The Zion Mission Statement is-

 

Bonded in Christ’s love, we teach, preach, and Equip God’s people for discipleship here and throughout the world

 

Email the webmasters:

     Arnold and Lois Buhr

Zion Lutheran Cemetery

 

Nebraska Outdoor Lutheran Ministries—

Camp Carol Joy Holling

Special 135th Anniversary Dates

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Freuhling Famliy will be here on August 16

 

Reverend Paul Petersen on November 8 for Veterans Day.

A flag has been received from Senator Hagels office that was flown on Veterans day November 11, 2008 over the nations Capitol.  It may be used to replace the flag we now use in the front of the church.

 

 

 

This is updated by the 135th anniversary committee from 1999 to 2009.

 

The flag that is now flying at the cemetery on special occasions flew over the United States Capital on Oct. 28, 1999.  It was given by the Zion LMM to the Cemetery committee. The Zion Web Page was also started that year.  The address of that web site is www.zionlutheranpickrell.org  A veterans book was also made where approximately 130 military veterans have been assembled with pictures and also a history of there tenure.

 

May 21, 2000 Zion Lutheran Church was presented a plaque by the Gage County Heritage Preservation Inc. honoring Zion for a most outstanding contribution to Historic Preservation in Gage County, Nebraska.  There was a need to repair the church roof, so it was decided to replace the shingles with a metal roof.

 

A gift was given to the Nebraska Synod LMM in 2002 in remembrance of our 125 years of ministry in the rural Pickrell area.  A check was presented to the Nebraska Synod  Lutheran Men in Mission for $12,500 going towards Nebraska Synod Loan & Grant Fund.  These funds are used to provide loans to seminary students.  The fund was set up to encourage more young people to become pastors.  An endowment committee was organized by the congregation.  The upstairs of the parish hall was remodeled with a suspended ceiling and new lights as well as beginning work on a new pictorial directory in 2002.

 

The Cemetery association erected a small concrete building with an open front.  The grave sites have been categorized and a list of the names and the locations of the deceased graves are placed inside the building.  There is also a website to view this information if you go to www.zionluthernpickrell.org and then click on the Cemetery link.

Pastor Paul Petersen writes in 2003: Zion has a great ministry here in rural southeast Nebraska.  There is a bright future for our young families.  And it has been great to see so many involved in Bible study through the Bethel program.  I hope all you will keep it up even when Bethel is finished.  October was Pastor Paul and Carol’s last month after three and one half years of service. His parting words were: Yes, Carol and I truly “give thanks to God for YOU!” God Bless!! The Parsonage was remodeled after Pastor Paul left.

 

Pastor Allen was named as our interim Pastor in 2003.  Pastor Allen wrote the following when he left Zion:

I have become convinced that Zion Lutheran is a strong congregation.  I believe Zion has a strong and positive future.  Because you have a strong educational program, with dedicated teachers and parents who support and encourage the Sunday School and confirmation classes.  The PMA’s, are a helpful resource in the ministry of the church.  A varied and complete musical program, including the adult choir, the Men’s Choir, the Ladies Choir Group, the Sounds of Zion, the Chime Choir, the Youth Choir, the Amigos, the downstairs Sunday School group, along with the various small vocal groups and instrumentalists.  It is good to have the young people leading the Gathering Songs, and the willingness of individuals to provide solos and small group numbers adds so much to our worship.  We cannot overlook what the faithful organists add to our worship each week.  Both the men and women have active groups meeting every month.  The Ladies Aid quilting group continues faithfully to meet and quilt.  Janice Parde has assisted me as a very capable church office secretary, in addition to all the other tasks she does for the church and I am grateful for her help.  I will miss you all, especially the shut-ins that I’ve been privileged to visit in their homes.  I ask for your prayers, and we pledge to keep you in our prayers.  Interim Pastor Allen and Jeannette.

 

We welcomed Pastor John Sievers and his family into our midst Sunday September 12, 2004.  Pastor John and Carol wrote, with great joy and anticipation, we write this article for the congregation’s newsletter.  We are delighted to be here and to be a part of your ministry at Zion.

 

 PMA’s were trained for hospital and homebound/nursing home visitation and communions.  There are three groups that rotate giving communion monthly to our shut in with Pastor and Carol heading the first group.

 

A Heartstart defibrillator was obtained and people were trained for the emergency use of the lifesaving machine in 2004. The school house was remodeled this year with new siding and new doors as well fans and outlets, new tables, and other improvements.  The

School House classrooms were arranged to hold more classes as fall Sunday School is looking for a larger number of children.

 

The 40 Days of Purpose began the week of October 15, 2006. The host needed to provide a meeting place in their home for about one hour per week for 6 weeks.  They could expect about ten people at each home.   The host was to have a TV and VCR, a pot of coffee, and then guide the group through the discussion questions.  More than 140 people were involved.  Three more Committees -Stewardship, Publicity, and the Vision Task Group have been put into service this year. The envelope system was established.  Previously the annual pledge and the weekly collections were used to fund the treasury

 

New oak front doors were installed on the main entrances of the Zion church in 2007.

Communion is now offered the first, third and fifth Sundays as well as on special

holidays.

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Zion hosted the 2008 WELCA Nebraska Synod Spring Gathering in April which was well attended.

A new sound system has been installed in the sanctuary as well as a pair of commercial video cameras and a recording system that records the video and audio on a DVD disk that may be distributed to shutin’s and others that request them.

The Church Sanctuary has been repainted and recarpeted.

Casey Lieneman shall be attending Seminary in Philadelphia, PA this fall.

There were Easter and Christmas Cantata’s marvelously preformed during the year.

Pictures for a new church pictorial directory are currently being taken and the book should be out later in the year.

 

(More shall be added later)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church

18219 S. 80th Road  Pickrell, NE 68422

Rev. Brad Brauer Interim Pastor

 

The Church secretary is

Janice Parde

Phone # 673-4325

The logo to the left has been selected as our 135th design.  We shall use this on the

T-Shirts we shall be printing as well on the banner being made for the anniversary.

The Zion entry that is to be in the Homestead days

Parade Saturday June 20th.

 

This is the float that we had entered

Into the Pickrell, NE 125th anniversary parade and also

in the Homestead Days Parade celebrating

Zion Lutheran Church ‘s 135th anniversary.