The welcome has been expanded all right at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Austin.

“Expanding the welcome” was the theme of a $6.5-million building renovation and expansion project.

On Saturday, the church hosted a dedication service and open house.

Tours took guests into every space on every level at the church in downtown Austin.

It was hard to decide what were the favorites. The 450 capacity sanctuary is always a welcoming space and the choir loft where music director Neal Erickson holds court on the organ, too.

But an elevator that takes people all the way to the loft area (It used to be a long, difficult climb on stairs), a commercial-size kitchen and dining hall, a mini-amphitheater for children’s ministries, enclosed walkway to the Wee Learning Center playground, heated sidewalks and driveways at the new west, main entrance … there’s a lot to be appreciated at the church by any measure.

The Rev. Ron Barnett, senior pastor, welcomed guests to the dedication service Saturday afternoon. Of course, the hymn, “All Are Welcome” was the first song sung.

Recognitions included the presentation of bricks and plaques and thanks from Barnett.

The first group to be saluted was the congregation’s building task force members: Jim Schroeder, Jodi Milli, Vern Bishop, Ila and Dale Akkerman, Ken Davis, Bruce Fluegel and Steve Jensen.

Sally Wahlstrom, president of the congregation, was praised for her leadership.

The recognitions also included architects Yaggy and Colby and Associates and general contractor, McGough Construction Company, Inc.

The latter was the general contractor for the Hormel Institute expansion and renovation project and will be the general contractor for a major expansion and renovation project at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Austin.

Rich Chuick and a large committee of volunteers, who did the landscaping outside the church were also praised.

The church administrator, Eric Buntrock, was recognized.

Even Rich Belknap, custodian, was not forgotten.

Barnett apologized, “There are so many other people to thank.”

Associate pastor, the Rev. Kristi Koppel, said of the project, “It has been exciting” and then read scripture lessons relating to such an endeavor.

Among them were the mustard seed parable and the story of Jesus Christ feeding a crowd of 5,000 people with five loaves of bread and two fish.

Barnett’s closing prayer included a virtual tour of the new spaces, including the Wee Learning Center, nursery, new entrance, fellowship hall and kitchen, office spaces, lobby, narthex opening to the church sanctuary and other spaces.

Fittingly enough, the final hymn sung was “Bless All Things Now Living.”

Afterwards church members offered guided tours of the church and lunch was served.

St. Olaf Lutheran Church was founded in 1867. In 1892, a new brick building was constructed for $16,000, according to church historians.

With the $6.5-million renovation and expansion just completed, estimates place the replacement value of the church at $18- to $20-million.

Barnett returned to his hometown in 2002 to be St. Olaf’s senior pastor.

“It feels very, very good to see the project copiloted,” Barnett said. “I told the congregation, when we started this project, it was meant to be, and it would move forward with God’s guidance, and we wouldn’t run into obstacles.”

“We really didn’t run into any obstacles. Things kept moving forward so we believe God has blessed this work, and we’re looking forward to the next 100 years that we can utilize this wonderful building,” Barnett said.

The church president, Wahlstrom, and her husband, Paul, joined St. Olaf Lutheran Church when they moved to Austin 21 years ago. Thus, Wahlstrom knows the church from the “inside” as a member and church official.

“It is so exciting to have this new space,” she said speaking in the arguably stunning lobby and narthex area. “We have every right to be proud of this new space, but it’s also humbling because of the ministries we now have an opportunity to do.”

“The name we gave to this project was ‘Expanding the Welcome’ and we’re doing that through four areas: Growing and reaching and caring and welcoming.”

The St. Olaf Lutheran faithful made their volunteer contributions to the project … fun.

“We had a good group of people and about 40 people assisted with the core group of about a dozen on the landscaping committee,” said Chuick, the committee’s chair. “We had so much fun that we took a two-week project and turned it into three months.”

“It was a labor of love,” Chuick said.