History
1900 – 2024
Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church began as the Zion German Evangelical Church. The first building was constructed in June 1902 and was completed in 1903 on land donated by Mr. William E. Sessions, a local businessman who employed many of the men at his foundry. The sanctuary was dedicated October 12, 1902.
Mr. Sessions donated the land, and also the site plan, the excavation and the foundation to help further advance the small church which had a voting membership of 34 at the time of the construction.
Zion as a congregation began as a German language church, and many of the initial members were related to each other. Later as more Protestant immigrants came to America from Germany, Poland, Russia and other European countries, the church grew and embraced many newcomers.
The first Pastors of Zion were:
- 1900 – M. Gaudian
- 1909 – H. Voigt
- 1914 – J. Beussel
- 1920 – M. Baum
- 1922 – J. Jestinsky
- 1933 – G. Hackinschuh
- 1934 – J. Schulze
In the modern era, the Pastors were:
- 1950 – Wolfgang Fleming
- 1951 – Harry Munn
- 1952 – Robert Flectner
- 1958 – Charles Lomperis
- 1959 – Robert Diefendorfer
- 1962 – Edwin Kimm
- 1965 – Roy S. Lahet
- 1968 – Rolf Lundmark
- 1970 – Paul Hrdlicka
- 1977 – Andrew E. V. Krey
More recently, the Pastors were:
- Rod Rinnell
- William Baumgartner
- Cyril Wismar
- Carl Kramer
- Nancy Thomas
- Anne Marie Meyerhoffer
- Holger Lundin
- Robert P. McGurn
- Edward F. Duffy