Our Mission
Spreading the Word of God in a spirit of love and fellowship, receiving the gift of salvation.
Our History
In the mid-1800s, there was an influx of Swedish immigrants to the Trade Lake area. Some of them began meeting for worship in their homes. In June of 1870, they formed Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church of Trade Lake and we began our ministry.
In 1875, the people of Zion cut their own trees and got them to the land on the hill donated by J.O. Johnson and built a log church. In 1878 20 acres of land across the road was purchased and the first pastor’s residence was built for Rev Frederick Peterson, the first resident pastor who served both Zion Trade Lake and Grace West Sweden churches. The church was improved with siding and a steeple and in 1884 a large bell was purchased with the Swedish inscription “The living I call to praise God. The dead I accompany to rest in hallowed ground.”
In 1913, the decision was made to build a new brick church. A basement was built and used for services until the rest of the building was finished. The new church was dedicated early in 1915. The cost of the church was $12,000. The 95’ steeple and the bell still welcome people to Zion today.
On September 26, 2021, Zion Lutheran Church Trade Lake celebrated its slightly delayed 150th Anniversary.
