SAXONY LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL -- NO LONGER JUST A DREAM

Representatives from the 21-member churches of the Saxony Lutheran High School Association turned a dream into reality Sunday by signing the constitution and bylaws for the new school."This is an historic occasion," said the Rev. Dr. James Kalthoff, president of the Missouri District, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, and Sunday's guest speaker. "It is a wonderful cooperation between 21 churches willing to work together to plan, promote and finance this very, very important school."In August 1998 the Rev. Dissen, pastor of Trinity Lutheran in Cape Girardeau, was asked to explore the possibilities of a Lutheran high school in Southeast Missouri. The seed was planted."God's blessings have rained from Heaven and sprigs of the plant are beginning to shoot forth," said Kalthoff.

Hundreds of guests attended Sunday's service of praise and celebration for the beginning of Saxony Lutheran High School of Southeast Missouri. Both a children's and an adult choir representing the school association performed at the event.

Ruth and Russ Meisner's children attend Altenburg District 48 public school. "We're here today to observe," said Ruth Meisner. Their oldest child is a sixth-grader which gives them a few years before any decisions will have to be made.

Kalthoff quoted a passage by Martin Luther that the maintenance of good schools and the education of youth is of the utmost importance. More than half of the 6,000 Lutheran congregations in the United States have one or more school programs in operation. The majority of the Lutheran schools are geared toward early childhood and elementary education. The new high school will be one of about 70 in operation."The public school system has departed from the Christian values and principles," said Kalthoff. Quoting from the Bible, Kalthoff said, "Bring up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not be far from it."The goal of the Lutheran schools is to provide instruction in Christian values as needed by children at every stage of their life. The school also hopes to encourage more young people to enter into mission work.

Charlene McElreath thinks the new school is a great idea. Her daughter is settled into high school, but she is exploring the possibilities for her younger son. "I think this is a positive thing," she said. "It's something that's been needed for a long time."Rhett Obermann is only 7, but he's already excited about the possibility of attending Saxony Lutheran High School. "He loves to play football," said his father, Steve, "and I asked him what would happen if he couldn't do that." His reply was that it didn't matter if he could just go to the Lutheran school.

If all goes according to plan, the school will open in August. It's temporary site will be the activity center of the St. Andrew Lutheran Church on Cape Rock Drive. Several sites have been examined in the Cape Girar