Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church to celebrate 100 years on July 16

by Pastor Zachary Sippert

Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ipswich will be holding its centennial celebration service on July 16 at 4 p.m. at Zion's worship home located in the Schriver Funeral Home at 720 6th Street in Ipswich with a fellowship meal at the 4-H Building following the service. Everyone welcome.

From the minutes of the Congregation Meetings: "May 27, 1923 Meeting was called to order and the congregation upon motion accepted as their name "Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church". The constitution was then read by the pastor and accepted as read with the exception of a few alterations." Adjournment followed Julius Habeck, Sec. Ipswich, South Dakota"

The first Lutherans that moved into this area made requests for the services of a Lutheran pastor. Their prayers were answered by pastors coming from Leola and Hosmer. The roots of Zion extend back to 1917 when a small group of Lutherans were served by Pastor Scherf who came from Roscoe, holding some of their services in a small school house in Union Township, southeast of Ipswich. At other times, services were conducted in the homes of the Gerhards, Habecks, Wietgrefes and other homes in the Ipswich area.

On May 25, 1923, Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ipswich South Dakota, officially organized as a congregation. Pastor Walter J. Meier (1921 to 1926), was the first resident pastor. The first officers were Mr. Carl Gerhard, President, Mr. Julius Habeck, Secretary and Mr. Oscar Viertel, Treasurer.

The constitution of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, which remains as such with limited alteration, opens as follows: "Whereas, the Apostle Paul set forth, I Corinthians 14:40, that all things in the church should be done "decently and in order," be it therefore, Resolved, that we, a congregation of Lutherans of the city of Ipswich, South Dakota, do herewith by subscribing our names hereto, adopt the following Constitution.

Article I-Name:

The name of this congregation shall be, "The Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ipswich, South Dakota."

Article II--Articles of Faith:

This congregation accepts and confesses all the canonical books of the Old and the New Testament as the inspired Word of God, and all the symbolical books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, contained in the Book of Concord of 1580, as a correct presentation and true exposition of Christian doctrine, drawn from, and in full agreement with, the Bible; hence, no doctrine shall be taught or tolerated in this congregation which is in any degree at variance with them. And we also set forth that according to this norm of doctrine and faith all controversies which may arise in this congregation shall be decided and adjusted."

The constitution was written in both an English and German edition. This remains the Constitution of Zion with limited alterations.

On May 25, 1930 the congregation voted to join the Wisconsin Synod (WELS). On October 19, 1959, Zion voted to leave WELS over doctrinal differences. Then in 1960, Zion became a chartered member congregation of the Church of the Lutheran Confession (CLC).

Not long after Zion was organized, a group of women of the congregation formed a Ladies Aid Society. This organization blessed the congregation with bible study gatherings and supporting the various works of the church. Many meals were served for weddings, funerals, vacation bible school, area congregation mission and harvest festivals, reformation services and pastor and delegate conferences.

In 1931, Zion acquire a small country church located in the Cloyd Valley, southwest of Roscoe. The cost of moving the church to Ipswich was $100.00, which was borrowed. This little church was a humble sanctuary without modern conveniences. The original heating system was a coal furnace. This was later replaced by a smoky oil burning furnace. The little white church endured a fire, was subjected to the natural ravages of the time and underwent renovations, but served as the worship home as the congregation grew.

Over the years, the Lord blessed the congregation with numerical growth. In 1958, the number of baptized members was 110 and the pre-communicant members attending Sunday school averaged in the 40's. With the church and classrooms overflowing, it became apparent that a larger church building was needed. On October 1, 1974, property located four blocks north of the old church was purchased from Raymond Forkel. In June of 1978, a groundbreaking was held and construction began. With the help of members, building plans were drawn up by brothers, Darwin and Larry Diede. The church building was constructed with volunteer labor including eight men in the congregation who had construction related jobs. Moss rock and prettified wood was hauled in from the fields around Hettinger, North Dakota. The rock was used for the exterior, the altar, pulpit, and lectern. The first service was held in the new church building on December 21, 1980. The church was dedicated to the glory of God at a special service in June 1981.

In the following years most of the younger members moved away to seek employment. With the membership becoming smaller in number and older in age, it became increasingly difficult to adequately maintain the church building. In 2011, the Lord presented the congregation with an opportunity to sell the church property and still have a place to worship. The congregation sold the property to Mark Gramm for his funeral home business. A joint use agreement was established which allowed Zion to hold services and other functions in the remodeled facility as long as the congregation exists. During construction, Mark Gramm graciously allowed the congregation to conduct worship services in his old funeral home. Zion resumed worship services in the refurbished facility on December 25, 2012. The building has since been sold twice and the congregation continues to be blessed with the joint use agreement continuing with the current owner Schriver Funeral Home.

Over most of the 100 years of Zion's existence, the congregation shared their pastor. During Pastor Egbert Schaller's tenure (1926-28) at Zion, he also served a small congregation in Loyalton. When Pastor Schaller took a call elsewhere, the Loyalton church closed. At that point in time, Zion established a joint parish with First Lutheran Church in Faulkton. The joint parish was served by Pastrors. R.F. Gamm (1928-34), W.J. Schmidt (1934-42), H.A. Biner (1942-50), Marvin F Eibs (1950 -53), Leland Grams (1954-85), and David J. Fuerstenau (1985-2000). When Pastor George Dummann (2000-09) was called to Zion, the congregation entered a tri-parish relationship with First Lutheran in Faulkton and Redeemer in Bowdle. Then when Pastor Mark Gullerud (2009-19) was called to Zion, First Lutheran closed with Faulkton members joining Zion continuing as a joint parish with Redeemer in Bowdle. After Pastor Gullerud retired, the congregation was served by vacancy pastor, Timothy Daub, from Prince of Peace Hecla, and retired Pastor John Klatt, Watertown (2019-22). Pastor Zachary Sippert (July 2022-present) accepted his first call after graduating from the Church of the Lutheran Confession's seminary, Immanuel Lutheran Seminary in Eau Claire, Wis., and now resides with his wife in Redeemer's parsonage in Bowdle.

Over the long history of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Lord has blessed the congregation through the gospel ministry. Many souls were ushered into God's Kingdom through the Sacrament of Baptism and spiritually nourished through the Gospel in Word and Sacrament. The final goal of the gospel ministry is the victory celebration of believers passing from this temporal world into the eternal habitations of heaven. To God alone be all the glory!

Zion Lutheran's website can be viewed by using this link: https://ipswich.clclutheran.org/ .