Zion Lutheran Church (Saint Louis, Missouri) Records

Officially, Zion's beginning was in 1860, but its beginnings really go back to the 1839 Saxon Lutheran immigrant arrival in Saint Louis. C.F.W. Walther guided the immigrants to organize four congregations: Trinity, Immanuel, Holy Cross, and then Zion in 1860. The four congregations functioned as a single large parish (Gesamtgemeinde). Rev. C.F.W. Walther served as the chief pastor. The single parish arrangement held until Walther's death in 1887. Zion was then on its own. It was 50 years until German services were totally replaced for English services.

On November 30, 1858, eighteen members of Immanuel organized the Northern Evangelical Lutheran School District. A frame school house was immediately built. On April 9, 1860 it was resolved to change the school district to a church district. Rev. Johann Buenger of Immanuel was convinced that the district was a promising mission field and encouraged his members to organize. They did so and immediately issued a call to a candidate for the ministry, W. C. Boese, as pastor and teacher. On May 1, 1860 it was decided to build a church building. The cornerstone was laid on July 2, 1860 and the dedication was held in December 1860. In 1874 a new parsonage was built. On July 9, 1894, it was resolved to build a new church building, and the cornerstone was laid on December 2, 1894. The building was dedicated on December 22, 1895. Two units of the school were built in 1909 and 1929.

The following is a list of anniversaries celebrated at Zion:

Congregation

• 50th, May 22, 1910
• 75th, 1935
• 90th, 1950
• 100th, 1960
• 115th, 1975
• 130th, 1990

Dedication of building

• 25th, 1920
• 30th, 1925
• 50th, 1945

Sunday School

• 25th, 1919
• 50th. 1944

• Rev. W.C. Boese 1860-1873
• Rev. George Link 1873-1886
• Rev. Henry Sieck 1886-1889
• Rev. Charles F. Obermeyer 1889-1914
• Rev. Louis J. Sieck 1905-1943
• Rev. Robert G. Lange 1943-1960
• Rev. Roy G. Moeller 1953-1985
• Rev. Bruce A. Cameron 1990-1992
• Rev. Daniel W. Delzell 1990-1992
• Rev. Fred W. Beck 1993-1998
• Rev. Gerhardt Schmidt, Vacancy Pastor, 1993-?