The Writings of Fr. Runge

Fr. Kenneth E. Runge, Zion's third pastor, was ordained on June 5, 1938.

During Fr. Runge’s minsitry at Zion, the school building was bricked, World War II began, and in 1940 Zion’s membership peaked over 2,000 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, Fr. Runge retired on October 6, 1974, after serving Zion for 36 years.

Fr. Runge was a prolific writer, penning many hymns, tracts, and theological pamphlets. It is our great joy to make many of these writings available to the church at large for the first time.

Zion would like to thank the Rev. Fr. Brian P. Westgate, pastor of Redeemer Evangelical-Lutheran Church--Oakmont, Pennsylvania for his work in bringing these writings into a digital format during his service as Vicar of Good Shepherd Evangelical-Lutheran Church--Leadville, Colorado.

The hymns, pamphlets and tracts below may be freely printed, copied and distributed - but not edited or changed in any way.