History - Zion Lutheran Church

125th Anniversary! 1898-2023

Zion Lutheran Church was established in 1898 and has enjoyed 125 years of service in the El Paso community.

125th Anniversary Plans at a Glance

√ January 29th – Event – Sanctuary 100 Year Celebration & Rededication
√ May, June – Deadline – Submit your pictures, stories, & memorabilia
√ July 2nd – Start Date – Begin ordering your Anniversary T-Shirts
√ July 16th – Deadline – Sign up to bring food for Military History Event
√ July 23rd – Event – Military & Zion History and Appreciation
√ August 6th – Deadline – Last day to order your Anniversary T-Shirts
√ September 10 – Event – Missions & Zion History and Picnic
√ Last day to RSVP and Purchase Tickets for Anniversary Program and Meal
√ October 28th – Event – 4pm Anniversary 125 Program and Meal
√ October 29th – Event – 10:30am Reformation Day/Anniversary Worship Service and reception
November 16 – Event – Community Open House and Concert (details)
December 31 – Event – Anniversary Missions Offering Consecration

More Detail about the Different Events

Click or tap the headings below to show details. These will be updated continually as plans develop – last update: November 2, 2023

√ July 23^rd – Zion-Ft Bliss History & Military Appreciation Day

On July 23^rd, we are celebrating the special relationship Zion has had with members of the military and with veterans.

· 9:15am – Education Hour Presentation by Chaplain, Lieutenant Colonel Steven Hokana
· 10:30am – Worship Service with sermon by Chaplain Hokana and Prayers/Blessings of current active duty military and their families and veterans
· 11:45am – Potluck lunch (meat provided Robert Schulz) and History Presentation Zion member and elder Major Edwin Den Harder

Chaplain Hokana is a retired active-duty U.S. Army Chaplain with 31 years of service to our nation who is now supporting our troops and chaplains as the LCMS Assistant Director of Ministry of the Armed Forces.

√ September 10th – Mission Celebration and Congregational picnic

Rev. James Maxwell, our LCMS Rocky Mountain District President, will join us on September 10^th as we remember and celebrate our history of missions. (In 1897 when Zion was a mission, the first sermon was preached on September 12th)

A Missions History presentation will be given during the 9:15am education hour. President James Maxwell is our special guest and preacher during worship, with Pastor Stephen Heimer as liturgist, and Mariachi San Pablo will accompany our singing. After the worship service at Zion, we will gather at Memorial Park for our congregational picnic. In additional to delicious food, we’ll have a bounce house and a variety of games.

√ October 28th and 29th – 125^th Anniversary “Main Events”

These are our basic plans for the weekend celebration. Past Pastors Rev. Steve Hughey, Rev. Jeffrey Shearier, and Rev. Howard Patten will be joining us!

Saturday, October 28^th

· Dinner and presentations in the Zion auditorium, 4-7pm
· Children’s meal and Zion anniversary party for kids.
· Historical exhibit in fellowship hall
· Information on tickets and reservations here

Sunday, October 29^th

· Adult and children’s education hour, 9:15am
· Anniversary-themed Reformation Day worship service, with Pastor Patten preaching, Pastor Hughey and Pastor Shearier as liturgists, and Pastor Stephen Heimer as celebrant for Holy Communion, 10:30am
· Reception and viewing of Historical exhibit after the worship service

November 16th Community Open House and Concert

125 years of life together in El Paso, 100 years in Five Points!

Strings, brass, handbells, organ, choir, history, beauty, and sweet moments together… this is what you will find at the open house and concert that will bring together musicians not just of Zion but of all of El Paso.

Walk through the 100-year old building and historical exhibits prepared in celebration the this community’s 125 years together.

Doors open at 4PM so guests can walk through the building, enjoy refreshments, and view the exhibits.

Concert begins at 7PM

Written History of Zion

History of Zion (1898-1948) – Published at the time of Zion’s 50th anniversary celebration

History of Zion (1898-1973) – Published at the time of Zion’s 75th anniversary celebration

History of Zion (1898-1998) – Published at the time of Zion’s 100th anniversary celebration

History of Zion (1898-2008) – Published at the time of Zion’s 110th anniversary celebration

Missionary to El Paso – Zion’s First Pastor (1897-1907) – Autobiography by Rev. H.A. Huebotter, describing the first years of Zion and also what brought him to El Paso as a missionary.

