On the east side of Kent, Washington, just south of the Wilson Play Fields, a white church building with stained glass windows has gathered people around Word and Sacrament for more than a century. Zion Lutheran Church, an LCMC congregation with 320 baptized members, calls 25105 132nd Avenue SE home. The congregation describes itself as "a place that feels like home, filled with caring and friendly people; a place where sins are confessed and forgiven; and where the Good News of Jesus Christ is proclaimed in word and sacrament each week."
From Soos Creek to Kent's East Hill
Zion's story begins with a small group of Norwegian immigrants. In January 1901, a Ladies Aid was organized to address needs in the Kent area, and on January 10, 1903, ten men and their families officially organized what was first called the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Soos Creek. That same year the founding families began construction of their first church building. The Rev. E. B. Slettedahl served as the first pastor, sharing his time with Kent Lutheran Church; Zion did not become financially independent enough to call a full-time pastor until 1949.
Worship in those early years was conducted only in Norwegian until 1921, after which services alternated between English and Norwegian each Sunday. Members sat the way many had in the home churches they had left behind, with men and boys on one side and women, girls, and children on the other, a practice that continued into the 1920s. In 1929 women were recognized as voting members, and in 1946 the council approved the construction of the small white church still standing on the property. A Sunday School wing was added in 1951, and in 1958 the congregation officially changed its name to Zion Lutheran Church of Kent, Washington.
The current sanctuary was started in 1965 and dedicated in 1967, when the surrounding farmland was beginning to give way to suburban growth. The old "little white church" was repurposed in 1979 as the home of Sunshine Mountain Christian Preschool and Kindergarten, which remains affiliated with Zion. A separate education building was completed in 1994, and the entry area was expanded in 2010. Today the campus includes the sanctuary and office spaces, the education building, the preschool building, and three houses that Zion maintains as part of its property ministry.
Worship at the Center
Worship is described as "the central activity of our life together at Zion." The congregation is somewhat traditional in its practice, following a prescribed liturgy that is both spoken and sung and rooted in Scripture. Holy Communion is celebrated each Sunday. Services take place at 9:00 am and are also livestreamed on Zion's YouTube channel for those who want to participate from home.
Visitors who arrive on Sunday morning are greeted at the door, handed a printed bulletin, and find the service projected up front so they can follow along easily. A nursery is available for babies and toddlers, worship bags are offered for youngsters, and a Cry Room is set aside for families who want to stay together during worship. Ushers are on hand to assist with anything else that comes up.
After the service, members often linger over coffee and treats in the fellowship area, an offering coordinated by the Fellowship and Evangelism Team. Members of the congregation also serve as greeters, ushers, liturgists, scripture readers, communion assistants, and musicians. Zion Prays, a Sunday prayer gathering in the Prayer Room, follows worship at 10:30 am during the summer and shifts to 11:30 am during the school year.
REJOICE, RENEW, REACH OUT
Zion's mission statement is built around three action words. With God's help, the congregation commits to REJOICE in salvation as a gift through worship, witness, and stewardship; to RENEW the spiritual life of its members through education, fellowship, caring, and Lutheran heritage; and to REACH OUT to the diverse community around Zion by becoming aware of its needs and working to meet them.
Zion is part of Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ (LCMC), a fellowship of Lutheran congregations that partners together for mission and ministry. The current lead pastor, Rev. Kelly Westlund, was installed at Zion in 2024 after seventeen years of ministry at Richland Lutheran Church in Richland, Washington. She was ordained on October 1 of that year after beginning her journey toward pastoral ministry through seminary classes and earning a Master of Arts in Theology. Music ministry is led by Dr. Stephen Olsen, and Kara serves as the Youth and Family Coordinator.
Sunday School for Every Age
Sunday School at Zion runs from September through May, with classes starting at 10:15 am. The program is designed to meet learners where they are and walks them all the way through high school confirmation and beyond.
- Preschool (ages 3-5) gathers in "The Beginning" room, where children explore faith through age-appropriate play spaces, prayers, music, and storytelling.
- Elementary (kindergarten through 5th grade) starts each Sunday with music, including singing and chimes, then moves into Bible time and related activities. First graders receive their own Bibles as a gift from the congregation, and second graders participate in a spring sacrament class to prepare for First Communion.
- Middle School (6th through 8th grade) studies Martin Luther's Small Catechism alongside the Old and New Testaments, with the goal of affirming their baptism at confirmation. Middle schoolers are also encouraged to serve as acolytes during worship.
