"For 150 years Zion has been holy ground," were the words of the Rev. Elizabeth A. Melot, current pastor at Zion United Lutheran Church in Brodheadsville, in the church's 2012 anniversary booklet.

Those words can be echoed by current members of the congregation whose families helped build the church and whose connections to that founding time and subsequent growth of the church were told at a celebratory dinner meeting held at a previous "sister" church, Christ Hamilton Lutheran in Hamilton Square."My great-great-grandfather Felix Weiss helped build the church," explains lifetime Zion member Gerry (Storm) Gasdik. She adds that her great-grandfather and great-uncles were carpenters and are part of the Zion tradition.According to the anniversary booklet, composed by Peter Kern, "the construction began in the spring of 1861 with local tradesmen" and was continued through the year "despite of the hardships associated with the rapidly worsening Civil War.""The building was completed the following year and dedicated on May 4, 1862."In the following century and a half, ongoing ministry grew and changed as did the physical component of the church.The Rev. Dr. John C. Richter, Vice President of Church Relations with Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries was the principal speaker at the dinner meeting attended by almost 120 people.There are levels of history of the church including the chronology, the human exchange and the holy moments, he said, giving examples of each. Celebrate the history; build each other up, he advised.As a Union Church, Zion served both Lutheran and Reformed congregations (which later became the United Church of Christ) together, until the Lutheran congregation became sole occupant of the church previously known as Zion Union church. That happened in late 1971 with a charter service held on Feb. 27, 1972 recognizing the single, new congregation Zion United Lutheran Church.Gasdik says she was baptized at Zion Union like her mother and her children, as well as she, are members of Zion United Lutheran now. Her grandson, Michael Gasdik, has been confirmed there as well.Pat (Rittenhouse) Mackes spoke at the dinner and shared that her grandfather, the late Amzi Altemose, was the contractor for the Sunday School wing. He employed her uncle Ralph Brong and several others from time to time.She adds that her ancestral membership at Zion goes back very far. She has no idea if some of her Altemose ancestors were involved in the establishment of the church, but she wouldn't be surprised if they were."I have been a member at Zion since birth. The Rev. Adan Bohner baptized my cousin, Donald Brong, and me in December 1943," she says. "When I was about 9 years old, Arlene McNett and Ruth Stephens started a junior choir. I've been in choir since then. As children, we had no idea whether it was a Lutheran Sunday or a Reformed (later UCC) Sunday, but the junior choir sang every Sunday. We found out which hymnal to use when the pastor walked into the church."She and her late husband Tom were married at Zion and their sons were baptized there.Pat has been actively involved in the current history of Zion not only in the choir but also in serving on church council several times and even as council secretary."My favorite church committee to have served on is the Worship and Music Committee," says she.Neither Gasdik, Mackes nor H. Lee Hoffman, who also spoke at the dinner, were the oldest in attendance. That honor was reportedly "captured" by Kermit and Betty Feller, who have been Zion members for over 50 years.Bob Altemose shared that he was baptized at Zion in 1924 and H. Lee Hoffman was baptized and confirmed at Zion. He is a life-long member and has served the church in various capacities including being treasurer for both sides when it was still a union church.His family involvement goes back to the church's beginning with his great-grandfather, George Washington Altemose, being involved in the original building.The Rev. John Kretzing, also a family member of times gone by, preached at Zion on the UCC side, when decisions had to be made as to whether to preach in English or in German.Zion "has changed a lot," says Hoffman, "but it's going pretty good." Finances have been impacted by the current times he notes.The Anniversary Committee began planning for the anniversary celebration late in 2010. Members of the Committee included: Pastor Melot, Peter Kern, Carol Kern, Lynda Costenbader, Sue Weis, Fran Ferrari, Sylvia Gethen, Gerry Gasdik, Margaret Seligman, Joanne Rush, Grace Arnold and Pat Mackes.Along with the celebratory dinner was the anniversary worship service at which the Reverend Dr. Samuel R. Zeiser, Bishop, Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America preached.In his sermon he recalled the history of the Brodheadsville church and spoke of its mission and ministry, of the "vigorous life" of the congregation, including the building renovation and inclusion the church practices."Dynamic and strong," is how he defined the church's mission as well as lauding the "faith-driven" energy of Zion's current pastor, the Rev. Melot, and the "faithful discipleship" of the congregation.Zion's 150 years of "faithful service," has survived difficult times, nationally and locally, he said.Bishop Zeiser spoke of the church's enviable building, depth of history, capacity to endure difficult times and its ability to "adapt and welcome.""The church is 'yours' as a gift of faith," he reminded worshippers. "Zion has been pressed into the fiber of Brodheadsville."He cited early pastors and their evangelical diligence.Recalling the words of the service's first reading by Pat Mackes, 1 Kings 8:22-30, Bishop Zeiser spoke of "spirited and daring forebears," who were servants of the Gospel.To the congregation he said, "You have inherited a high standard of service."Based on a reading from Peter, he said congregants should be "living stones," inviting others to come to the church which itself is a living stone."Become the best Zion United ever," he challenged the church family, urging them to be an agent of transformation.As part of that worship service, a plaque was presented to Zion for its commitment to welcome all persons. That plaque, presented to the church by Ken Miller, Regional Coordinator for Region 7, Lutherans Concerned, North America, bears the words of "An Affirmation of Welcome to persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities and is recognized as a Reconciling in Christ congregation."Such welcome is but part of the current mission and ministry of Zion United Lutheran Church.Outreach to all includes supporting the Pleasant Valley Ecumenical Network; hosting Family Promise families; opening its doors to Girl Scouts and Senior citizens; being a site for making food packets for local families and an orphanage in Haiti; biking for World Hunger; hosting a Knit & Crochet group, which gives its finished products to cancer patients, newborn preemies, seafarers, children in Africa, and anyone in need of prayers; and sending out a group every year, known as "Mission Possible," to help rebuild homes damaged by natural disasters."Our best years are ahead of us," summarized Peter Kern at the celebratory dinner.At the anniversary worship service that message was underlined as the past, the present, and the future of 150-year-old Zion United Lutheran Church was celebrated and enfolded in the words of Scripture, song and Communion.