A Brief History of Prince of Peace

June 16, 1969
	Mission Board of the Northern Illinois District purchases land in north Palatine for a new congregation.
May 1970
	N.I.D. calls Rev. Norbert Kleidon as Missionary-at-Large to north Palatine.
September 17, 1970
	First core group meeting (six people in attendance!)
February 7, 1971
	First worship service held in the basement of Virginia Lake Elementary School in Palatine. Attendance: 150.
April 22, 1971
	First building committee formed.
September 26, 1971
	Ground breaking ceremonies for the first church building.
October 10, 1971
	Congregation is chartered as Prince of Peace Lutheran Church.
November 28, 1971
	Rev. Norbert Kleidon installed as first pastor.
August 6, 1972
	First worship service in the newly constructed Prince of Peace building.
April 25, 1974
	Baptized membership reaches 200.
January 1, 1981
	Prince of Peace removed from district subsidy and becomes a self-supporting congregation.
1982
	Second worship service added. Average attendance increases 20%.
September 1986
	Richard Leasure hired as first music director.
September 9, 1986
	Mortgage burning celebration as loan from Lutheran Church Extension Fund is paid off.
Easter Sunday, April 4, 1987
	Groundbreaking on a 7,000 square foot addition of classrooms, a choir room, a fellowship hall/gymnasium, washrooms, storage space, a kitchen, and an extended lobby.
August 12, 1988
	Pastor Kleidon accepts call to Immanuel Lutheran Church, Mokena, Illinois.
October, 1988
	Prince of Peace partners with Hispanic congregation La Santisima Trinidad of the Little Village Community of Chicago.
May 21, 1989
	Rev. Michael Newman, Assistant Pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Owatonna, Minnesota installed as pastor of Prince of Peace.
1991
	Average church attendance rises to 253, annual budget reaches $200,000. Baptized membership reaches 482.
June 5, 1994
	Groundbreaking for second building expansion. Congregation worships in the gym for seven months as new sanctuary is being constructed.
May 1992
	Matthew J. Hoehne called as Minister of Music and Parish Life.
June 25, 1995
	First worship service in the newly expanded sanctuary.
February 1, 1998
	Rev. Scott Christenson installed as Associate Pastor.
1998
	Amy Mattes becomes first full-time director of student ministry.
September 1998
	P.E.A.C.E. Groups ministry launch with thirteen groups.
2002
	Third building expansion completed, which adds classrooms on west side of gym and north offices/classrooms/library.
2002-2003
	Addition of four full-time staff: Music Ministry Assistant, Senior High Student Minister, Director of Outreach, and Children’s Ministry Director.
September 7, 2003
	Prince of Peace ”Master Plan of Discipleship” introduced to the congregation.
November 15, 2003
	Prince of Peace recognized by LCMS President Gerry Kieschnick as one of the top 30 congregations of the LCMS in worship attendance growth.
May 11, 2004
	Pastor Newman accepts call to Concordia Lutheran Church in San Antonio, Texas.
October 17, 2004
	Pastor Christenson installed as Senior Pastor.
October 9, 2005
	Rev. John Glover installed as Teaching Pastor.
TODAY
	Current Baptized membership: 1,952 Average weekend worship attendance (2007): 755 Annual budget (2008): $ 1,983,234 Vacation Bible School Attendance (2007): 307 (199 non-members!) Sunday School Enrollment, Preschool—High School (2007): 422 Annual Baptisms (2007): 45