IDAHO FALLS – Robert Carabotta will help usher in a new era of growth for Hope Lutheran Church & School amid a pending expansion project.
The Ohio native was hired in May as the Idaho Falls school’s new headmaster. Pastor Garen Pay had previously been filling both roles and Carabotta accepted the call so Pay could focus on ministry.
Carabotta is also an ordained pastor and will be preaching from the pulpit a few Sundays a month.
Carabotta comes to Idaho Falls after 25 years in ministry. His most recent assignment was in Colorado and served in New Mexico before that. His path into ministry began at Concordia Theological Seminary in Ohio.
Although Carabotta grew up “nominally Catholic,” attending Mass once or twice a year, he knew he wanted to be a minister after hearing the word of God at age 17. A Biblical passage in 1 John teaching that “God is love” was instrumental in his decision.
“I voraciously read scripture … and I knew at age 17 I needed to be teaching this,” Carabotta says.
He tells EastIdahoNews.com he loves his experience in Idaho Falls so far. Despite moving to a community where he’s in the religious minority, Carabotta doesn’t feel like he’s made any major adjustments.
“That (being in the religious minority) was the case in my last call and my call before that,” he says. “It’s a hand and glove fit. No culture shock — I’m happy.”
As he begins his role this fall, he’ll be overseeing the classical Christian education of students in preschool through eighth grade. He’ll also be implementing a new religious curriculum.
Carabotta says it will be a more Christ-centered curriculum than what’s been done in the past.
“What’s really distinctive about Lutheran education is something called law and gospel,” Carabotta explains. “God’s law is a mirror that … shows us we are falling short of God’s glory. That’s often missed. What this curriculum focuses on is the right understanding of the law.”
The gospel supplements the curriculum with “the good news” that Christ will save us even though we fall short.
Carabotta’s call comes amid an 18-month effort to renovate the school and add a new building on the east side of the campus.
Plans for the new building include six new classrooms. They’re also planning to remove two walls that divide classrooms in the current building and make it a large common area for early childhood education.
The reason for the expansion project stems from several factors. Pay says one of them is the result of a growing student body and regulations about how many students can be in a confined area.
The 45-year-old building is also showing signs of wear and tear and Pay says it’s time for an upgrade.
Hope Lutheran Church and School had its beginnings on 17th Street around 1960. It moved to the current space in 1980.
The total cost of the expansion project is around $3 million. Pay says they’ve raised half of those funds through donations. It’s enough money to put towards a loan for the rest of the project.
They’re hoping to begin construction sometime this fall, pending the approval of permits from the city. Pay anticipates construction lasting about a year and is aiming for completion in the fall of 2026.
As Carabotta gears up for his first school year in Idaho Falls, he’s looking forward to teaching and working with students.
“I love to teach. It’s just in my heart,” Carabotta says. “I love teaching the faith of God’s love and grace.”
Hope Lutheran Church is at 2071 12th Street. Sunday worship services are at 9:30 a.m.
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