SNOHOMISH — Couples met and married. Children went through confirmation. Grandparents were remembered.
There were quilting charities, vacation Bible schools and wool-spinning parties. The annual fall festival still draws hundreds of attendees.
For 125 years, Zion Lutheran Church has stood in the heart of Snohomish. The congregation plans a public celebration May 7, with a worship service at 2 p.m. An open house and ice cream social will follow. The keynote speaker is the Rev. Paul Linnemann, president of the Northwest District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
The Snohomish church started in homes, and confirmation records date to 1893. It moved to Fourth Street and Union Avenue, across the street from its current location, later that decade.
The “new” building at 329 Ave. A was dedicated in 1923. The bell was brought in with horses and a pulley system.
These days, about 75 people attend Sunday services.
Church Vice President Ryan Bartelheimer’s family moved to Snohomish more than a century ago. Their faces are among the framed portraits.
“My grandfather and his 10 siblings are all up on the wall going through confirmation,” he said.
Bartelheimer left for college, got married and attended another church for a time. When it was time to baptize his oldest daughter, “we came back,” he said.
Church President Dean Randall joined in 1981, shortly before his wedding at Zion. His kids grew up in the church.
“It gave them a firm foundation for their faith,” he said. “I think this church has been a cornerstone of the community.”
The church has been a constant in Carolyn Jensen’s life since the 1970s, even as the city has grown up, she said. It’s been a place to stay grounded and to feel a sense of belonging, she said. She likes volunteering with the children as they learn about religion.
“They really pay attention and ask a lot of nice questions,” she said.
The church wants to honor the past but also look forward, said Gary Jensen, the pastor.
With the anniversary coming up, he thinks of a passage from Hebrews, which reads in part: “We are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses.”
Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @rikkiking.
Celebration
Zion Lutheran Church at 329 Avenue A in Snohomish plans a 125th anniversary celebration for 2 p.m. May 7. An open house and an ice cream social will follow the worship service. Historical photos also will be on display.
In addition, several activities are planned for Easter Sunday. They include a 7 a.m. sunrise worship, 8 a.m. festival worship with communion, and a 9:15 a.m. breakfast potluck. Another festival worship with communion will follow at 10:30 a.m.
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