Zion Church of Christ

The Zion Church of Christ is located just off route 487 between Zaners Bridges and Forks.

Sunday school is at 8:45 AM and Church Service is at 9:45 AM. The Rev. Darryl Kensinger is their new pastor.

Marvin Albertson can be used as a point of contact. He can be reached at nexis222 at epix.net (Change the "at" to @

Church leaders: Lachelle Fulmer, Minette Meyer, Melvin Parks, Carol Parks, Rebecca Cleaver, Marvin Albertson, Scott Edwards, Josephine Hittle and Jane Young, consistory.

Service times — Sunday school, 8:45 AM; worship service, 9:45 AM.

ð Our history — About the year 1830, Savilla Pealer started a Bible class in the old Stoker school house in Fishing Creek Township, which eventually developed into the present Zion Sunday school. Pealer could be considered the founder of the Zion Sunday school and perhaps the founder of the local Reformed Church, as the Sunday school eventually gave rise to preaching.

The first regular Reformed service was held in 1842 by the Rev. D.S. Tobias in the old Stoker school house. Previous to these services, the few Reformed families of the area worshiped either at the old McHenry log church located west of Orangeville or at the old log church at New Columbus. About the winter of 1843, Tobias was assisted by the Rev. Loader in holding protracted meetings. People came from near and far in sled loads. During the revival, a number of people became the founders of the Zion congregation.

The Stoker school house was used from 1842 to 1857 for preaching, and the congregation, without a church organization, was served by Tobias, H. Funk and W. Goodrich. On Feb. 17, 1857, Zion church was dedicated, and on the following Saturday, Zion was organized with 30 members, principally from the Orangeville and St. James congregations.

The Rev. Alfred Hontz served the congregation for 35 years.

ð What makes our church special — Zion United Church of Christ is a church with a history of close relationships for many generations with strong influences over the years from grandparents to children and grandchildren.

The church is always open to new members and visitors who want to grow close to Jesus Christ.

The members of Zion care very much for each other and worship together from the Scriptures each Sunday. The church has developed into a place of love for each person who enters the church doors and seeks to get to know the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Zion is small enough for the members to know each other and yet large enough to extend a hand to those who need the church's prayers, care and concern.

Church heritage has played a very important part over the years in influencing families in the community.

Zion's faith and beliefs, along with the sacraments, have instilled in those who attend a real life experience both for members and visitors.

Members of the church love it and are devoted to attending and giving back to their families their knowledge and faith in God.

ð How we're reaching our community — Zion United Church of Christ is actively involved in a strong youth group with leaders who love Christ and who share this with the youth of the church and community.

The church supports dinners and functions several times a year to finance its needs and also the needs of its Christian world missions.

The women's guild participates in the Renaissance Faire in Bloomsburg each year with many homemade pies and baked goods along with other items from the grill and barbeques and also all kinds of non-alcoholic drinks. The members extend many kind words to passersby as assurance of the members' beliefs in Jesus Christ.

The church also supports the Penn Northeast Conference for world wide outreach, as available.