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  • About Zion
    • Our History
    • What We Believe
    • Worship Service Times & Location
    • Our Staff
    • Church Council
    • Zion’s Constitution & By-Laws
    • The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod
  • Online Giving
  • Our Ministries
    • Worship Information
    • Adult Bible Study
    • Sunday School
    • VBS 2025
    • Evangelism Committee
    • LWML (Lutheran Women’s Missionary League)
    • Men’s Club
    • Junior / Senior Youth
    • Altar Guild
    • Senior Choir
    • Special Offering Music
  • Resources
    • “Our Church” App
    • Services and Sermons
    • Echo Newsletters
    • Worship Bulletins
    • Workshops
  • Calendar
  • Preschool
    • Preschool Information
    • Preschool Staff
  • Zion Music Academy
  • Contact Us

Our History

1868

  • November 8: Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church came into being when 46 men with their families severed connections with St. John Evangelical Protestant Church for doctrinal reasons and organized the German Evangelical Lutheran Zion Church in Mascoutah.

1869

  • January 2: Elders decided to call the Rev. F. Herold.
  • May 6: It was decided a church should be built.
  • June 10: With the choir singing, the congregation laid the new church's cornerstone, surrounded by a large group of friends.
  • Pastor Herold journeyed to St. Louis to purchase the bell; the contract was set for the ball and the rooster to adorn the top of the steeple.
  • October 10: All was completed and the new church was dedicated. Members sang "Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty" as they stood at the entrance to the new church building. After entering, the choir opened the service with "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God".

1871

  • July 6:   Pastor Herold died.

1872

  • September: A Christian day school was opened. Classes were first held in the vestibule and balcony of the church building.

1873

  • A house was purchased to the north of the church, which became a parsonage.

1874

  • Teacher Fribolin, a member of the congregation, was called.

1877

  • A school building was erected which lay between the church and the parsonage.

1880

  • Teacher Wissbeck was called to take charge of the school.

1881

  • Rev. Gottfried Jung was installed.

1883

  • September 23: Teacher Wissbeck was released by the congregation.

1885

  • July: Because the school building was so low, heavy rains inundated the parsonage. Therefore, the school was turned into a parsonage and the parsonage into a school.

1886

  • July 18: Pastor Jung, because of health reasons, could not stand the added burden of school teaching and left the congregation.
  • September: Rev. J. Merkel was called.

1888

  • October 28: Pastor F.W. Brockman was installed. The school has been closed, but Pastor Brockman reopened it. Pastor Brockman received a call and with his departure the congregation closed the school permanently.

1891

  • April: Pastor Woltmann from Wisconsin was called. During his pastorate in the year 1900 electric lights were installed.

1911

  • The first pipe organ was purchased by the Ladies Aid.

1915

  • The congregation built a permanent parish house for its pastors. A modern brick parsonage was erected at the cost of $3,200.

1918

  • During the residence of Pastor August Herbert, Zion celebrated its Golden Jubilee.

1943

  • With Pastor Ralph Fessler, Zion celebrated its 75th Anniversary. As part of this thanksgiving, new stained glass windows with symbolic medallions were dedicated to the praise of God.

1950

  • More property was purchased across the street from the church with the prospect of building. The Ladies Aid purchased a 13 rank pipe organ from Schlicker Company of Buffalo, New York.

1954

  • The Legion Hall building was purchased for educational purposes.

1958

  • May 25: An Educational Building is dedicated. The building houses two large classrooms, the pastor and secretary offices, a kitchen and gymnasium.

1961

  • January 29: Rev. Walter Symank is installed as pastor.

1968

  • In honor of the celebrations of Zion's Centennial, the interior of the church was redecorated. The congregation also purchased another adjoining lot west of its present property.

1982

  • May 30: Pastor Glenn Thomas was ordained and installed as pastor of Zion.
  • The Preschool opened as an educational mission to the congregation.

1993

  • November 8: Zion celebrated its 125th Anniversary. With the guidance of Pastor Gregory Jans, a time capsule was buried on the church grounds. The capsule contains many items and will be unearthed after 50 years.

1994

  • Members decide it is time to build a new church.

1997

  • November 30: Pastor Mark Love was installed as pastor of Zion.

1998

  • March: The floor plans and design was accepted and it was decided to use Labors for Christ and Pathway Ministries to raise the funds for building of our new church.

1999

  • April 25: Groundbreaking services were held for the new sanctuary and offices of Zion.

2000

  • November 25: Thanksgiving Service began in the old sanctuary and moved to the new sanctuary. With the ringing of the bell, the service continued there.
  • December 3: Dedication Service Sunday.

2005

  • August 28: Pastor Kirk M. Clayton was installed as pastor of Zion.

2006

  • February 19: Completion of the building program with the dedication of the finished church basement.

2008

  • November 9: Celebration of Zion's 140th Birthday. President Mueller served as Guest Preacher. Previous pastors and sons of the congregation assist in the service.

Zion's Pastoral History

1868-1871        Rev. F. Herold

1872-1881        Rev. John G. Goehringer

1881-1886        Rev. Gottfried Jung

1886-1888        Rev. J. Merkel

1888-1890        Rev. F. W. Brockmann

1891-1900        Rev. Woltmann

1900-1901        Rev. Spannuth

1901-1903        Rev. J. C. Ambacher

1903-1906        Rev. G. P. A. Schaaf

1908-1910        Rev. Walter Stoehr

1910-1920        Rev. August W. Herbert

1920-1924        Rev. Adolph Kollmorgen

1925-1940        Rev. Richard A. Heinke

1940-1947        Rev. Ralph C. Fessler

1947-1952        Rev. Richard Muehl

1953-1956        Rev. William Goerss

1956-1960        Rev. Willis Laetsch

1961-1966        Rev. Walter Symank

1967-1976        Rev. James L. Clark

1976-1978        Rev. Wayne Schmidt

1978-1981        Rev. Robert Nestler

1981-1982        Rev. Dale A. Meyer

1982-1989        Rev. Glen D. Thomas

1989-1997        Rev. Gregory D. Jans

1997                 Rev. Robert Weise

1997-2004        Rev. Mark W. Love

2004-2005        Rev. Darwin Schrader

2005-2024    Rev. Kirk M. Clayton

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