Our History
As early as 1905, men and women of Scandinavian descent were having church services in their homes. It was then the Rev. A. G. Lund of Our Saviors Lutheran Church traveled from Great Falls to Lewistown and started holding services in the Knights of Pythias Hall, the Salvation Army Hall and the Presbyterian Church. From 1912-1914, Rev. H. O. Shurson took over the pulpit. In this time period, lots were purchased on the corner of Sixth Avenue North and West Corcoran Street with the intent of building a church. In 1913, the Sunday School was formed. After moving to the new larger building, the Sunday School divided into three groups for separate grades. It was organized with a board of education, superintendent, a secretary-treasurer, 13 teachers, music directors and an adult Bible class. The work on the church building was done mostly by the members of the church and served the community for 39 years.

In 1914, Rev. J. K. Lerohl replaced Pastor Shurson and confirmed the first group of young people. The church conducted services in Roy, Valentine, Dovetail, Forest Grove, Buffalo, Winifred, and Grass Range. In 1917, the United Norwegian Lutheran Church (Zion's first synodical affiliation) joined the Hauge Synod and the Norwegian Synod to form the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America, later called the Evangelical Lutheran Church.

In 1920, Rev. William J. H. Madson became the pastor, and considerable work was done on the church building under his ministry. During the pastorate of Rev. Ruban Mostrom, the Zion Cardinals were organized. The Cardinals was a basketball team that traveled around the state. Mostrom arrived at Zion Lutheran a bachelor, but was married during his stay, which was 1933-1937. The Rev. J. Enderson served from 1937-1943, and other pastors included the Rev. Vollie Husby (1943-1949), the Rev. Aubrey Edmonds (1950-1959), the Rev. Lionel Simonson (1959-1967), the Rev. Sheridan Erickson (1967-1972), the Rev. Allen Haugen (1972-1981), and interim pastor Alvin Skibsrud in 1981.

In 1944, a building program was started because of the need for space for both the growing congregation and Sunday school. First, a new parsonage was purchased on Seventh and Corcoran, and in 1946, the congregation purchased the lots on Sixth Avenue and Evelyn Street for the future church building. During the summer of 1950, John Gilmore served as pastor. He had been active before at Zion in youth ministry. Other young men from Zion returned and filled in as pastor in the time of need. They were Jack Leininger in 1975 and Steve Nelson in 1979.

An educational wing was added to the church and was completed in 1969.  Later, a new parsonage was built and the old one sold.  After 1996, the church elected not to maintain a parsonage, though it does own and rent the home next door.  In 1981, Pastor Kenneth Olson arrived to serve the congregation and remained through 1999.  Pr. John Nelson served as interim pastor until the arrival of Pr. Paul J. Seastrand in August of 2000.  During the years 2004 to 2005 an ambitious renovation enhanced the church with stained and etched glass windows, new flooring, expanded narthex, handicap restrooms, heated walkway, new furnaces, remodeled fireside room, and new grand piano.   In 2006 a new state of the art Allen Organ replaced the old organ of 31 years.