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Relationship with the Church First English Lutheran Preschool began in 1964 when a congregation member had the inspiration to offer quality child care in the neighborhood. The program began under the supervision of the Christian Education committee of the congregation, and the school has grown greatly in the years. From its beginning, the school has welcomed people of all faith traditions, while honoring the Christian character of the congregation. While continuing to respect and welcome all faith traditions, the school cooperates with the church to offer components of Christian Education in the preschool program. These components have been planned to respect all individuals, and to ensure that lessons will be developmentally appropriate for children at various age levels. The components of Christian Education include the following elements: Chapel services take place each Friday. Pastor Burggraf or another church staff member leads a 10 minute service that includes songs, a Bible-related story, poems, and a prayer. Often, the pastor uses puppets with the children. The school has scheduled the chapel service for the last minutes of the day so that parents have the options of staying for chapel themselves or picking up their children up early if they do not wish their children to participate in a Christian chapel service. (We request that parents alert the school concerning any arrangements for early pick-up on Fridays.) Each month, the pastor visits the 2s, 3s, and 4s classrooms for a short story or lesson related to God’s love. The stories are simple and sweet. Parents know ahead of time when the stories will be offered. The stories take place at the beginning of the day; therefore, parents may come and observe or they may choose to come in late if they do not wish the children to participate in these stories. We are pleased about the level of cooperation between the congregation and the preschool. The congregation has invited the school community to be part of many activities that the church offers, such as service projects reaching out to the community, the Fair Trade fair, and fun events like movie nights and holiday parties. By combining our efforts for projects such as collecting for the needy, we come together with our common interests and concerns. Additionally, the school has invited congregational participation in fund-raisers, and in special events like the Strawberry Festival. The congregation always offers an invitation to preschool families to become better acquainted with the church and its resources. Together, the school and the church are building a relationship of trust, cooperation, and respect.