Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Mills County. Settle in, because this one's a slow burn that pays off. In the 1870s and 1880s, settlers of German ancestry started arrivin in this part of Texas.

Not a trickle, either. Enough folks to eventually put down something that would last. By 1889, under the leadership of the Reverend R.

Seils, Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized. Now they didn't have a proper building yet. Those early worship services were held in the Bismark schoolhouse, sitting about two miles south of where we are now.

Twenty-three charter members. That's where it started. Just twenty-three people who showed up and said, yes, this is worth building.

And build they did. By 1892, a small sanctuary had been constructed, and a cemetery was established on the church property, two miles southwest. So within just a few years, they had a place to worship and a place to rest.

That's a community putting down roots. Now here's where the story gets a little more interesting. Another group of families, over in the Priddy community, had been meeting together for worship services of their own.

In December of 1903, they organized St. John's Lutheran Church, holding services in the Becker Mountain schoolhouse, approximately two miles east. Two German Lutheran congregations, not far apart at all.

And before long, both of them were being served by the same minister. You could almost see where this was heading. In 1929, the Zion congregation moved to Priddy and built a new sanctuary.

Two congregations now in the same town, sharing the same tradition, served by the same kind of faith. Then came 1941. By mutual consent, the Zion and St.

John's congregations joined together to become one church, and they kept the name Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church. Mutual consent. Both sides chose it.

That's not a merger forced by circumstance. That's two communities deciding they were stronger as one. And that church, born from twenty-three charter members meeting in a schoolhouse, has been a part of Mills County history for generations.

Still serving, still reaching out. Turns out twenty-three is a pretty good number to start with.

What the marker says

In the 1870s and 1880s many settlers of German ancestry began arriving in this area. In 1889, under the leadership of The Rev. R. Seils, Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized. Early worship services were held in the Bismark schoolhouse (approx. 2 mi. S). Beginning with twenty-three charter members, the congregation grew steadily. By 1892, a small sanctuary was constructed and a cemetery was established on the church property (2 mi. SW). Another group of families began meeting together for worship services in the Priddy community, and in December 1903 organized St. John's Lutheran Church. Services were held in the Becker Mountain schoolhouse (approx. 2 mi. E). Soon both German Lutheran congregations were being served by the same minister. In 1929 the Zion congregation moved to Priddy and built a new sanctuary. In 1941, by mutual consent, the Zion and St. John's congregations joined together to become one church under the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church name. A part of Mills County history for generations, this church continues to serve the community with many forms of outreach. (1989)