President’s Perspective
A Bit of Zion History …
Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church was founded in 1898 in Bridgeville as Zion Evangelical Lutheran St. Paul’s German Church. The founding members were primarily German Americans, and several descendants of those original families are members of the congregation today. These include Tom Erbrecht; Sarah Ali, Clara Hayes, Paul Hayes and Sandy Bryant (Schmidt family descendants); Jane Kozak, Mike Kozak and Judy Dames (Oelschlager family descendants), Janet, Jim, and Marion Oelschlager; and Carolyn Wible and family (Oelschlager family descendants).
In its earliest days, the congregation met in a local business establishment (near Sarasnick’s Hardware) until they were able to construct their own church building. On Thanksgiving Day in 1900, the cornerstone was laid for the first church building on Prestley Road in Bridgeville (at what is now 347 Prestley Road, near the corner of Washington Ave and Prestley Road).
The following year marked several important milestones. In June 1901, the congregation joined the Pittsburgh Synod, and the new church building was completed and dedicated on June 30, 1901. The dedication included a German-language service in the morning and an English-language service in the afternoon. At that time, the congregation had grown to approximately 200 communicant members.
In 1945, after many years as a member of the Pittsburgh Synod, the congregation joined the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.
Over the years, Zion has been served by many faithful and dedicated pastors. The longest-serving pastor was Pastor Dietrich, who led the congregation from 1957--1974. During his tenure in the 1960s, plans began for a new church building on farmland at the current location. A building committee was formed to design a structure that would reflect the bold and faithful identity of Zion and serve as a visible witness to the surrounding community.
After years of prayer, planning, and fundraising, ground was broken in November 1966. Construction was completed the following year, and the cornerstone was laid on December 10, 1967. An interesting architectural feature of the church is that, when viewed from above, the structure is shaped like a cross. The new church building was dedicated on Jan. 28, 1968. In the years that followed, the congregation continued to grow and expand its ministries. A parsonage was built in 1976. Zion started a K through sixth grade school in 1978. My son Justin was in the first graduating class of 4 students. The exterior cross was added in 1980, followed by an addition of classrooms and offices in 1984, and another addition of classrooms in 1986. Over time, the K–6 school transitioned into a vibrant preschool ministry.
In September 2023, Zion celebrated the 125th anniversary of its founding with a special worship service, an anniversary banquet, and a congregational carnival on the church grounds. It was a wonderful celebration of our rich history, our church families, and many friends.
