In 1883, the Lutherans living in Brown County gathered together, and in 1884 a ministerial candidate, Herman Westphal, accepted their call as pastor.  Pastor Westphal took out a claim for a 40 acre homestead northwest of Ainsworth.

In the following year, the congregation organized under the name of the Evangelical Zion’s Church.

The small flock decided to erect a church costing $2000.  The cornerstone was laid on June 15, 1890. The congregation became a member of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod in 1907.   In the days of Pastor Schwartz, the Lutherans who were living in town and those who had retired and moved to town, decided to organize a congregation in the town of Ainsworth called St. Paul’s.

English services were begun in 1914.  In 1916 Pastor Eggert drowned below the Plum Creek power station dam.

The two congregations, Zion and St. Paul’s, resolved in 1947 to amalgamate, making the town of Ainsworth the headquarters of the new congregation, at the St. Paul’s Church building, now called Zion Ev. Lutheran Church. 

A call was jointly sent to Rev. Walter Hartmann who was installed in May, 1947.  A ladies group had previously organized sometime during the years of 1921-1925 and organized anew in 1948 under the name of Zion Dorcas Circle.

In the summer of 1947, the parsonage, built in 1920, was moved into town.

The new congregation made a major resolution in the spring of 1948, to build a new church.  Ground was broken on May 6, 1948.  The cost of the new church was $40,000.  Dedication of the new church building was held August 6, 1950.

The construction of a new fellowship hall was started July 19, 1980 and completed in March of 1981.  On October 21, 1981, at 6:05,  in  the middle of our annual Turkey Supper, the floor collapsed, sending 200 people into the basement. After much pain and healing, much time and litigation, it was repaired and reoccupied in 1986.  The hall has been a great asset to both the congregation and to the community.