Christ Lutheran preschool celebrates 20 year anniversary

Little minds often ask the biggest questions. Preschool and Pre-K are where children learn the very foundation of what it means to be a student. Christ Lutheran Church & Preschool recently celebrated 20 years of not only preparing children to be students, but also teaching them about Jesus. 

“The very heart of being a student is to sit, listen, and ask questions, just like we teach in Chapel” said Pastor Mark Kliewer. 

The desire to add a preschool to the Christ Lutheran Church in Battle Mountain first came to light around 1998, according to Kliewer, and the building was finished by Aug. of 2002 and had students in the classroom by September. Since its start, the preschool has had anywhere from 65 to 20 students at a time, with Marie Benson as the current Director of Christ Lutheran Church & Preschool. 

Gail Brannan, who was the Director and a teacher at Christ Lutheran for almost 20 years, said “Our programs will be Christ-centered to emphasize the importance of Christ in our daily life… We believe learning this in Preschool and giving children an opportunity to practice it in a group setting gives the children a good start in education and a good start in life,” in an article in the Battle Mountain Bugle right after the school was first constructed in the early 2000s.

Hundreds of students have come through Christ Lutheran’s doors and learned about Jesus and brought what they have learned home with them. 

Pastor Kliewer reminisced on many occasions where children surprised their parents or other adults with faith-based wisdom in unexpected ways throughout the years.

From reveling in Jesus’ grace and forgiveness after being cut in the midst of giving themself a rather unruly haircut or comforting a loved-one in a time of loss, Pastor Kliewer explained that moments like these are what a Christian school is really all about. 

“It’s a connection of life, “ said Kliewer. 

Time’s have not always been easy for Christ Lutheran Preschool, according to Kliewer, but through years of support from generous church members and parents, the preschool continues to teach children to have a love for God that carries with them for their whole lives. 

“There were times when we did not know where the funds to pay teachers’ salaries would come from, but then the Lord has always provided for us well beyond our needs,” said Kliewer.

Pastor Kliewer explained that the school has had a trend of low student rates, but if this year’s anniversary celebration is any indication of what is to come, Christ Lutheran Preschool will be teaching students about Jesus for many more years to come.  

“We don’t center on numbers so much as we center on the opportunity for parents to bring their children to a Christian school,” said Kliewer.