Over a dispute on predestination, Rev. Herbst found himself locked out of the Trinity Lutheran Church June 18, 1882.  He stood on the front steps of the church with the members who also opposed the concept of predestination, and held a worship service; he was noted as saying that he “didn’t want to waste a good sermon”.  On that Sunday morning, those faithful Lutherans banded together and formed, what was originally named, The Evangelical Lutheran Zion’s Church, of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession (U.A.C.), of the City of Columbus, County of Franklin, State of Ohio. The church was incorporated in 1899.

Within one week after that worship service on the front steps of their old church, the small group of Lutherans purchased their first church building, located at the southeast corner of Mound and Third Streets, from St. Paul’s Episcopal congregation at a price of $6000.00.  By the grace of God, the members of Zion were permitted to dedicate their first worship service on Sunday, June 25, 1882. Worship services in German were offered twice monthly until 1929. The building now referred to as “Old Zion”, was used by the congregation until March 14, 1954.

The members of Zion were aware of the increasing need for a new house of worship. In April 1941, they started a building fund, but World War II and post-war conditions delayed action. In April 1949, a General Planning Committee, consisting of three members from each organization within the congregation, was formed.  The Building Committee was appointed in July 1950.  The site at 766 South High Street was purchased on May 12, 1952 at a cost of $28,000. Groundbreaking ceremonies were held on April 19, 1953, actual construction began the next morning, and the cornerstone was laid on June 21, 1953. The festival day of dedication of the “new” Zion to the glory and honor of Almighty God was held on March 21, 1954.

The total cost of the new church building, it’s furnishings, and the land was $250,000.

Through the inspired gifts of the members, the debt at the time of dedication was reduced to $80,000; this amount was paid off by November 1959 by these dedicated Christians of Zion. During this time, too, the beautiful stained glass windows were installed, with the dedication of the Southwest windows on January 13, 1957, followed by the North side on April 28, 1957.

The Casavant pipe organ was installed at Zion in 1967. It has two manuals, sixteen stop registers, three division, and twenty ranks totaling 1,116 pipes.  Its tonal design corresponds to the classical European, Bach traditions.  More recently in 1990, electronic, harmonious Carillon bells we installed with the speakers mounted in the steeple for the neighboring residents of German Village to enjoy.  Zimblestern bells were installed on the organ in 2006 to enhance and embellish verses of hymns, especially those with a Trinitarian reference.

ZionVison became the title for the collaboration of members that formed in 1987 to address the future needs of the Zion congregation. From the first retreat when a group of members brainstormed together, came the vision to install an elevator , make the church handicapped accessible, install central air conditioning, provide additional classroom space, adequate offices, and address the increased need for parking.

In 1996, Zion dedicated the three story addition that accomplished all of the goals set, while providing a few additional parking spaces. The addition was built with one floor finished and the remaining two floors to be completed at a later date.  The building debt of $1.9 dollars was reduced to $272,529 (as of May 31, 2007) by the generous offerings of Zion members. The remaining floors were completed and furnished by 2002.

Pastors of Zion

Rev. Richard Herbst   1882-1897

Rev. H. M. Zorn  1897-1903

Rev. Adolph Haentzschel  1904-1907

Rev. Louis Steinbach  1907-1910

Rev. E. W. Bohn  1910-1920

Rev. Otto F. Stolzenburg 1920-1961

Rev. Paul Stanko 1962-1973

Rev. William Britton 1974-1986

Rev. Peter Reetz  1987-2003

Rev. Mark A. Steinke 2004-2007

Rev. Larry R. Kudart  2001-present