Chapel Project Frequently Asked Questions

What is the history of this chapel project?

Why does MLC need a chapel?

Why should the chapel be built now? Could these funds be redirected to other pressing needs?

Will we really stay within the $7.5 million available?

How can MLC afford to operate and maintain another building?

What are the general requirements for this chapel?

Why is there a need for a baptismal font in the chapel?

Does the new chapel really need a pipe organ?

Why not move the old organ into the new structure?

What is the tentative project timetable?

What is the history of this chapel project?

1997 Convention: The 150th Anniversary Committee of WELS recommended that a special thank offering be made to fund an expanded archive facility, a chapel on the MLC campus, and an energetic outreach program. At the synod convention that summer, this resolution was adopted.

1999 Convention: It was determined that “Designated gifts will be used only for the project(s) designated.” A goal of $8 million was set for the MLC chapel project.

2000-2001: God moved the hearts of individuals and congregations to bring an anniversary thank offering of about $7.1 million for the chapel project. With accrued interest, the total is now $7.5 million.

2000-2004: Because the offering fell short of the $8 million goal, efforts concentrated on reducing costs and developing a funding plan to raise the other monies needed.

2004: MLC Governing Board approved a plan to reduce costs to $7.5 million.

2004-2006: The project was stymied due to financial concerns in the synod as well as escalating construction costs.

2006: A committee was established to study the feasibility of building a chapel on the MLC campus using only available funds.

2007: Five architectural firms were asked to present concept drawings to the college (at no cost to the college). The following were recommended by the Chapel Building Committee and approved by the Governing Board in September:

• The chapel project will move forward with available funds and a goal of completion in August 2009, the 125th anniversary of this campus.
• The MLC Governing Board will request the immediate release of funds designated for the chapel project.
• Plunkett-Raysich will be engaged as the architectural firm for the chapel project.

Why does MLC need a chapel?

Very simply put, MLC needs a chapel for the same reason congregations desire a dedicated worship space: to proclaim gospel truths; to thank and glorify God; to enable students, faculty, and staff to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Our twice-daily chapel services are the heartbeat of our entire campus, and this new worship facility will enrich the spiritual lives of the entire campus family.

MLC is the one school that serves nearly all our future called workers, and yet, because it has no dedicated worship space, it is handicapped in its ability to model worship for future called workers and to demonstrate to them how the wide variety of worship instruments, forms, styles, and formats can be used well by confessional Lutherans in the 21st century.

The MLC family currently worships in an auditorium, a place used also for drama rehearsals and productions, band and choir rehearsals, student convocations, lyceums, and other campus events on a daily basis. Due to some of these events, chapel is occasionally rescheduled, moved to the gym, or canceled.

Due to logistical restrictions, the campus family celebrates Holy Communion rarely, perhaps twice a year. As a church body that understands the importance of the Means of Grace, we’d like a chapel that allows us to celebrate this sacrament more easily.

Here we might echo the meeting minutes of the 150th WELS Anniversary Committee, which stated some ten years ago that an MLC chapel would stand as “an outstanding celebration project, since it symbolizes our church’s focus on the Means of Grace and its commitment to preparing workers for carrying the gospel into the world.”

Why should the chapel be built now? Could these funds be redirected to other pressing needs?

We are all rightly concerned about potential losses or cutbacks in beloved synodical programs, mission fields, and ministry departments. And MLC continues to need gifts for the operating budget, student assistance, and endowment fund.

This $7.5 million, however, was given for one purpose only: to construct a chapel on the MLC campus. The money cannot be used for other purposes, such as supporting other synod programs or ministries.

With our available funds today, we can build a chapel that will serve our needs. This may not be true in the future.

Finally, we want to keep trust with the donors who gave gifts specifically for a chapel and are now concerned that those gifts may not be used as they intended. By keeping trust with these donors, we’ll also maintain credibility with future donors.

Will we really stay within the $7.5 million available?

Yes, the Governing Board and the Synodical Council have directed us to stay within the $7.5 million budget, and we are committed to doing so.

The concept and budget provided by the selected architectural firm, Plunkett-Raysich, shows that the entire chapel—including all furniture, furnishings, pipe organ, and a modest contingency fund—can be built within budget. Plunkett-Raysich worked closely with a local New Ulm builder, Heymann Construction, and its subcontractors to verify costs.

Associated costs, such as moving the baseball field, are also included in the $7.5 million budget.

There are no plans to use any MLC special funds (i.e., unrestricted designated monies held by the school) for the chapel project. At the same time, it should be noted that other renovation, remodeling, or small building projects may be considered at the time the chapel is under construction. For example, it may be wise to provide better handicap accessibility to the Luther Student Center from the chapel area by remodeling the current elevator system in the LSC at the time the chapel is built. Such a project could be one of the options yet to be considered by the MLC Governing Board.

How can MLC afford to operate and maintain another building?

 These costs, estimated to be $280,000 annually ($40,000 custodial, $230,000 utilities, $10,000 maintenance), would begin no earlier than August 2009. MLC is factoring these additional costs in its operating budgets beginning with the 2009-2010 school year.

Since the time that the preliminary proposed budget for 2009-2010 was developed, MLC has implemented energy-saving measures that should have a positive impact on the budget, producing annual savings of more than $300,000, which would offset the maintenance costs of an additional building on campus.

What are the general requirements for this chapel?

