Zion Lutheran Church featured as Chamber’s November Spotlight

The Perkins County Chamber of Commerce put the business spotlight on Zion Lutheran Church for the month of November, and Pastor Ben Francisco was present at the monthly meeting to represent the church. 

The Zion Church was founded in 1924, and the original church building has since been moved to Brandon. 

“In 1951 they built the church that stands today and in 1999 they added the fellowship hall,” Francisco said.

Pastor Francisco, who  started April 2016, coming from Brady, Texas, recalled shoveling the driveway the week he arrived in Grant and said he hadn’t shoveled snow in about 10 years, joking “thanks for the welcome!”

The church operates with plenty of help. Janet Lagler helps weekly with office work  and church bulletins and various other tasks. 

Zion is a board run church, with a full board who helps make decisions on an organizational level, as well as help from several Sunday school teachers. 

Francisco explained that regular services are live-streamed on-line for home-bound church members, or those who may have missed a week, they are archived.

The church also offers live-stream services for funerals and other events held at the church.

They have a lady aids group that offers several services, and helps with meals for funerals and other events. 

Zion also participates in the Orphan Grain Train program that has a base set up in Julesburg, Colo. They help organize food and clothing for various needs all over the world. 

Zion is also a member of the Ministerial Alliance Activities, and remain active in donating to the food pantry 

The church serves as a collection site for items for the grain train, as well as a collection for food items for the food pantry.

Zion hosts a successful Vacation Bible School every summer.

After school on Wednesdays 4-6th graders come and have snacks and do bible lessons and games, then the older confirmation students come later in the evening and also participate in a bible lessons as they prepare to confess their faith publicly, Ben said.

Thursday mornings, the church offers a men’s and women’s bible study, the mens group meets at 6 a.m. and the lady’s meet at 9:30 a.m.

Francisco said in the winter time, they also provide a blizzard shelter that was not utilized last year, but in previous years has been utilized by many travelers for any who needed shelter during a storm. 

A newer tradition for the church has been handing out hotdogs during Trick-or-Treat St. on Halloween, serving 312 hotdogs this year, and looking ahead they will up the number for next year, since it has such success.  

The fellowship hall is available for use for meetings, church members can utilize the area free of charge, and the community can use the space for a nominal suggested donation to the church. 

Upcoming events they have are mid-week advent services on Wednesdays in December, and a soup supper at 6 p.m. with services to follow at 7 p.m. 

“If a church is hosting a food event, GO!, because it is the BEST food you will ever eat!” Francisco advised. 

Zion is planning a Christmas Eve candle light service at 5 p.m.

Anyone wanting more information on Zion Lutheran Church and the services they offer can call 352-4107 or stop by 705 Central Ave.