Immanuel Gawler and Zion: Coming Together for Community

The close ties between Zion Lutheran Preschool and Immanuel Gawler have become even closer. 

About one kilometre closer to be more precise! 

Construction of Zion’s new premises on Immanuel Gawler’s Lyndoch Road grounds has been completed, with the preschool moving from the Cowan Street, Gawler SA, site it has occupied since 1978 into the state-of-the-art facility. 

The transformative project, undertaken with the support of an LLL Loan, will provide a major boost to education in the regional centre, about an hour’s drive north of Adelaide. 

“The Lutheran Church community in Gawler has had a vision for Lutheran education in our local region for decades,” Immanuel Gawler principal Daryl Trigg explained. 

“Beginning with the establishment of Zion Preschool at the Cowan Street site in 1978 and then Immanuel School on Lyndoch Road in 1985, this has been a ‘coming together’ in Gawler that has been unfolding over the last 10 years. 

“Lutheran Education SA, WA & NT (LESNW) has a vision statement that says, ‘We’re better together’ and the Lutheran community of Gawler has been intentionally developing this over the last 10 years, realising that our greatest strength is our collective strength, especially in a community dominated by large R-12 Colleges.  

“But in the end, all glory belongs to God and the unity we have in Him as we have certainly been blessed with the key ingredients of trust, vision, relationships and patience.” 

LLL Head of Client Relationships Sam and Communications Officer Jason were delighted to take up the school’s kind offer to tour the site during the construction phase and after it had been completed. 

The impressive structure incorporates a pre-existing house and a brand-new build, which will complement other construction projects, including a new Junior Primary area, also undertaken by the leading school. 

The discovery of an old well and a septic tank underpinning the pre-existing house was an unforeseen challenge to overcome. 

But thanks to the hard work and dedication of project leaders, aided by the strength of a missional partnership with LLL, the community’s littlest learners now have a wonderful new space to explore. 

“The Gawler Lutheran School community continues to be blessed by LLL in the building of the new Zion centre, just as we have over the last 40 years of growth and development,” Daryl added.  

“Without the access to LLL’s affordable loans, this vision held by so many for so long would never have been possible.”