As Free Lutherans, we at Zion come from a Lutheran revival movement that emphasized personal faith, godly living and study of Scripture. Today we at Zion continue this tradition by teaching truths about God, humanity, and the Bible. Scroll below to see brief descriptions of what that means to us.
We believe that God is one, yet He is three distinct persons. God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit are fully one and cannot be divided. All three are one divine essence, eternal, without division, without end, of infinite power, holiness, wisdom and goodness.
We believe that all of humanity has violated God’s perfect law. There are none righteous through their own works, or any other religion. And because we violate God’s requirements of holiness, all humans will be punished after death and sentenced to hell. However because of God’s love He provided a perfect sacrifice for our sins in the person of Jesus Christ. If we confess our sins to God, and believe in Jesus Christ through faith we are forgiven our sins, and will inherit eternal life.
We believe the Bible is God’s inspired word given to humanity which is true, accurate, and authoritative. Every word of the Bible is perfectly inspired by God and is necessary to our understanding of righteousness, and how to live. The Bible is the ultimate and final source of authority on all matters relating to God and the church.
As Lutherans we also agree with the ancient statements of faith namely the Apostles’, Nicene, and Athanasian Creed, as being correct and accurate. Luther’s Small Catechism and the unaltered Augsburg Confession are also understood as being true and important explanations of Scripture.
Those not coming from a Lutheran background sometimes struggle in understanding our view of Baptism and Communion. We believe the Bible teaches us that God grants us the forgiveness of sins in connection with the sacraments of communion (Matt. 26:28) and baptism (1 Peter 3:20-21). We also understand that these sacraments must be accompanied by faith, for without faith in Jesus Christ forgiveness of sins is impossible.
Pastor Rich is married to his wife Brenda and is a father to his five children, Lydia, Chloe, Madelyn, Moses, and Naomi.
Rich loves helping people understand the truth of God's Word and how it relates to their lives. When he is not preaching and teaching, Rich enjoys competitive sports, firearms, boating, and spending time with his family.
Deacon - Todd Beasley
Deacon - Henry Rieniets
Deacon - Dan Wolla
Deacon - dan larson
Deaconess - Karol Jean wolla
Deaconess - Sarah Remington
Deaconess- Claudia Tande
deaconess-Debbie Weisz
Trustee - Lee Olson
Trustee - Wayne Grindy
Trustee - ronnie lund
Trustee - Jacob Smithberg
trustee-mark schmidt
Biblical Authority for electing Trustees:
Acts 6:1-7
Zion's church council is an astonishing conglomeration of Spiritual Prowess, Git-r-Done Work Ethic, Leadership Skills, Managerial Expertise, Technical Savvy, and good looking too… or at least they try to be all of those things.
Committee members:
karen smithberg
dan wolla
chelsy weisz
Janet schmitz
Naomi smithberg
Kayla Lalim
Rachelle Rehak
The Nominating Committee is a group of people who meet each year about two months before the Annual Congregational Meeting, which is held in January. They meet with Pastor Carr and receive a list of positions that will need to be filled through election at the Annual Meeting. The committee members then begin burning up the phone lines hoping to find good, able-bodied, Christ-loving people to fill these very important roles. The Nominating Committee Members are newly elected each year. If you are interested in serving in a certain capacity, please don't wait to be called. Get in touch with a committee member and have your name presented for service.
This group is responsible for maintaining the grounds and keeping records at the Zion Cemetery. The Zion Cemetery is owned by the Zion Congregation and is located on the South end of Tioga . Anyone interested in purchasing a plot can call a committee member or the church office for available plots.
Our Children's Program provides opportunities for children to learn about God through Sunday school, Summer Vacation Bible school, Wednesday night activities during the school year, special events and summer camp.
Sunday School Meets September thru May at 9 a.m.
Ages 3 yrs. thru adult.
OUR YOUTH GROUP IS AN INTERDENOMINATIONAL YOUTH GROUP THAT GATHERS ON WEDNESDAY'S AT 7:00 PM FOR A TIME OF GAMES, FELLOWSHIP, AND STUDY OF GOD'S WORD. "LIKE" OUR FACEBOOK PAGE TO FIND OUT THE LATEST YOUTH GROUP NEWS AND IF THERE IS ANY CHANGE TO OUR WEEKLY SCHEDULE, DUE TO WHATEVER REASON*,
Christians are made for fellowship within the church. In our small groups, you are able to find friends, commit to learning more of what it means to be a Christian, and share what is going on in your life. If you are curious about this ministry or would like to join a small group, let us know. We hope to start up small groups again in the fall.