A 125-Year Congregation on Pershing Drive
Zion Lutheran Church has stood on Pershing Drive in central El Paso for more than a century, rooted in the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod since its earliest days. The congregation today numbers around 400 people, small enough that members know one another by name and large enough to sustain a wide rhythm of ministries. Worship, Bible study, music, and outreach all share the same campus at 2800 Pershing Drive, where English-language services are accompanied by a growing Spanish-language ministry and a long-running partnership with the Ysleta Lutheran Mission across town.
On December 31, 2023, the congregation closed out its 125th anniversary year with a service of Prayer and Mission and a sermon on "Generation to Generation Blessed," pointing to a longer arc of ministry that reaches El Paso and Ciudad Juarez with the same Good News that has been passed down for generations.
Sunday Mornings at 10:30
Worship happens in one Sunday morning service at 10:30 am, in English. The pattern follows the church year: services of Holy Communion on the first and third Sundays of each month, with Services of "Prayer and Mission" on the second and fourth Sundays. The order of service draws on the LCMS liturgies - Divine Service Setting One and Divine Service Setting Four appear on the printed bulletins - and includes hymn, prayer, sermon, and either communion distribution or a service focused on prayer and mission. A children's activity bulletin accompanies each service, and bulletins are emailed weekly to anyone who subscribes.
Services are livestreamed on Zion's YouTube channel and Facebook page, so members who are traveling, ill, or living far from El Paso can still take part. After worship, a short time of fellowship offers a chance to greet neighbors before the week begins.
The Education Hour at 9:15
Christian education at Zion runs through the Sunday morning education hour at 9:15 am, beginning an hour before the service so that children, youth, and adults can study the same scripture and sermon theme. The Board of Education partners with parents on a curriculum designed to spark family discussions around God's Word during the week.
- Noah's Nursery - birth through age 3
- Dove - Pre-K through 2nd grade
- TIDE (Teens in Devotion Everyday) - grades 2 through 7
- Rise (Redeemed, Inspired, Seeking, and Empowered) - grades 8 through 12
- Worship Warriors - grades 6 and up, helping lead elements of the worship service
- Adult Bible Study - currently studying the Gospel of John, taught by Pastor Kirk, both in person and on Zoom
The adult class meets in the Zion Auditorium. To enter, walk through the playground gate and use the doors at the top of the ramp. For the Zoom option, the church office emails or texts a link to anyone who signs up.
Midweek in Lent and Advent
During the seasons of Lent and Advent, the congregation gathers on Wednesdays for the Service of Evening Prayer at 6:30 pm. In Lent, a soup and sandwich supper is served at 5:15 pm, except on Ash Wednesday. The Lenten series is built around contrasts - "Season of Contrast" on Ash Wednesday, then week by week: "Brokenness vs. Restoration," "Darkness vs. Light," "Despair vs. Hope," "Loss vs. Fellowship," and "Sin vs. Forgiveness." Christmas and Holy Week bring their own special services, including an outdoor Easter sunrise service at 7:00 am and an indoor Easter service at 10:30 am, with an Easter breakfast hosted by the youth group from 8:30 to 10:00 am in between.
Confirmation on Wednesday Nights
Confirmation classes meet on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:00 pm in the Zion Auditorium and are open to anyone age 11 and older - a youth who has not yet taken the class, a parent walking through the material with a child, or an adult seeking a refresher. Books are provided at no cost. The class studies and memorizes the key teachings of Luther's Small Catechism, building a foundation for lifelong growth in faith and Christian life.
