The history of Zion United Church of Christ, rural Mt. Vernon, Missouri (near Freistatt, Hoberg, and Stotts City), dates back to February 1879, when a small group of German Evangelical people who had migrated from their homes in Washington County Illinois met together to organize a German Evangelical Church on the Spring Creek Prairie .
The original members of the congregation were; Peter Roth, Louis Hildebrand, Gottlieb Kirchoff, Karl Kleine, C. Rahmoeller, Will Hagemeier, and Ernest Baum. The church was originally known as Zion Evangelical Church.
Soon after they had organized, the congregation proceeded to build the first church building. It was a frame structure some 20x30 feet and was located on the west side of the road opposite the site of the present church.
The congregation proceeded to grow in membership despite the hardships which it experienced on the American frontier. In 1898, a second building was constructed on the east side of the road across from the original building. It measured 30x46 feet and possessed a tower that was 80 feet high.
Several organizations were a part of the Zion Church family. On January 22, 1897, a "Ladies Aid" now known as the "Women's Guild" was founded. Another group of the church family was the Men's Brotherhood which was organized in 1937.
Another active group in the church family was the Sunday School which provided religious instruction and nurture for all age groups. Sunday School at Zion was attended not only by children of the congregation, but also by parents and other adults, many of whom had attended several years with perfect attendance.
The Zion Church family also included a church choir which led the congregation and provided other special music.
In 1934 the Evangelical Synod of North America merged with the Reformed Church in the United States to become the Evangelical and Reformed Church. By the time of adoption of a new constitution in 1938, the local congregation was known as Zion Evangelical and Reformed Church.
Originally, services at Zion were entirely in German. As time passed, however, there was a move toward using English as the official language of the assembly to accommodate second and third generation families no longer using German as their primary language. The congregation voted to alternate the two languages in their services on 3 January 1937. The first and third services of each month were in German, the others were in English. On 1 January 1942, the congregation decided to hold services solely in English. The move was intended only as temporary wartime measure, but the congregation never returned to German language services.
On the evening of April 12, 1945, Zion Church suffered severe loss when a tornado wrecked the church to the extent that a new house of worship was needed. After a great deal of concern and critical discussion it was voted by the majority of the congregation to rebuild a new Carthage Stone church on the same site as the previous building.
Union United Church of Christ (Congregational) split from the Zion congregation in 1947 and survived until around 1998.
Many of the members volunteered much of their labor in constructing the new building which seats well over 200 people and was dedicated in 1947. After building a new church the congregation continued to improve and beautify the church site and buildings. The parsonage was remodeled and a fellowship hall measuring 22x70 feet was added. Since its completion the fellowship hall has been the scene of many fine church activities and receptions.
In 1957 the Evangelical and Reformed denomination merged with the Congregational Christian Church, forming the United Church of Christ. The congregation is now known as Zion United Church of Christ.
In the year 1972, Zion Church had a membership of 128 people. It still had an active Sunday School which was held each Sunday and also worship services held each Sunday.
Since that time Sunday School has been discontinued. A faithful group continues to meet each week. Membership is approximately 30, while average weekly attendance is 18.
Throughout its history the following names, along with others, have been prominent: Fieker, Kleeman, Kleine, Kramme, Meyer, Rahmoeller, Rathmann, Vieth, and Wiehe. Some of these families are still represented in the church today.
German Evangelical Churches in the Missouri Ozarks
Picture taken near Hwy. 13, south of Clinton, MO, at Valley Center UCC, Deepwater. Notice E&R logo.
For many years Zion Church, St. Peter’s Church in Billings, St. John’s Church in Springfield, and St. John’s Church in Verona, shared a common monthly newsletter called the Ozark Evangelical Herald, and gathered together for special events such as Mission Festivals.
Zion Church was the first Evangelical Church founded in the Ozarks. St. John's Church in Springfield was founded in 1887. St. John’s Church in Verona was founded in the early 1890’s. The church in Verona closed its doors in 1947.
St. John's Church is on the north side of Springfield, at Scott and Main, and remains active today. St. John's Chapel was started in the 1960s by St. John's Church, to serve the south side of Springfield, and is located on Fremont south of Republic Road. St. John's Chapel is the largest UCC congregation in the area. St. Peters, Billings is also an active church in their small town.
At one time there was also a German Evangelical congregation, Zions, at Neosho, Missouri.