When Our Mission Began
Zion Lutheran Church was first organized in Alexandria in December 1886. In 1888 two lots were purchased at the corner of Third Avenue and Lake Street. The first church building was erected there in the spring of 1889. Previously, the congregation met in homes or rented space. For several years Zion shared a pastor with other congregations in the area. Since 1920 Zion has been a single congregation with its own pastor.
Zion Congregation has always placed a strong emphasis on Christian education and has maintained a school since 1890. For the first twenty-two years Pastor Bartz also served as teacher in the school. In 1912 Zion called W. E. Melchert as its first principal/teacher. Two years later the original church building was remodeled and enlarged into a two-room school. By 1940 the school had expanded and Ruth Jensen was called as a teacher for the primary grades. By 1958 the student body had grown, requiring additional space. A new educational building was constructed and ready for use by the beginning of the 1961 school year.
In 1999 the school was again expanded along with new offices, a gymnasium, restrooms, and a new Preschool and Kindergarten room. Between June of 2010 and the Spring of 2012, a remodeling and construction project was completed allowing for separate preschool and kindergarten rooms, a larger, safer entry area for the church and school, and added storage space to our facility. Zion Lutheran School celebrated its 125th anniversary in the fall of 2015.