Most of the following information is from Zion’s 100th Anniversary celebratory booklet.
On November 29, 1919 a group of men met with Rev. F.W. Janzow to organize a congregation which they would name “Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church of Missouri Synod.” Seven men in charge of purchasing the first building were: John Haberdank, Fred Grieve, William Fenske, Harm Cirks, Ben Aschback, Jack Schwartz, and Ludwig Joop. On December 22, 1919 the Norwegian Synod Church building located on the corner of West Main Street and Thorpe Avenue was purchased for $1200.
Zion’s first officers were: Deacons: A.C. Eichler, G.L Miller, and Otto Schultz; Elders: Harm Cirks, Fred Grieve, and John Haberdank; Chairman Ed Fick, and Secretary-Treasurer Ben Aschbach.
During the 1920’s Zion was known as “The Little Church with a Big Message.” Zion held both German and English services until about 1938 when German language services were discontinued. In 1943, the ladies of Zion’s league of women became a charter society of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League and continue to be active yet today.
In 1958, a new building was constructed at 410 W 3rd Avenue and dedicated on November 23, 1958. Building committee members were: Chairman Herbert Johnson; also Gustav Germolus, Lawrence Kremier, Clarance Lachau, A.H. Schackle, and Glenn Wiese. Each year in November, Zion holds an Anniversary dinner or breakfast, often prepared and served by men of the congregation.
In 1973, Zion began to share their pastor with First English Lutheran Church in nearby Lockhart until they closed their congregation in September 2016.
A 30′ x 70′ addition was added to the west end of the church, moving and improving the kitchen, enlarging a social room, and adding a family room, ladies’ restroom, a large upstairs meeting room, and a 14 x 10 front entrance. Members of this committee were: Chairman Rollin Bergman, Floyd Holm, Arnie Schick, Carole Stoltenow, Elsie Starkweather, William Spenningsby, and Doug Spenningsby. Further changes to the front of the church were made in the latter 1980’s arriving at its current appearance.
During the 1980’s-1990’s, Zion’s Active Christian Youth group was locally known for making pizzas, that is over 36,000 of them, to raise funds for attendances at national youth gatherings or other trips and activities. A church league softball team won several trophies in the same general era.
In 1993, Zion members were active in flood aid and recovery both on site and throughout the community as the Red River devastated much of Ada, including destroying our hospital and high school. Candice Osborn refurbished the Christ statue that was on the original church building’s altar. It is placed in our entrance hallway. Stained glass windows, purchased in memory of departed loved ones, were placed in the chapel in 1995, designed by J. Krauski and dedicated in 1996. The front ground mounted steeple and sign are designed by Triebwasser Helenske and Associates, LTD of Fargo ND, built by Bob Nirschl, and erected on December 3, 1999. In 2003, Candice Osborn painted a mural of “A Shepherd and His Flock” on the upstairs hallway. With the help of the Sunday school children, she also placed the “Jesus Triptych” on another upstairs wall. In 2007, the west and north parking area were upgraded to cement and a new office for the pastor was built.
In 2016, Doug Slininger and Pastor Rehborg went to Texas to help flood victims. Zion also sponsors nurse Cindy Stene who travels to Haiti with Dr. Bergstrom’s Eye Clinic team where vital, otherwise unaffordable eye surgeries and treatments are provided. Zion raises ongoing support for Ray of Hope ministries who provide food, education, and more help to the street children of Battambang, Cambodia. Joe Stoltenow, a son the Zion congregation, founded and runs this special ministry, alone with his wife Viya.
In 2018, Zion and St. John’s (Green Meadow township) became a dual parish. In 2019, we updated decor and furniture for the family room, also redecorating the kitchen, both restrooms, the pastor and secretary offices, and several other areas. In 2020, an insulated metal roof was added, our chapel sound system improved, and a new Rodgers digital organ was installed.
Zion continues to share the “Big Message”, that is, the Good News of Jesus through worship services, activities, radio broadcasts, parade floats, county fair booths, sponsored movies, the local newspaper, and of course, on the Internet.
Pastors:
- F.W. Janzow (1919-1922)
- Theodore Schubkegel (1923-1927)
- Karl Hauser (1927-1929)
- A.E. Wenger (1930-1937)
- Theodore Krenzke (1937-1943)
- C.D. Uetzman (1943-1948)
- Herman Hoffman (1948-1954)
- Erwin Vaudt (1956-1958)
- Herman Reese (1958-1960)
- Bruce Norrgran (1961-1965)
- R.W. Uecker (1966-1972)
- Earl Schmidt (1973-2005)
- Dennis O’Neil (2006-2011)
- Jonathan Holmes (2013-2015)
- Ronald Hobbie (2017- )
Interim Pastors:
- A.A. Drevlov
- George Krueger
- Gary Rehborg
- Adam Harvala
- Larry Harvala