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Zion Lutheran Church
Olivia, Minnesota
1938-1947
Prepared for distribution on Pentecost 4,
June 24, 20071
The Depression in America and World War II tested the
United States, as well as the Synod, including the Minnesota
District. These trying times were felt in all areas of living,
including religious matters. All church work did not grind to a
halt, however. In fact, there were encouraging developments.
For the country as a whole, the best record in the ratio of
charitable and religious giving to total spending was set during
the Great Depression, and still stands.2 Mission work
continued, but expansion was curtailed. “Missionaries in the
field continued their earnest efforts to bring Christ’s Gospel to
immortal souls with unabated zeal.”
Classes that began preparatory school in the early thirties
and graduated in the late thirties, were among the largest
Northwestern School had ever seen. At least 28 ministerial
candidates were waiting for assignment each year through the
late 30’s.
We thank Donna Neubarth for writing this decade’s history booklet.
(Golden Jubilee of the Minnesota District of WELS and its Member
Congregations 1918-1968)
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26,000 Synod members were in the armed forces near the
end of the War (5,000 from the Minnesota District). LeRoy
Baker, a long-time member of Zion recalls his war-time
experience:
He did not go off to fight in the military. Instead, he was
summoned to work at a secret military station in the desert near
Hanford, Washington. He was there from 1943 to 1944. His
wife Lena and young son were left in Minnesota. His mission
was so secret he couldn’t even write to tell Lena about
anything he was doing. There he worked with 5,000 to 6,000
people, building barracks and a mess hall. He said the camp
and facilities were very nice. He also handled boxes from train
cars that traveled right through a long narrow building. He
never saw what was in those boxes, but realized later they had
something to do with the development of atomic weapons,
which helped to end the war. LeRoy did his duty for America.
The greater effect of the War was the growing concern for
overseas missions, especially in Central
America, Europe and Asia, where
missions were begun.
Pastor Adolf Ackermann (pictured
left, photo from Golden Jubilee History
book ) served as Minnesota District
President from 1936 to 1948.
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Rev. A.W. Blauert served the first years of this decade.
His tenure at Zion was from 1927 to 1941. He then received
and accepted a call to a mission congregation in Austin,
Minnesota. (Zion member Fritzie Brown is Rev. Blauert’s
daughter.
Rev. Immanuel F.
Lenz, (photo right) previously
serving Mt. Olive
congregation in Graceville,
Minnesota since his
ordination, was installed on
November 30, 1941, by Pastor
M.J. Weihausen of Morton, and served throughout this decade
and beyond. He preached his first sermon to Zion’s members
on Pearl Harbor day – December 7, 1941.
Remodeling seems to
have been the theme of the
‘40s. The parsonage (pictured)
was insulated at a cost of $240.
In March of 1941 it was
decided to shingle the church
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roof. New floors were installed in the parsonage in 1942. By
1946 the congregation had voted to put a basement under the
church, and had collected “quite a sum” for this purpose.
Other notables from this decade include:
 Collection envelope system was adopted to begin in
1938.
 October 1940 - 150 hymnals were ordered, with Ladies
Aid contributing $30 to the cost. Individuals were
allowed to purchase hymnals for personal use at a cost of
$1 each.
 August 1941 - Rev. Blauert announced receiving (and
later accepting) a call to Austin, Minnesota.
 September 1941 – Rev. Wehausen of Morton acted as
vacancy pastor, receiving $10 per Sunday until Rev. I.
Lenz was installed November 30, 1941.
 November 1941 – Danube congregation decides to call
their own pastor. Olivia must do likewise.
 January 1942 – German services were discontinued.
 October 1944 – “The discussion to have a memorial
service on V-Day reached as follows: In case the
Armistice was announced before 3 o’clock p.m..,
services would be held that evening at 8:00 o’clock. In
the event the announcement is not made public before
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3:00 o’clock p.m., services will be held the evening of
the following day at the same time.” (p. 161, Church
Record Book (1893-1947)
 1945 – The interment
of August Segler was
the last one at Zion’s
Cemetery on the corner
of Highway 212 and
County Road 14. This cemetery was in operation from
1899 to 1945.
Zion’s cemetery is located on County Rd 14 (a.k.a., Elk
River Road north of Hwy 212)
 August 1946 –
Discussion led to the
church becoming
incorporated with the
name as Zion Lutheran,
Inc.
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 January 1947 – Decided to observe the 60 Anniversary
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with a special service scheduled for June 15, 1947. A
special collection will be channeled to the Building Fund.
Former pastors Rev. Birkholz (St. James) and Rev.
Albrecht (Glenwood) were asked to speak. A history
booklet was to be printed. (See picture previous page.)
 July 1947 – Inasmuch as the city is launching a program
of hard surfacing of streets, a motion carried to petition
for hard surfacing of the streets adjacent to the church
property. Also to complete the sidewalk, curb, water, and
sewer connections. (Church Record Book)
In the years 1938 to 1947, there were 83 baptisms, 93
confirmations, 36 marriages, and 34 funerals at Zion
congregation. Present members Carol (Laumer) Lippert and
Ordell Laumer were among the baptisms, and Shirley (Kunde)
Retzlaff and Delbert Wetzel were confirmed during those
years.
An anniversary is not only for bowing gratefully in the
direction and at the feet of those that have gone before; an
anniversary is to inspire us to continue and advance the work
they began.3
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(Golden Jubilee of the Minnesota District of WELs and its Member
Congregations 1918-1968)
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Zion’s 1941 confirmation Class Pastor A. W. Blauert’s last class at
Zion. Shirley (Kunde) Retzlaff is seated – 1st on the left
Zion’s 1946 confirmation Class Pastor I. F. Lenz Delbert Wetzel is
standing, second from the right in the back row.
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