"Bringing more and more people into the worship and discipleship of our Lord Jesus Christ!" is the vision of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Fayetteville.

In addition, said the Rev. Justin P. Kollmeyer, senior pastor, "our mission is to witness, to worship, to pray and care, to educate toward full discipleship, leadership and ministry, to serve, to support and to fellow-ship."

This 12-year-old congregation began with just 30 members in the fall of 1986 and met in a school cafeteria. They moved into the current structure in 1989, expanded the first time in 1991, adding a fellowship hall and Christian school rooms.

A new expansion program is about to begin, which will add a two-story education and administration building. It will include a stage for musical productions and plenty of space for athletic activities, as well as double current parking space. An expected date of occupation is winter 1999. The church has just added its first associate pastor, the Rev. Keith E. Hedrick.

Pastor Kollmeyer was born in Odessa, Texas and reared in that state. Though he began to feel pulled into the ministry in his high school years, he did not actively pursue it until after college. He is a graduate of Valparaiso College in Indiana, majoring in history and classical languages. For his ministerial studies, he graduated from Lutheran Seminary in St. Louis, with a Masters in Divinity, and received his Doctorate of Ministry at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Ga.

He played football in both high school and college in the position of quarterback, and lettered in that sport.

He and wife, Elaine, married in 1975 and are the parents of Jessica, 16, Andrew, 12 and Rebecca, 9.

"My personal vision," said Rev. Kollmeyer, "is to lift up a vision of Christ to be the central point of this church, and the central point of each person's life."

Music is a big part of the church life, and at the 9:45 a.m. service, a band consisting of drums, fiddles and guitars play in an upbeat, contemporary praise service.

It has a "God Squad" that goes on the road every other year and will be going to Texas in 1999. The Samaritans, a food pantry that is supported by a number of Fayette County churches began at Prince of Peace and they continue in its support.