Zion Lutheran Church: our forebears
Twenty Finns gathered at Maria Mattson Hall on September 9th, 1894, and founded Suomalainen Evangeli Luther Kirkko. The name was later changed to Zion Lutheran Church. On September 30th, the first pastor, Rev. Henry Sarvela, was called.
In spite of the economically uncertain times, a building program was begun. Work on the building began in 1896 and was completed in 1897. The building still stands on the 200 block of Second Avenue North, in an area of the city called Finn Town.
The first Ladies Aid was formed in 1899. The first confirmation class in 1894 had nine confirmands.
The congregation remained independent until 1916, when it joined other Finnish-speaking congregations in the Suomi Synod. A parsonage was purchased in 1918.
In 1963, the congregation voted to join First Lutheran Church in the establishment of a new congregation, Gethsemane Lutheran Church. The altar painting from Zion was placed in the new chapel. Finnish-language worship services continue to this day.