Zion in Leeds, Wis., is what many people might call an ordinary church. It is a country church that was started in 1863; across the street are cornfields. We are presently in the third church building built on our site and plan on staying here. Yet, God has moved the hearts of his people at Zion to love mission work to reach out to lost souls. We support our synod in opening missions with our prayers and offerings. Our congregation has also opened five missions in our area throughout the years. Our last mission is Zion in Lodi, which had its Grand Opening on October 15, 2022.
Our present Lodi location is a blessing from the Lord. It is a rented storefront, a former dental office, on Main Street. When I was with my son as he was sitting in the dental chair there a few years ago, I never would have imagined worshipping there in that exact spot! The building is small, but we were able to fit in 50 chairs for worship. The altar furniture was designed by a WELS member from Michigan and built by some local WELS members. The walls were built and painted by members. Members even placed the tile in the bathroom. A wood cross made from barn wood above the altar is the focus of the whole room. This, too, was built by one of our members. The sanctuary is welcoming and focuses us on the cross. All the people who helped to build it were moved by faith to use their gifts for God’s house.
The Lord has provided people to carry out this ministry from the leadership, the visionaries, the workers, the helpers, the builders, and the caregivers to the people who reach out to their neighbors about the good news. As an unsubsidized WELS mission, we receive grants when they are available to us, a mission counselor, and the help of the entire Western Wisconsin District mission team. They add prayer and experience to assist us in our mission of sharing the gospel. Praise and Proclaim helped teach us to touch the lives of others with the message of eternal life as well.
Where are we now? Our average attendance is near 40, sometimes closer to 50 in attendance. So, a larger place is needed. Again, the Lord provided through his people. One of the core members of Zion in Lodi, Wis., left us with a gift upon his very unexpected passing. While we rejoiced that he went home to the Lord, we were personally devastated and profoundly felt this loss. Yet, the gift he left the church enabled us to purchase a 5,850-square-foot building between Kwik Trip and Piggly Wiggly in Lodi. (In Wisconsin, this property is comparable to Boardwalk property in the game Monopoly). Through discussions with an architect, general contractor, and Builders for Christ, we have been looking at ways to renovate this building for expanded ministry.
The Lord continues to raise up people “for such a time as this” over and over again. How beautiful! I wish I could say it is effortless, but it takes plenty of effort. I wish I could say that there were hardly any meetings, but there have been and continue to be plenty. Differences about ministry, outreach strategy, funding, and future focus do come, but those have helped us to focus and make ministry better for both Leeds and Lodi. God has opened a door for the gospel message, using ordinary people sometimes in unexpected ways. We pray that he would continue to do so, in Lodi and for other churches in our synod, so that more people may come to know God through his Word, grow in faith, grow in ministry, and worship the God of free grace.
Written by Rev. Scott Schwertfeger, home missionary at Zion Lutheran Church in Lodi, Wis.
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