Due to the shortage of pastors from the earliest days, this congregation was part of what was called the Grimsville Parish. This parish consisted of Dunkel’s; Frieden’s Stony Run; New Bethel, Kempton; and this congregation New Bethel Zion, Grimsville.
On May 11, 1958, Reverend Paul H. Spohn was called as pastor. He was the pastor of the four church parish until 1962 when the four parish arrangement was discontinued. The two northern churches Frieden’s, Stony Run and New Bethel, Kempton became a two church parish; while Dunkel’s and New Bethel Zion, Grimsville became another two church parish.
In 1962, Reverend Spohn left New Bethel Zion to serve the northern parish. Reverend Donald Wert was called in May 1962 to be the pastor of Dunkel’s and New Bethel Zion, Grimsville.
In 1969, when total membership reached five hundred under the direction of Rev. Donald Wert, the two church parish ended and some of Dunkel’s Lutheran members joined New Bethel Zion. In 1976, the Lutheran and Reformed union arrangement was dissolved. The Lutheran congregation conducted a Capital Fund Campaign to raise the money to purchase the half of the church which belonged to the Reformed congregation, and the latter built a new church in nearby Krumsville, became incorporated as Mt. Zion Lutheran Church and the Reformed congregation erected a new church in Krumsville, known as New Jerusalem Zion United Church of Christ. On March 31, 1976, the Lutheran congregation officially changed the name from “New Bethel Zion” to the present “Mount Zion Lutheran Church”.
Our new name comes from Psalm 48:2 “Beautiful for salvation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mt. Zion;…. the home of the great king!”
After serving our congregation for almost twelve years, Reverend Werr resigned in February 1974. In September 1974 Reverend Israel Yost became our pastor, but he was never installed. Reverend Yost resigned March 31, 1975.
Reverend Ernest Flothmeier was called to his congregation on September 14, 1975. Pastor Flothmeier retired on December 31, 1983, after serving eight years. On June 17, 1984, Reverend Jeffrey Bortz became our pastor. He resigned on August 22, 1991. Reverend David S. Fritch took office in April 1994 after serving in Woodstock, Virginia for eleven years. Pastor Fritch retired two years later on May 31, 1996, due to illness. On October 6, 1996, Reverend Guy Grube began his pastorate at Mt. Zion after serving eleven years at Lehighton, Pennsylvania. He retired in 2001.
