About

God has nurtured faith, deepened relationships, and inspired the lives of countless people for over 150 years through West Zion Lutheran Church.  Today, God’s Spirit is moving in many surprising and transforming ways, as the people of West Zion continue to find new avenues for the Grace of Jesus Christ to be shared in person, on-line, over the phone, and in the generous outpouring of prayer, gifts and talents.            

As you read through this brief history of God’s ministry in this church, we invite you to also help us dream and envision God’s continuing future for all of us together.  Enjoy, as we start this story on the wind-blown plains of western Minnesota, back in 1871….

Norwegian immigrants of Langhei and Hoff townships of Pope County met on November 22, 1871 in a log schoolhouse near what is now the south part of the East Zion Cemetery and voted to organize a church . They named themselves Zion Congregation with two districts – East and West. Services were held in area farm homes until Thore Thoreson Maanum donated three acres to the West District in 1875. A cemetery was begun and the first church in the District was erected. Services could be held only in the summer because of lack of heating.

In 1882, it was decided that both East and West districts should provide themselves with a church. After making that decision, the Zion congregation met in November 1883 and decided to become two separate congregations with their own church officers and budgets. A bigger church was built in 1893, with the steeple to be 100 feet from the foundation to the top capable of seating 600 people. This church was used until 1948 when the present day church was built. West Zion, along with its sister congregation, East Zion, have continued for 132 years to share in the spreading of the Gospel in our community and world.