Bible Study Groups for Every Schedule
Six Bible study groups meet on different days and at different locations through the year, rotating through fall (Labor Day to Thanksgiving), winter (New Year to Ash Wednesday), and spring (Easter to Summer Break) terms. Two groups meet year-round. Beyond the Sunday morning study on John, Zion hosts:
- Tuesday 11:00 am Women's Bible Study - in person, currently working through "Strong and Courageous" and other books together
- Tuesday 7:00 pm Online Zoom Small Group Bible Study
- Men's Theology Thursday - first Thursday of each month, with breakfast, conversation, and Scripture; all men are invited
- Westside Small Group Bible Study - meeting Thursdays on the west side of El Paso
- Tuesday 7:00 to 8:00 pm Youth Group - led by Pastor Kirk with youth leaders, including games, snacks, and a private BAND group for ongoing online connection
A lending library at Zion stocks materials to support these groups and any new study someone wants to start, and Portals of Prayer daily devotion booklets are available free at the church entrance and in the Auditorium.
Music: Choir, Handbells, and Mariachi San Pablo
Music shapes worship at Zion in three distinctive ways. The Choir and Handbell Choir rehearse on Wednesdays and Saturdays from August through May and lead worship throughout the year. No prior experience is needed, and David, who directs the music program, is always looking for new ringers and singers - handbells begin at 10 am and choir at noon on rehearsal days.
Alongside them, Mariachi San Pablo rehearses at Zion year-round in partnership with YLM Human Care, bringing the sound of mariachi into the congregation's outreach and fellowship events. The ensemble draws families and friends to a much-loved summer concert with ice cream, and it has become one of the most recognizable parts of Zion's ministry in El Paso.
Altar flowers add another seasonal touch: members can sign up to provide arrangements through a local florist for $23, and the flowers are sent home after the service.
Reaching Out: The Ysleta Lutheran Mission
Outreach at Zion is grounded in a long partnership with the Ysleta Lutheran Mission Human Care on El Paso's east side. Two of Zion's signature outreach efforts anchor the year.
The Lutheran Women's Missionary League at Zion organizes an annual Lenten food drive, gathering non-perishable items - pasta, cereal, rice, pinto beans, canned fruit, flour, sugar - for YLM's weekly food distribution. Donations are placed in a designated location in the Zion Auditorium.
In summer, the congregation collects backpacks and school supplies for YLM's "Back to School Distribution" to families in need. Items requested include new backpacks, notebook paper, spiral notebooks, #2 pencils, blue and black ballpoint pens, crayons, colored pencils, watercolor markers, and glue sticks. A Thrivent Action Grant has helped kickstart the bulk purchases, and items are delivered to YLM in July for distribution in mid-summer.
The Lutheran Women's Missionary League
The LWML at Zion meets monthly between September and May to plan mission-focused activities, human care, and outreach efforts. Members gather for Mother's Day and other seasonal celebrations, coordinate service projects, and support mission work throughout the world. The group has been central to Zion's food drive, school supply collection, and fellowship life.
Youth at Camp and in Service
Zion's youth also take part in summer camp at Lutheran Valley Retreat near Florissant, Colorado, where young people travel in early July to experience God's creation in the Pike National Forest. Camp activities include archery, tomahawk throwing, ropes courses, giant swings, crafts, and time with other Lutheran youth. Krysia Heimer coordinates registration through the Zion office. An Easter breakfast fundraiser, along with ongoing donations, helps cover the cost of camp and transportation.
Serving at Zion: Year-Round Volunteer Roles
Most ministry at Zion is carried by volunteers, and the church keeps a long list of year-round opportunities to match almost any schedule. Newcomers can fill out a short sign-up form and the office will connect them with a ministry leader. Roles cluster around several areas.
Worship Preparation and Assistance - altar care (preparing bread and wine for communion Sundays and matching paraments to the seasonal color), readers for the Old Testament and Epistle, ushers who help worshippers find seats and receive bulletins, "Cross Bearers" who welcome visitors and show hospitality, altar candle preparation, and youth acolytes who light candles, carry the processional cross, and assist in baptisms.
Technology and Media - worship service sound operators for in-person and livestreamed services, livestream camera operators, photographers, graphic design, online content upkeep, Spanish translation review, social media administration, video creation and editing, and Zoom meeting operations for Bible studies and meetings with online participants. Training is provided for newcomers.
