Family pastor joins Lutheran church

A Martinez church has called upon a Wisconsin minister and former elementary school principal to help lead its youth and its expansion for the future.

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Jason Schultz, originally of Milwaukee, joined the staff of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church July 15 as the family minister to the 200-member congregation.

Pastor Steve Olson said Schultz's arrival coincides with the beginning stages of a 6,000-square-foot addition to the church. The new building includes space for at least five classrooms and an 1,800-square-foot fellowship area for youth programs and other activities.

The church's master plan calls for an eventual replacement sanctuary in four to five years, Olson said. The expansion should be completed in time for preschool to begin in fall 2008.

"We wanted to bring in a man who had the educational experience so that we could develop our education building with programs for youth and for families," Olson said.

Schultz, a 35-year-old father of three and also a former high school English teacher in Henry County, Ga., is tasked with leading the church's youth and starting the preschool program.

"The preschool becomes a nice context to reach out to families in the community," he said.

One of his main roles will be to council families and "communicate to the community and families the wonderful opportunities to share God's word to their children in a learning and academic environment," Schultz said.