About us
Who we are and what we believe
We are a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Here are some basic statements of what we believe:
God created us and loves us.
Out of love, God came to our broken world in the person of Jesus to bring forgiveness, transformation and new life.
Jesus' ministry of love and his claim that the rulers of the world were not ultimate got him crucified on the cross. His resurrection was not only a vindication of his ministry but a victory of good over evil, the power of love over the power of violence and life over death.
We believe that Christ continues to come to us to bring forgiveness and new life through the Word and through the bread and wine of communion and the waters of baptism.
The Bible is the inspired word of God which reveals to us the Eternal Word, Jesus Christ. The Bible shapes and forms our faith through that revelation.
For more information about the ELCA click here:
Our History
Zion Lutheran Chursch was founded at the home of Albert Thoms in the summer of 1886. There were five men present at that first meeting - Albert Thoms, Dietrich Radenslaben, William Otto, Dietrich Meyer and Franz Oldenburg.
J. Deguisne, a young missionary, and the General Council of the Lutheran Church of North America presided over the meeting. Some of the descendants of the organizers still participate in Zion's congregational life.
From 1889 until 1893 Zion and St. John's of Malmo formed a two point parish. In 1893 St. John's called their own pastor.
Worship was held in a schoolhouse until the fall of 1899 when a church building and parsonage were built. Building completion was in 1890.
In 1918 English speaking services were begun. Prior to this services were in German.
In 1930 Zion and St. John's again formed a two-point parish which lasted until 1958. In 1959 Zion joined with Nazareth Lutheran Church in Davey. In 1962 Nazareth and Bethlehem Lutheran Church, also in Davey, merged, forming a partnership between Bethlehem and Zion which continues to this day. In 2003 a third congregation - Immanuel Lutheran Church in Ceresco - was added to the parish. This arrangement ended in 2010.
In 1978 a large building project was undertaken. A basement was dug and the building moved onto it. The basement addition included restrooms, a kitchen and a fellowship hall.