History

In 1821, the people who lived in the town of Zelienople and the surrounding rural area shared a common German heritage and sermons were in the German tongue.

St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Mother Church, was organized by early settlers from Germany. Worship services were conducted in German, the language of the people who founded the town of Zelienople about twenty years earlier.

As other emigrants joined the community and the young people grew up, they requested that the sermons be delivered in English.

Bishop John Gottlob Christian Schweizerbath of St. Paul Lutheran Church called Pastor Bassler to fill this need. The "English" Evangelical Lutheran Church of Zelienople was born out of a vision to respond to differing needs, specifically to have worship in the English language.

A constitution was presented on January 21, 1843. This date became the official anniversary date of the new church, The English Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Zelienople is blessed to have two Lutheran congregations within a block of each other. Their beautiful sanctuaries represent a rich history of enriching the lives of their members and those of the surrounding community.

Update: In January 2022 after much prayerful deliberation and many, many conversations and meetings. the congregation of English Lutheran Church made the decision to separate from the ELCA and join The North American Lutheran Church.

Now.....