Photo by Jody Isaackson The Rev. William Ziebel is the current minister at the 125 year-old Zion Lutheran Church of Rural Russel. He helped compile the 125th anniversary history book, along with retired member Arlene Pochardt.

RURAL RUSSELL — Many people over the years have had a hand in maintaining a small rural church.

Zion Ev. Lutheran Church of rural Russell will celebrate its 125th anniversary on June 25 in a 10 a.m. worship service.

“We are planning a worship service to celebrate our life with God through his word and sacraments,” Zion’s current pastor, the Rev. William Ziebel, said.

Former Zion pastor, Bill Limmer of Franklin, Wisconsin, will lead the divine worship service and deliver a special message. The service will include singing a hymn accompanied by Joey Schumann and the Lutheran Ceili Orchestra of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

“The Lutheran Ceili Orchestra of the Milwaukee Metro Area consists of six instrumentalists who specialize in Celtic instruments and harmonies,” Ziebel said.

A complete history of the church from when founder Gottfried Stelter and his family first moved to Island Lake Township in 1886, to the church’s incorporation on March 2, 1892, to the current officers and workers, will be available to attendees of the anniversary celebration.

When it was incorporated, the church was named Zion’s Church of the Evangelical Lutheran Congregation of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession at Island Lake, Lyon County, Minnesota.

Retired parishioner Arlene Pochardt had compiled much of the history up until Zion’s centennial celebration in 1992. The history recorded since then was collected by Ziebel. The history booklet also includes pictures of the church’s pastors and buildings throughout the years.

A summary of the information includes Zion having had 20 organists over the years, with Carla Stelter-Christiansen and Trudy Madetzke currently serving in this capacity. There have been nine janitors, with Larry Winter currently serving as church janitor. Zion has had one missionary and 21 ministers.

Records state that Zion opened its cemetery in May of 1885. The ladies aid was organized in 1930. Its Young People’s Society was formed in 1931. While the Sunday school was started in 1892, it wasn’t until 1922 that it adopted an official curriculum.

In October of 1942, records show Zion became a member of The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.

At one time, a parochial school was held in the home of their missionary, the Rev. Christian Boetcher.

The first church building was constructed in 1897, Ziebel said. The second church was built in 1978.

“Two hundred people attended the service for the corner stone ceremony,” he said.

An addition was built in 1991.

“We have a weekly adult Bible study, weekly Sunday school classes for our children,” Ziebel said. “Also, we have confirmation classes in progress every year. And, every year, we have a week of VBS (Vacation Bible School).”

Zion currently has 149 baptized members and 119 communicant members.

Ziebel said that keeping this small country church going wasn’t thought of as a struggle, just a work of love.