Building Maintenance and Tasks - keeping the church plant in good repair, from small projects to larger workdays.
Kid's and Youth Ministry - assisting with Bible Camp, Youth Group, and Confirmation Classes as teachers, mentors, drivers, or snack-providers, plus support for banners and classroom setup.
Music and Art - supporting the choirs, handbells, and Mariachi San Pablo.
Fellowship - hosting meals and gatherings, including the church picnic at Memorial Park, chili cook-offs, and seasonal celebrations.
Groups for Serving and Learning - the Board of Elders (supporting and overseeing proper Biblical practices of worship and teaching), the Church Council (overseeing budget, facilities, supplies, and group communication), the Education Board and Teachers of Children and Youth, the LWML, the Prayer Network (praying for the needs of people requesting prayer), "Stitches for Jesus" (a class for those who knit, crochet, and cross-stitch), the Outreach Team (planning activities that communicate the Gospel with people outside Zion, help the community, and invite participation), and the 125th Anniversary Committee.
Mission: Standing Strong, Reaching Out, Growing Together
Zion organizes its life around three convictions.
Standing Strong. Not by its own strength but by the strength of God, the congregation relies fully on Christ and points others to His love and provision. He comes to His people and strengthens them through His Word, by His Holy Spirit in baptism, and in Holy Communion. His strength then flows through transformed lives for the good of others.
Reaching Out. Eternal life and all of God's good gifts were won by Jesus Christ for all people, of every nation, language, race, age, background, and economy. Zion's members commit to letting El Paso know of His salvation and to welcoming anyone who wishes to be part of the Christian community.
Growing Together. God brings His people into friendship, care, and shared purpose with one another. Husbands and wives grow in love. Children and youth learn their place in God's family. Care for the world - for orphans, widows, prisoners, and neighbors in need - flows out of the ongoing transformation of lives used as His instruments of care.
Two Languages, One Congregation
Sunday worship services are held in English, but Zion has invested steadily in Spanish-language ministry. Weekly announcements, bulletins, Bible studies, children's ministry, confirmation, and the pastor's "Juntos Más" writings are translated and published in Spanish, along with many other posts. The church's bilingual office assistant role welcomes Spanish skills, and Zion's materials serve El Paso's bilingual community on both sides of the border.
Learning Resources and Devotions
Zion points members to a wider library of Lutheran learning. Resources include Lutheran Hour Ministries' "Our Basic Beliefs" video series, online independent study courses from LHM, and materials from Concordia Publishing House. Portals of Prayer daily devotion booklets sit free at the church entrance and in the Auditorium, and the Zion Lending Library stocks materials for new study groups. The church also links to "At Home in the Word," a weekly resource that takes the previous Sunday's readings into the week for family devotion.
Pastor, Staff, and Leaders
Pastor Kirk Triplett serves as the congregation's pastor, preaching at Sunday worship, leading the adult Bible study on the Gospel of John, and gathering the youth on Tuesday evenings. He is supported by Stephanie Lettunich, the church administrative assistant, and by a large team of volunteer leaders serving on the church council, the Board of Elders, the Education Board, the LWML, and in worship, music, and technology. David directs the choir and handbell programs. Krysia Heimer coordinates youth camp registration. Together with the many ministry leaders, they carry the work of a congregation that aims to be small enough to feel like family and large enough to engage in ministry together.
Giving and Staying Connected
Offerings can be made by mail, online through Vanco, or through the Vanco Mobile Faith Engagement app on iOS and Android. Members and friends can subscribe to a weekly email that includes the livestream link for Sunday worship, the Zoom link for the Sunday morning Bible study, and a PDF of the bulletin. Zion's YouTube channel and Facebook page host livestreams and recordings of past services, while the church's archive of weekly announcements and bulletins makes it easy to follow along at home.