blessed us."

Hendershot said the process of building has been as exciting as the product from building. "It has been a building of faith, because you couldn't put your faith in your own abilities. You had to put your faith in God," she said. Now Hendershot is praying that the excitement swirling around the new sanctuary will also lead new families to the pre-k through eighth grade school.
"This school has been Hilton's best kept secret for many years. I'm hoping a more visible sanctuary will lead to more students," she said.

Sweet Music
Barb Kandt has been the organist for nearly 48 years. She and her late husband, Karl, brought their family to St. Paul's in 1957. Their three children graduated from the school and were married in the church. All three still attend, along with Kandt's grandchildren. Her daughter, Kathy, also plays the organ. They will soon be playing a new Allen organ called the Quantum Renaissance. This is a new model, with none other like it in Monroe County.

"It's going to be fun," she said about the four voice organ. "I think it will sound nice and we'll have a great sound system."

Writer's comments/memories

Out of the mouths of babes
I have been raised at St. Paul's, attending school pre-k through eighth grade and I was confirmed there. Pastor Zoller officiated my wedding and baptized my two children. My daughter, Molly, who is three years old, will start nursery school at St. Paul's in the fall.

I have few childhood memories that aren't tied to the St. Paul's community.

Every morning for the past year I drive by the church on my way to drop Molly and my son, Riley, two years old, off at their grandparents' house. Month by month we watched the progress of the new building. Daily routines with two toddlers can feel like the movie "Groundhog's Day." Each day at exactly the same time we do the same thing and they say the same thing. As we drive by the new church each morning and see the white steeple that has been missing for so long, Molly says, "Daddy, is my church ready yet?" And I say, "Almost Sweetie." She'll then say, "You know, pastor's building it for me," and I'll nod and say, "Yes, he is." Then Riley will chime in with, "Does it have new toys?" And I laugh and drive on.

It really is the best of the new and the old.

Open House - June 5
St. Paul Lutheran Church in Hilton hosts an Open House on June 5.

The Open House event, which will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. will include tours of the new facility, various displays and refreshments. Construction of the new church is nearing completion, and the congregation expects to move into the new building this month.

St. Paul Lutheran Church and School is located at 158 East Avenue in Hilton. Worship services are held at 5 p.m. Saturdays and 8:30 and 11 a.m. each Sunday. For information, call 392-4000.