History of Zion

Survey work conducted in the summers of 1921 and 1922 showed the need for an English- language Lutheran congregation in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. A Finnish language congregation, St. Mary's Lutheran Church, had been in existence in Sault Ste. Marie since 1905. 

The first worship service for Zion Lutheran took place during the summer of 1922, with more services to follow in the spring and summer of 1923, using both the Scandinavian Hall and the Library Hall. The congregation officially organized as Zion English Evangelical Lutheran Church on Sunday, September 9, 1923. A constitution and by-laws were adopted. Twenty-seven persons signed the charter roll in the first two weeks.

 By December 11, 1923, the fledgling congregation had obtained a lease to occupy the Scandinavian Hall at 236 John Street, with option to purchase. The congregation bought the property in 1926. Members had to work hard to make the old hall look like a church. The original altar, for example, had been improvised from wooden packing crates.

A major expansion in 1929 saw the addition of a 20 foot chancel with vestry.  Excavation provided a meeting room underneath the small frame church building. Repairs and additions continued through the years to make the old meeting room look more "churchly." By the early 1950s, the need for a larger and more modern church facility had become obvious. It was time to move  onward  from "The Little Church on John Street."

Between 1960 and 1970 a German language congregation, St. Mark's Lutheran Church, worshipped in the former facilities of Zion Church on John Street. When financial difficulties forced St. Mark's to disband in 1970, large numbers of members joined Zion. To this day Zion provides Christmas Eve worship services also in German.  

Zion's Building

Zion's congregation broke ground for the present church building on March 2, 1958. John B. Parkin Associates were the architects; Gordon Cornwell, the liturgical consultant. The general contractor was J. G. Kennedy Construction Company. The dedication service was Sunday, September 7, 1958. An educational wing was added to Zion in 1964.

You will enter the church by way of a grey-oak paneled narthex. Three doorways open into the spacious nave and sanctuary. The arches of the Aflame ceiling soar 40 feet into the air. Looking upward you will see the large cross suspended high above the free-standing altar and its circular altar rail. The arms of the cross extend in all directions, recalling Christ's command to carry the Gospel to all the nations of the earth. The circular rings around the cross speak of God's eternal love for humankind in Christ Jesus.

 Martin Luther's rose is carved many times into the oak face of the altar. Inscribed into the pulpit are symbols of the four evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The stained glass windows along the right wall are the work of Henry Lee Willet Studios of Philadelphia. They depict the seasons of the church year.

 The clear windows to the left overlook the church courtyard and Memorial Garden. It features the rich symbolism of Gethsemane and Golgotha.

A major renovation programme was realized in 1997-1998. It included a redesign of the sanctuary, a new office complex, barrier free washrooms, a main level kitchenette, and a new heating and air conditioning system. 

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