Zion Congregational Church

ORIGINAL LOCATION

260 E St.
Fresno, California

SECOND LOCATION

4718 E. Yale
Fresno, CA

HISTORY

In the fall of 1899, a small group gathered in a house on "G" Street in Fresno. A few weeks later, the meetings were moved to the Armenian Social Hall. On 12 March 1900, thirty-eight of those gathered decided officially to organize a congregation under the name of the Evangelical Zion Congregational Church. Most of them were Lutheran, but it was the German Congregational Conference that was able to assist with the building of a church building, so they joined that group.

The first building was on the corner of E and Monterey Streets. The corner stone was laid on 18 February 1900 and the completed building dedicated later that spring.

In 1930, this building was torn down to make room for a new building. It was completed on 4 December 1931. The name of the congregation was changed to Zion Congregational Church. The last service in this building was held on 12 July 1959. The facility was sold to a Seventh Day Adventist congregation.

A new church was built at Sierra Vista & Yale. The first worship service held there was on 20 September 1959 with the formal dedication service held on 18 October 1959. The congregation became affiliated with the United Church of Christ.

This congregation has disbanded.

CHARTER MEMBERS

The following men and their families were recorded as charter members of the congregation:

Johann August Berg
Johann Peter Berg
Peter Berg
Alex Borger
Friedrich Boos
Michael Dermer
Heinrich Diel
Jakob Damm
Martin Fleming
Heinrich Folmar
Heinrich Fries
Johann Fries
Gottfried Heintz
Adam Helmuth
Philip Hergenreder
Heinrich Hergenreder
Daniel Hartwig
Heinrich Hartwig
Michael Karle
August Karle
Wilhelm Kerner
George Heinrich Lieder
Peter Leider
Jakob Lindegren
Johann Lung
Michael Metzler (the older)
Michael Metzler (the younger)
Peter Miller
Jakob Nilmeier, Sr.
Jakob Nilmeier, Jr.
Heinrich Rudolph
Gottfried Schmidt, Sr.
Gottfried Schmidt Jr.
Heinrich Sommer
J. Heinrich Scheidt
George Scheidt (the larger)
Carl Steitz
Peter Winters

PASTORS

Zion Congregational Church was served by the following pastors:

Jacob Legler (1900-1905)
Friedrich Woth (1905-1907)
Franz Eggerland (1907-1909)
A. Gettmann (1909-1910)
John Lich (1910-1911)
Edmund Grieb (1911-1915)
Cornelius Richert (1915-1919)
W. J. Schmalle (1919-1926)
H. G. Zorn (1926-1927)
F. C. Zahl (1928-1932)
J. N. Sauer (1932-1947)
Christian Martin (1947-1951)
George Kissler (1952-1953)
Otto J. Tiede (1953-1955)
Elmer Jeske (1957-1960)
E. Hostetler (1960-1964)
V. F. Deditius (1965-1980)
Lawrence E. Walter (1981-1985)
Maurine Timan (1986-1987)
James E. Meadows (1988-1993)
Abner Frost (1993-1994)
Carol Cotton (1994-1996)
Stan Friesen (1996-1999)
David Brown (1999-2000)