Zion St. John Lutheran Church Celebrates 150th Anniversary with a Concert

May 4th Concert to Celebrate Sheffield Church’s 150th Anniversary

The public is invited to join members of Zion St. John Lutheran Church on Sunday, May 4, at 3 p.m. for an afternoon of beautiful music in celebration of this church’s 150th anniversary. This free concert will be held inside the church at 422 Sherman St., Sheffield, Iowa. It will be livestreamed at www.zionstjohn.org.

“Our May 4 concert is the second in a series of four events that are being held throughout the year to mark our church’s very special 150th anniversary,” says Nancy Retz, chair, of the 150th Anniversary Committee.

This day will be made even more special as our newly commissioned hymn entitled, “Christ is the Same,” will be performed by Zion St. John’s Chancel, Sunday School and Handbell choirs. Each choir also will sing or perform pieces. The Chancel Choir will perform a cantata entitled “Legacy of Faith,” written by Joseph Martin. The ZSJ Praise Team will perform, and organist Charles Sukup will play Bach’s “Fugue in D Major.”

Additional Celebrations

“Lutheran potlucks were made famous by Garrison Keillor in ‘News from Lake Wobegon,’ so our 150th celebration will include a summer potluck,” says Retz. “It’s time to dig out the Jell-O molds and jellyroll pans! There just might be a joke or two made about our time-honored potluck tradition during a comedy routine that is also part of our summer celebration.”

Outdoor worship in the courtyard will be held August 3 followed by a potluck picnic and ice cream social. In addition, the Looney Lutherans from St. Paul, Minn. will perform. According to the group’s website, the Looney Lutherans are “a trio of wacky gals who use music, comedy and some help from the audience to share their age-old wisdom for living a long, happy life the Lutheran way.” Their August 3 performance is free to the public.

The final ZSJ anniversary celebration will be Sunday, November 2. Former pastors and Bishop Kevin Jones of the Northeast Iowa Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will join us in worship. This service will include our commissioned hymn, “Christ is the Same,” which is based on Hebrews 13:8. This service also will include music from our Chancel and Bell Choirs, as well as our church organist.

“All members, former members and friends of the congregation are invited to attend all these events! Our doors are open to everyone,” says Retz.

At Zion St. John Lutheran Church, we are committed to being the body of Christ until He returns. Led by the Holy Spirit and gathered around God’s Word and Sacraments, we join in worship, learning, spirit-full nurture, outreach, and service, as we grow in faith and invite others to experience Christ’s presence.