Our 100 Year Story: Humble Beginnings
No one would have been able to know that this—who we are and what God is doing—would be happening today. There are 260 students enrolled for the 2026-2027 school year. We are a school on two campuses. We have two pastors. We have a dedicated school ministry team of more than 40. No one would have imagined this!
“The majority of the members of Mt. Lebanon cannot even imagine what our community looked like [100] years ago. Our first buildings were placed on farmland. Across the street was farmland. In fact, all the land on the north and south of Hampton Road up to Fond du Lac Avenue was farmland. Only here and there one found a cluster of homes. We were on the outskirts of Milwaukee and North Milwaukee” (From an early history of Mount Lebanon).
No one would have imagined this, but a few saw something. The Mission Board of our church body saw something here. They saw houses going up and noted that there was no church nearby and so they decided to see what they might find. Early in 1926, they canvassed the area and discovered not just a need but a yearning for Christian education and for the help, healing and hope only Jesus could provide. They could see something so they did something.
They bought some land and they built a little white church, a chapel which also served as our first classroom. They did this for the cost of $9,000. And so, on October 17, 1926, we dedicated this chapel-school in three packed services. Just a few days later, on October 19, 39 students attended the first day of school. “An interesting note of that first day of school—the pastor opened the day with the Lord’s Prayer, but not one of the children joined him because some did not know it or only knew it in German and did not wish to pray along. This incident showed the need of a mission in the community.”
These humble beginnings were blessed more than could have ever been imagined. Won’t God do it? Won’t he!?! By the end of the 1926-27 school year, 65 children were instructed. In the following school year, 110 students were taught in the chapel. So, to accommodate the need, we built a modest school house with a price not exceeding $8,000. God did more than our fathers might have ever imagined. Won’t our God do it!?! You know he will!
From these humble modest beginnings, we are here today. This year (2026), 260 students are enrolled for school. We teach students K4 – 8th grade on two campuses not only the core subjects like math and reading, but the most vital teaching of all, teaching in the Word of God. Who would have imagined this!?!
Who can imagine what is next for us? Not me. Not clearly. Not with any certainty.
But we serve and follow a God who can do immeasurably more than all we might ask or imagine (cf. Ephesians 3:20-21). Not only does he know the future, but he has the power to do even more than we can possibly imagine.
We can’t wait to see what God will bring out of these humble beginnings, how the tiny mustard seed planted here will become something great in his Kingdom.
To him be the glory!
