Augsburg – Members of the Zion Lutheran Church marked a special milestone on Sunday, celebrating 150 years of faith, community and service with an afternoon worship.
The event served as a reflection of the congregation’s rich history and a reminder for visitors to look forward as it continues growing.
It was organized by the anniversary committee, a team of six made up of Carl Ott, Darwin Behm, Vincent Schruder, Darlene Mielke, Brenda Schroeder and Eleanor Mueller, with some assistance from others.
Church members extended a warm welcome to the special guest speaker, Pastor Wayne Schroeder, who treated attendees to a heartfelt address. He has a deep connection to the church, as his great-grandfather, Pastor H. W. Schroeder, was one of Zion Lutheran’s founding fathers who opened the church in 1874.
“I can’t describe what a thrill it is for me,” he told the Leader “To know that I’m carrying on that legacy, that I’m able to preach where he started is just a thrill. “It’s very fulfilling to know it’s still going on after 150 years,” he said. “The committee did a tremendous job. Everything seems to have been very well planned and we’ve been taken very good care of. I think they did an excellent job.”
Concluding his formal address, Rev. Schroeder called on listeners to do two things. First, give all thanks to God and those who have gone before you, and second, to continue on that legacy. “Teach your children the message of God’s saving love in Christ,” he said.
member of the congregation Sunday.
While Rev. Schroeder grew up in the area, he doesn’t live there anymore. Now local to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he drove two days to the parish in Augsburg for the special occasion.
Anniversary committee chair, Carl Ott, spoke on behalf of the event organizers, thanking the committee members, volunteers and everyone who pitched in. He also recognized the church’s extensive legacy, and how hard it would have been to organize back in the day.
“When you really think about it, for that gentleman (Pastor H.W. Schroeder) to travel from Locksley up to Palmer Rapids. It was 80 miles and a four-day trip,” he told the Leader. “The great part about it was how his strong faith was handed down through generations. We hadn’t experienced something like that before.”
As the service ended and dinner commenced, the congregation was left inspired and hopeful their church’s services would continue for many years to come.
