On April 25, 2009, everyone coming to the dedication at Star of Bethlehem, Savoy, Illinois, experienced the Illinois prairie winds as they pried open the doors of the church. The prayer is that the Holy Spirit will work in the hearts of many people and lead them through the doors as disciples of Jesus.

Savoy, immediately south of Champaign, is part of the Champaign/Urbana metro area. The original WELS church in Urbana was called Bethlehem. The congregation experienced a host of problems and was barely surviving. The group appealed for help to the Western Wisconsin District Mission Board. The decision was made to close the congregation, sell the property, and do a restart under the name Star of Bethlehem. Pastor Tim Glende from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary was assigned as the first pastor.[slideshow=105]

The group had a ministry center and worshiped in an office mall in another part of Urbana. They encountered many roadblocks in the search for land in the Urbana area. Eventually the decision was made to move to Savoy, a well-planned and expanding city directly south of Champaign. A near perfect location in an expanding housing area on Church Street was purchased. The small unit is the first stage of a building plan that will eventually make excellent use of the acreage.

Pastor Greg Pufahl serves the congregation. Assisting at the dedication were Pastor Tim Glende, liturgist, and Pastor Keith Free, preacher. Pastor Free is chairman of the Western Wisconsin District Mission Board.

The congregation is grateful to WELS Church Extension Fund for the loan to build the multi-use structure.

Pastor Wayne Schulz