• Seating capacity: 1000 for worshipers, an additional 100 for choir, and overflow seating for 200; flexible seating preferred
• Sacramental focus: baptismal font at entrance, free-standing altar, triptych (work of art divided into three sections, generally behind the altar), suspended crucifix, and ambo (pulpit/lectern) pulpit, and lectern
• Vestry, sacristy, and adequate storage
• A pipe organ
• Ample and flexible space for choirs and instrumentalists
• Superior acoustics: a live space designed to favor the human voice and instrumentals
• Audio-visual control and two unobtrusive screens for projection
• An octagon shape (a symbol of “the eighth day”—Resurrection and eternity)
• A full, unfinished basement under the chapel (reception area, rehearsal/class room, storage, etc.)
• As much natural light as possible

Why is there a need for a baptismal font in the chapel?

 The chapel does not require a baptismal font, but we want it to reflect the basic truth that God works through the Means of Grace, the gospel in Word and Sacrament. A font would accomplish that.

Just as the celebration of the Lord’s Supper is a constant reminder of the forgiveness of sins we have in the body and blood of Christ, so the font is a visual reminder of the forgiveness of sins given each of us at our baptism. A font would remind the young people training for ministry at MLC of the meaning of baptism, as Luther reminds us: “Baptism means that the old Adam in us should be drowned by daily contrition and repentance, and that all its evil deeds and desires be put to death. It also means that a new person should daily arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.”

Does the new chapel really need a pipe organ?

 It is true that a significant number of congregations do not have pipe organs, and a wide variety of other instruments are used in worship. A pipe organ, however, because of its depth, volume, and resonance, can be powerful and authoritative in a way no other instrument can, thus making it ideal for leading congregational singing.

The new pipe organ’s first and foremost purpose would be liturgical/worship use. Its second purpose would be instruction. We currently teach about 150 organ students per year and supply the synod with a considerable number of graduates capable of playing the organ. (To the best of our knowledge, MLC has more organ students than any other college in the country.) Its third use would be recitals, which are a regular part of organ instruction.

As our instructors model excellence in organ playing, we’d like them to do so on an instrument that also models excellence and takes full advantage of a skilled musician’s abilities.

A reasonable, limited budget for an organ has always been part of the considerations. The Schantz Organ Company, which we have chosen to supply our organ, has a history and reputation for quality workmanship at a moderate cost. (A recent bidding process for a new pipe organ at a WELS church involved three reputable organ builders, including the Schantz Company. The process revealed that the Schantz bid was 13-24% lower than the other bidders.)

Why not move the old organ into the new structure?

 Sometimes the relocation of an existing organ is an economical and workable option for a new space. This is not the case, however, here. Moving the current Memorial Organ in the WCC Auditorium to a new chapel would exceed $600,000, according to a respected organ consultant.

For MLC to be a model for church music in the WELS, it’s imperative that we have a highly successful organ installation. Moving the current organ would definitely not do that.

Also, the Memorial Organ is not appropriate for the new chapel relative to a number of factors:

•  It is not large enough to fill the new chapel space (floor space, ceiling height, volume of space) with adequate sound.
• It is not appropriate for the configuration of the new chapel space (octagon shape, relative placement of worshipers, choirs, etc.).
• It is not appropriate for the acoustic features of the new chapel space.
• It does not have the warm, full, supportive tone or the strong bass that adequately leads congregational singing. (Its thinner sound was typical in the 1960s when it was designed.)

Keeping the Memorial Organ undisturbed would provide an additional practice organ and a representative example of that era of organ building (important information for highly trained church musicians). Finally, we might take instruction from the history of the campus. In the late 1920s the organ from the DMLC Chapel (now the Music Hall) was moved into the gymnasium/auditorium in the current WCC Auditorium location. The installation was considered unsuccessful; the reinstalled organ simply did not have the tonal resources for the new space it was moved to.

What is the tentative project timetable?

April 2008 Approval of construction bids Spring

2008 Groundbreaking (May 16)

May/June 2009 Substantial completion of building

August 23, 2009 First service with students (opening of new school year and also the 125th anniversary of this campus)

Chapel Building Committee and Subcommittees:

Chapel Building Committee – Dr. Kermit Moldenhauer (chair, MLC professor), John Boeder (secretary, MLC professor), Jon Balge (MLC professor), Mark Lenz (MLC professor), Dr. Wayne Wagner (MLC professor), Keith Wessel (MLC professor), Mark Zarling (advisory, MLC President), and Gary Sonnenberg (advisory, MLC CFO)

Audio-Visual – Jon Balge (chair, MLC professor), Dr. John Nolte (MLC professor), Glen Bode (MLC professor), John Paulsen (MLC professor), Ron Schmidt (community member), and Justin Liepert (MLC student)

Music – Dr. Wayne Wagner (chair, MLC professor), Dr. Kermit Moldenhauer (MLC professor), Miles Wurster (MLC professor), Jeneane Thiesfeldt (MLC instructor), Robert Potratz (MLC professor), and Sarah Zietlow (MLC student)

Maintenance – Gary Sonnenberg (chair, MLC CFO), George Schimmele (MLC maintenance crew), Tim Rambow (MLC maintenance crew), Kevin Neumann (MLC maintenance crew), Dan Albrecht (MLC student), and Dave Christiansen (community member)

Communication – John Boeder (chair, MLC professor), Mark Zarling (MLC President), Bill Pekrul (MLC public relations director), Laurie Gauger (MLC publications editor), Ron Brutlag (MLC director of ddmissions), Mark Thiesfeldt (MLC student body president) or Kevin Boushek (MLC student body vice-president, and Jon Scharlemann (MLC VP for Mission Advancement)

Furnishings and Artwork – Mark Lenz (chair, MLC professor), Keith Wessel (MLC professor), Lance Hartzell (MLC professor), Christine Carmichael (community member), Tim Rosenow (MLC student), and Emily Rasmussen (MLC student).