Church History
Zion Lutheran Church building dedicated Sept. 28, 1952. Parsonage is now located where the former church stood (to the right).
Shortly after the Civil War, a missionary of our synod ventured to the area of Pilot Mound to follow a lead of starting a Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod congregation there. He found two families to help lay the foundation for a congregation. Services were held in a primitive public school house.
Later Rev. G. Andres of Boonesboro (known today as Boone) served the Pilot Mound congregation. In 1872 Zion Lutheran Church was officially organized and land was bought north of Ogden (known today as 180th St.) for a cemetery, still used and known today as Maas Cemetery. The congregation was divided as to
where to build the church: near the cemetery or in the town of Ogden. Litchfield Land Company offered a building site (known today as 719 W Elm Street) and the location dilemma was decided. A money raising campaign netted $1,000 plus donated labor and the building project began. In 1902 a new, larger, red brick church was erected at 307 W Elm Street, where the current parsonage is, “because of a growing congregation.” The congregation enjoyed a steady growth despite the fact that the German language played an important role in the church service. The former church was sold to St. John’s Catholic Church for $755. They had services there until 1968 and then dismantled the structure. In the 1940s a Building Fund was created and receipts were invested in U.S. government war bonds with a goal of a new church building. A postcard ballot in 1950 was tallied with the results: 82 build a new church; 19 repair the old; 16 undecided; 99 not voting.
Groundbreaking was April 8, 1951 and cornerstone laying was May 27, 1951 at 319 W Elm. An intensive fund drive was held in December 1951 -"if the total amount of money, inclusive of investment bonds, was $100,000 in cash, building operations would be undertaken at one." The goal was exceeded.
Eighteen months later and at approximately $192,000 the "new" Zion Lutheran Church was dedicated on September 28, 1952 and the next Sunday, October 5, the 80th anniversary of Zion's founding was celebrated.
The church mortgage of $60,000 was paid in full on November 10, 1963. The parsonage was built in 1964 at the cost of about $34,000. The old parsonage (419 NW 3rd St.) was sold for $7,500. The church had air conditioning installed and the north parking lot was covered with five inches of concrete that year also.
Through these 150 years, Zion has had 15 pastors and their families as part of the Ogden Community.
Major purchases and maintenance - too many to list- have kept Zion an icon in the Ogden area. Most importantly and proudly to boast is our E.L.M Street (Educating Little Miracles) preschool for the community. It began in the fall of 2000. It has earned the prestigious five-star Iowa Quality Rating System, the only in Boone County.
Through various programs and endeavors, Zion's mission statement remains; "Our goal as a congregation is to provide Christian opportunities for the personal growth and development through activities, fellowship and service for each member of our congregation and throughout our community." To God be the glory for our community and church (1872-2022) - 150 years and counting. - Dee Donelson