The History
of Zion Lutheran Church

by Allen Kerkes

Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church of Detroit was founded on June 4, 1882, by 51 men. Ten were members of the mother congregation, Immanuel, then located at 17th and Pine; forty-one were mostly recent German immigrants from West Prussia, now a part of Poland. The Parish was the outgrowth of a branch school organized by Immanuel on Wesson, south of Michigan, in 1877. In this little house turned School, midweek Advent and Lenten Services were conducted by Immanuel's Pastor, the Rev. Konrad L. Moll, until Zion was officially organized. Wilhelm Burhop was the first Teacher, followed by Johann Von der Au in 1880.

On October 15, 1882, at a Service in Immanuel Church, the Rev. Christian F. Schatz was Installed as Zion's first Pastor. Almost immediately thereafter, the school building was moved to Welch, now Military Avenue.

The Dedication of the first Church, a 700 seat wooden edifice with tall steeple, occurred on July 8, 1883. Two years later, a second School was built with four classrooms. The enrollment, all children of parishioners, increased so rapidly that a branch school had to be opened 1/2 mile away on 31st Street. Also, additional space was made available in the first Zion Young Men's Club Hall across the street from the Church. Within a few short years, the Day School had almost 500 pupils. To alleviate the crowded conditions, two classrooms were added in 1901.

With Lutherans moving away from the near-Downtown location of Immanuel Church, and with hundreds of West Prussians continuing to arrive in Southwest Detroit until 1900, Zion, to relieve the pressure on her Pastor and Teachers, organized or assisted in organizing seven daughter congregations: Bethlehem 1887, St. Stephen 1890, Concordia, Delray 1901 and Tabor, 1916. She solely organized Gethsemane in 1891 and St. Matthew in 1903. In addition, Pastor Schatz ministered to the Lutherans in West Dearborn, and under his supervision, Emmanuel Church was organized. Immanuel German Evangelical Church (later United Church of Christ) was started by dissident members of Zion, several of whom had been excommunicated for lodgism, in 1893. The Church closed in 1997.

At Zion's numerical peak in the early 1890s, she had over 3,200 parishioners, and was, at the time, the largest congregation in The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, which she had joined in 1883. For several years, Pastor Schatz officiated at 200 infant Baptisms, over 75 youth confirmations and 150 Burials of members yearly.

After serving Zion for 32 years, Pastor Schatz retired on November 1, 1914, and was succeeded by the Rev. Walter E. Lussky, who was Installed on February 15, 1915. That same year, the new Men's Club Hall, consisting of auditorium, bowling alleys and dining, choir and meeting rooms, was built. The Rectory, still occupied by the current Pastor and his family, was dedicated the following year.

In 1924, Zion again peaked in membership, with 2,500 souls and 417 students in her Day School. The following year, 1925, saw the beginning of English language Services, though only once a month. After October 6, 1974, German was no longer employed in public worship at Zion.

Following the Golden Anniversary Services in 1932, the first Church was demolished and building begun on the present 600 seat neo-Gothic stone edifice. Stone used in the building was obtained from the recently demolished Post Office/Federal Building in Downtown Detroit. On May 27, 1933, the new Church was dedicated, with thousands present for the various Services.

In 1936, Teacher Gottwaldt Wendt, who also served as Day School Principal, died, after serving Zion for 53 years since 1883. Other longtime Teachers included Ludwig Maurer, Knud Hansen, George Bernhard Sohn, Melchior Zehnder, John Nuechterlein, August Trapp, Christian Kaiser, Karl Wittkopp, Armond Schoof, Robert Schultz and Flora Loeb.

In 1938, Candidate Kenneth E. Runge became unordained assistant to Pastor Lussky, becoming Assistant Pastor following his Ordination and Installation on June 5, 1938. Following Pastor Lussky's resignation in 1939, Pastor Runge became Pastor of the Parish.

1941 saw the bricking of the School, and also the commencement of World War II, with six members perishing corporeally and almost 200 serving in the Armed Forces. For the final time, in 1942, membership peaked with 2,500 souls, at the time the seventh largest congregation in the Missouri Synod.

"Faith Faces the Future", the expansion program begun in the early 1960s, saw the installation of a new parking lot and the Dedication of the new School and Activities Center in 1964, together with three landscaped gardens at a cost of $750,000.

After returning to the practices of the Lutheran Confessions, especially the celebration of the Holy Eucharist every Sunday and holy day, Pastor Runge retired on October 6, 1974, after serving Zion for 36 years. Following the Pastoral Vacancy, the Rev. Gene Evans was Installed as fourth Pastor of Zion on May 25, 1975. During his Pastorate, the Centennials of both Day School (1977) and Congregation (1982) were celebrated and the Second Century Fund and Endowment Fund were initiated.

Because of overwhelming expenses to the Parish and a rapidly declining enrollment, the parochial school was moved into the Activities Center in 1994, with most grades eliminated. The School, oldest in Detroit Lutheranism, was finally closed in 1998.

On July 23, 1995, the Rev. John W. Fenton was Installed as Zion's fifth Pastor. Under his leadership, the Parish has become more active in the Jeremiah Project and its efforts to build new houses in the Zion neighborhood. In addition, Zion has seen a 50% increase in her attendance, with new members coming from the entire metropolitan area.

Zion has had seven sons of the congregation enter the Holy Ministry, the first being the Rev. Dr. Otto Sohn, longtime Professor at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri, and Editor of Synod's German language periodical, "Der Lutheraner". A large number of Vicars have served Zion, including the Rev. Victor Rickman and the Rev. Richard Neuhaus. Part-time Assisting Pastors have included Rev. Frederick Lussky, Rev. Herbert Quitmeyer, Rev. Paul Czamanske, Rev. Arne Kristo and Rev. Robert Cullinan. Only two men have served as Assistant or Associate Pastors: Pastor Runge and the Rev. Richard A. Zeile (1991-1993).

In addition to organizing seven daughter congregations, Zion has contributed to the well-being of The Church At Large by assisting in the founding of the Lutheran High School Association of Greater Detroit (in her Undercroft in 1943), the Lutheran Homes of Michigan and other organizations. In addition, she sponsored Synodical meetings that eventually resulted in the formation of America's first Lutheran monastery, St. Augustine's House in Oxford, Michigan.

A Spanish language Sunday Mass was instituted at Zion on Easter Sunday, 1997, but discontinued the following September, with the hope of re-instituting it in the future. At the current time, Zion is engaged in a $425,000 building project to add six new classrooms on the recently acquired site north of the school building. The School, rented to Voyageur Academy since late Summer, 1998, provides needed income for the Congregation. Additionally, a $25,000 Renovation Fund has been started to pay for the repaving of the parking lot this fall and to finish installing new protective glass over the stained glass windows.

Several major restorative and building projects have recently been completed, including the completion of the Rectory third floor and the repairing of the slate roof on the Church. Additional projects will commence in the Spring of 2000, including the replacement of the brick wall around the Christus Court and work on the exteriors of both the Church and the Rectory.