KP church spiffing up and holding fundraising auction

Scott Turner, KP News

Key Peninsula Lutheran church is celebrating change.

Church members have been building a new sidewalk around the church, renovating the playground and generally spiffing-up the place.

“We’re getting ready to paint the building after umpty-ump years, and we’re also cutting down brush along the highway so people can actually see the building,” said long-time parish administrator Julie Johnson.

“A lot of people here on the Peninsula don’t even know there’s a church here. We have all these trees around us. I think we’ve reached a point in our life where we need to come out of the woods.”

Inside the church, there’s more change afoot. There’s a new computer and new monitors for PowerPoint presentations and the church will soon begin holding Saturday evening services.

“It’s all about change and celebrating change, ”Johnson said.

To support their outreach efforts and further increase visibility, on Sept. 14 the church will host a fundraising auction.

The event will take place right after the regular Sunday service and will include lunch, silent auction and a live auction.

Elsie Vezzani, vice president of the church council, is a member of the auction committee. Her group has been hard at work collecting prizes for the event.

“We have some wonderful entertainment items,” Vezzani said. “One is a night out with a nice dinner and theater tickets –– the whole ball of wax. Another is a three nights at a local waterfront cabin.”

Troy Miles, a teacher from Bremerton who moonlights as an auctioneer, will run the show. “He’s a hoot,” Vezzani said. “It’s going to be a real fun time.”

Money raised at the auction will support the church’s outreach programs.

“We sponsor three community meals per month,” Vezzani said. “And this year we sponsored our first Little League team. And we also collect school supplies.”

The church hosts AA meetings and a veterans group’s meetings, and also serves as an emergency shelter for the Peninsula.

“I want the public to know that we’re alive and well, we’re progressing and we welcome newcomers to our area and also people who’ve been here for awhile,” Vezzani said.

At press time the church was still accepting auction items and monetary donations.

For information, call the church office at (253) 884-3312.

Key Peninsula Lutheran Church is located at 4213 Lackey Road, at the intersection of Lackey Road and Key Peninsula Highway.