Our Savior Lutheran Church and School > Church

Facilities of Our Savior Lutheran Church

The Pavilion
Fenton was largely a rural community in 1961 when a house-to-house survey was conducted by the Mission Board of the Lutheran Church (Western District) and members of Salem Lutheran Church in Affton. "Our Savior Lutheran Church" was formally organized on September 9, 1962. On December 17 of that same year, 8.75 acres of land was purchased at the present location. Through donations of money and labor, the men of our congregation built this pavilion in August of 1963. It has been used for a variety of church functions through the years including Vacation Bible School, family nights, and picnics. It still stands today as a reminder of our beginnings and of God's continued grace and blessings
The (Parsonage) Parish House
The Rev. Edwin Keiper, our first pastor, began his ministry among us in October of 1962. This parsonage for the pastor and his family was built here on the north edge of the property and dedicated in July of 1964. It served as the home for each of our pastors, until 1989 when it was remodeled to serve as a Parish House. Since then it has provided office space for our workers, meeting space for church boards and council, gathering space for organizations and Bible classes, storage space for our food pantry, and devotional and recreational space for our youth program. This building reminds us of all our pastors, teachers, and other church workers who have served our Lord and His people here at Our Savior over the years.
The Church Sanctuary & Fellowship Hall
Groundbreaking for our church building took place on February 23, 1964. Original plans did not include the downstairs fellowship hall. The congregation had grown so rapidly in two years time, however, that a basement fellowship hall was added. Our church and fellowship hall have served for Worship, Bible study, church dinners, school classes, Sunday school groups, meetings, organizations, and a variety of other ministries over the years. On dedication day, April 25, 1965, our membership was 227 communicant members and 426 baptized souls. God continues to bless us with a growing membership, dedicated to nurturing people of all ages in the Christian faith and to proclaiming the saving gospel of Jesus our Savior in our community and to all the world.
The First School Wing
From the early days, Our Savior congregation has provided for Christian education. Sunday School classes began with the first worship gatherings at Fenton Public School back in 1962. Our kindergarten began in 1964 with Mrs. Keiper, the pastor's wife, teaching the students in the parsonage basement. Other elementary aged children received Christian education through the cooperation of Salem Lutheran School in Affton. When the church building was completed, our kindergarten moved into the church basement. With the growing congregation, we needed our own facilities for school, Sunday School, and Bible classes. This first educational wing with six classrooms was completed and dedicated in July of 1968. That fall we began first grade with 8 students. Kindergarten had an enrollment of 17. Grades were added year by year until we were serving preschool through grade eight in 1989. A modular building was brought on site to accommodate the growing enrollment. On Sunday morning, every available space was being utilized for Sunday School and Bible classes.
The New School Wing
In 1995 Our Savior congregation appointed a planning committee to assist us in assessing the present and future ministry needs and opportunities. By the end of the year, a consensus was reached. There were many needs and opportunities for our ministry to grow and better serve our congregation and community. Every ministry need that was identified, however, pointed to the need, first of all, for expanded facilities. The Building/Funding Committee of Our Savior Lutheran Church was organized and began work in 1996. Through continued research and feedback with the membership, a plan for building and for initial financing was developed. With the success of the initial stewardship funding campaign, Our Savior congregation resolved to build this addition to our education wing, expanded parking, our activity center, and connecting lobby area with handicapped access to all levels. Work began in the summer of 1998 and was completed in the summer of 1999.
The Activity Center
This is the Activity Center of Our Savior Lutheran Church. Some people call it the gym. Much of our school's physical education program happens here. Basketball and volleyball games with other schools take place here. Youth and adults have used this facility for similar purposes. But this is more than a gym. This is also a dining room. This facility has provided for everything from school lunches to sausage dinners to a wedding reception. But this is more than a dining room. It is also a theater. Here our youth have presented the dramatic story of our Savior's suffering and death. Our Sunday School has presented its annual Christmas program here. Our school classes have presented plays, puppet shows and musicals here. But this is more than a theater. It is also a worship sanctuary. Here we have gathered to hear God's Word, receive His holy sacrament, and worship Him with songs of praise and prayers of thanks at our Grand Opening Worship Celebration, Reformation Festivals, Thanksgiving Celebrations, Easter Worship and more.