Zion History and World Event Timeline (PDF)

updated October 27, 2023

Posts Featuring Different Pictures and Events from our History

History Highlights Related to Our 100 Year Old Church Building and Property

1917 – the new church building was first proposed
1918 – the congregation adopts the proposal to build a new church
1922 – Construction of new church building begins.
1923 – Church is dedicated in January. Also 3 lots next to the church are purchased.
1925 – Pool Table added to Fellowship Hall
1926 – Parsonage built at 2808 Pershing
1934 – First of the stained glass windows added
1935 – Neon cross added.
1945 – The mortgage is paid off and burned.
1955 – Education wing built
1958 – Parking lot on Birch Street acquired
1964 – Last of the stained glass windows added
1965 – Also 2818 Pershing property purchased for teacher’s living quarters
1971 – Renovation of sacristy, narthex, and fellowship hall
1972 – Rodgers Organ installed in sanctuary
1973 – 2808 Pershing began use as church office
2005 – New Rodgers Organ installed in sanctuary
2007 – Interior of sanctuary refreshed and windows refurbished
2015 – Fellowship Hall flooring replaced after flash flooding
2020 – Sanctuary and Auditorium equipped for live-streaming

History Highlights Related to Zion’s School

1898-1899 The parochial school established and continued until when rental expense and limited funds caused its closure.

1907-1909 Pastor Fischer conducted parochial school in the church until he accepted a call and departed Zion.

1965-1965 Mr Paul Kramer was called to establish the parochial school and taught first and second grade classes for the one school year.

1970s-1985 Mrs. Joann Schrank directed the school at Zion after Redeemer Lutheran Church closed and many of its members joined Zion.

1995-2020 – Mrs. Nancy Cagaan directed the Zion Day School until retiring in 2017. Sandy Alvarado directed the school until its closure in 2020 amid the complications of the COVID-19 pandemic.

School Directors

Rev. H.A. Huebotter 1898-1899

Mrs. Nancy Cagaan 1995-2017

Ms. Sandra Alvarado 2017-2020

History Highlights Related to Missions

1897 – Missionary Pastor Huebotter arrives and preaches first sermon

1898 – Zion organizes as a congregation

1916 – Ministries to armed forces begin and continue to this day

1917 – English services added to worship schedule

1917 – Pastor Sieck begins Zion ministry to troops in Deming, NM

1922 – Larger building built in strategic location in Five Points community of El Paso, allowing for increased outreach

1945 – Pastor Evers continued Zion’s ministering in Deming, NM, and also preached to German prisoners of war in Faben, Texas.

1946 – Pastor Stueckler surveys towns in Southern New Mexico for to assess mission prospects for the Colorado District LCMS. As mission work begins, he makes regular visits to Deming, Alamogordo, Las Cruces, and Silver City mission stations until they are able to organize and call a pastor.

1951-1967 – Zion assists in planting of churches throughout the growing El Paso community: Redeemer (1951), Grace (1957), Ascension (1960), Our Savior (1966),

1967 – Zion members help form and support Lutheran Border Ministry. Zion members are involved in the Cristo Rey mission and mercy work in Ciudad Juarez begun by Pastor Schrank (who assisted Zion as vacancy pastor in 1968).

1979 – Pastor Steve Hughey leads Zion in new evangelism in the Hispanic community. San Antonio Street Mission begins. (more detail will be soon added to this section)

1980s – Sunday School and VBS outreach serves hundreds of children

1982 – Centro Cristiano de Ysleta (now Ysleta Lutheran Mission Human Care and San Pablo Lutheran Church) is begun by Zion and the Colorado District LCMS.

1990 – Theological Education by Extention graduate Roberto Simental enters vicarage program and begins Spanish Bible study group and monthly worship services.

1990s – Zion leads circuit in planting of St. Matthew Lutheran (now Crosspoint)

2000s – Zion holds golf tournaments and galas to support YLM work in Mexico during crisis of economy and violence.

2011 – Pastor Stephen Heimer is installed as pastor with ministry agreement to continue as YLM’s chief operating officer and the national evangelism of Mariachi San Pablo, Immigration Detention Center ministry, and weekly radio program of YLM

2016 – Zion participates twice a year in the LCMS International Missions forum, supporting theological education in Mexico.