Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
Christ the King Lutheran Church and School is affiliated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS). WELS congregations exists to give all glory to God by upholding, defending, and proclaiming the truth of the Holy Scriptures as articulated in the Lutheran Confessions, and by providing a means for congregations and their members to extend the reach of their God-given mission of proclaiming the gospel in Word and sacrament through joint mission efforts at home and abroad, the training of called workers, and coordination of gospel applications to encourage spiritually healthy called workers in spiritually healthy congregations and schools.
WELS is a group of more than 340,000 men, women, and children in nearly 1,300 congregations across the United States and Canada united by a common faith in Christ’s saving love. We are committed to a common calling—encouraging each other in our faith and sharing God’s gift of a Savior with the rest of the world.
WELS also has a long tradition of high academic quality in its elementary schools. The WELS congregations have operated elementary schools for over 150 years. Currently, WELS congregations and associations of congregations operate 371 early childhood ministries, 282 elementary schools, 24 high schools, 2 preparatory high schools, and 1 Lutheran college across the country.
Christ-centered education is the purpose of our schools, but high academic excellence is also something for which we strive. This desire for excellence is reflected in the number of children enrolled in our schools. Currently, our schools have more than 40,800 students in preschool through grade twelve. The WELS has provided excellent instructors for these schools by training its own teachers at Martin Luther College and its predecessor, Dr. Martin Luther College, since 1884. Currently there are 2,800+ teachers serving in our Lutheran schools. Praise be to God for the wonderful blessings he has given our WELS schools!
Brief History of Christ the King
Christ the King Lutheran Church of Bremerton, Washington, came to be as a result of a declaration of fellowship declared in the summer of 1969 between the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LC-MS) and the American Lutheran Church (ALC).
In the Spring of 1972, Pastor Theodore Lambert was assigned to the new congregation. The current site was purchased in 1974. In August 1975, ground was broken for the sanctuary. On October 3, 1976, the congregation moved into its new building. The congregation grew and became a self-supporting congregation in 1980.
Classroom space was needed and a building addition was approved. The congregation supplied nearly all the labor for the building of a two level, 3000 square foot addition. The addition was dedicated in the fall of 1984. At the same time, Christ the King voted to open a Lutheran Elementary School. The school opened with grades K-4 in the fall of 1984 with 17 students. Each succeeding year the school added a grade until it served K-8.
In 1996 Christ the King, again feeling the pinch for space and voted to build a school buidling. In the Spring of 2000, the new school was opened for use. It was officially dedicated that August. God has continued to bless enrollment to the point of maxing out classrooms and requiring waiting lists in several classrooms.
A buidling project has been approved to add a narthex on the church, renovate the church and fellowship hall, and build a four classroom addition for the school. Architectural plans have been created, a contractor has been hired, and a pre-app meeting with Kitsap County was held in August 2021. Groundbreaking for this scheduled for spring of 2023.