- High School meets in small study groups to explore what it means to be a Lutheran Christian in today's world.
- Adult Sunday School meets after worship to study Scripture and what it means for daily life, with rotating topics and guest voices from the wider Christian tradition.
Sunday School takes a summer break beginning June 1, and the program kicks off again each fall with Rally Day in mid-September.
Adult Learning, Serving, and Fellowship
Beyond Sunday morning, Zion offers a rich menu of small groups for adults. Two weekday Bible studies run during the school year, one meeting two Wednesday mornings each month and another meeting two Thursday mornings each month for a Lifelight study. On Mondays at 1:00 pm, Pastor Kelly leads a Bible Study Challenge that reads through the Bible over the course of a year. Thirsty Theologians gathers once a month at varying locations for dinner and discussion of a Bible-based topic, and the Men's Ministry usually meets on the first and third Sunday afternoons at 3:30 in the Faith Cafe, working through books like "Thirty Men Who Lived with Conviction" and studying books of the Bible such as Jeremiah.
Serving is woven into the rhythm of the week. A volunteer crew prepares and delivers a Thursday dinner for thirty clients attending classes at Vine Maple Place, an organization that works to end homelessness in the community. The same group contributes personal hygiene items to the Vine Maple Place Care Closet and assembles meals-in-a-bag. From January through April, the Mission Quilting group sews and ties quilts that are donated to Lutheran World Relief. The Ruth-Rachel women's circle meets regularly for Bible study, service, and fellowship, assembling more than 100 health kits each year for Lutheran World Relief and sending cards to shut-in members. A Helping Hands group prepares meals and offers encouragement to members of Zion who need extra support during a difficult season.
Fellowship groups at Zion reflect the congregation's Scandinavian heritage and intergenerational character. Crafters begin work in June to prepare for Julefest, the church women's annual Scandinavian-themed holiday bazaar held on the first Saturday of November. The Stitching and Hardanger embroidery group meets for needlework and conversation. Bunco nights and church picnics, Easter Breakfast, the Birthday Bash, and special recognitions for Mother's and Father's Days round out the calendar.
Reaching Out to the Community
Zion partners with a number of organizations in and around Kent. Members collect food weekly for the Kent Food Bank, with a shopping cart stationed in the Narthex for non-perishable donations. A Little Free Pantry on the north side of the property, next to the Wilson Play Fields, lets neighbors take what they need and leave what they can. The Helping Hands group partners with KentHOPE to cook meals each month and supply emergency needs, and supports Compass Housing Alliance. Zion also sends volunteers and books to the Awesome Readers program at Park Orchard Elementary, providing preschool and elementary-age readers for students in the area.
Mission work extends well beyond Kent. Each winter a team from Zion travels to Costa Rica for a week with Corner of Love, an organization that serves Nicaraguan refugees who have fled to that country. Members collect supplies throughout the year to support the trip. Lutheran World Relief receives the quilts and health kits produced by Zion's volunteers, channeling help to people experiencing global poverty.
Boy Scout Troop 87601 and Cub Scout Pack 87601 use Zion's facilities for their regular meetings, and the church maintains a charter for both units. Vacation Bible School takes place for one week each summer, and a Family Movie Night is held each month during the school year, complete with popcorn, blankets, and pillows.
Sunshine Mountain Preschool and Kindergarten
Sunshine Mountain Christian Preschool and Kindergarten has been affiliated with Zion Lutheran Church since its founding in 1979. The school operates out of the original little white church on the Zion campus, which was kept intact when the new sanctuary was built in 1967. Sunshine Mountain welcomes children from age 3 through kindergarten and partners with Zion to offer Christian education that meets academic, emotional, and spiritual needs. Parents interested in learning more can reach the school through the church office.
Giving and Endowment
Zion accepts donations on Sunday mornings at worship, by mail, in person at the office, online, and through bank e-check services. Ten percent of total worship income is directed to annual benevolence giving, split between designated recipients chosen by the congregation at the annual meeting each January and undesignated recipients reviewed quarterly by the Stewardship Ministry Team and approved by the Church Council.
The Memorial Fund has helped purchase the stained glass windows, the library conference table, the benches outside the Education Building, the paraments for the altar, and the banners used in worship. Names of those honored or remembered through the fund are recorded in a Memorial Book maintained by the Trust Committee. The Endowment Fund was established for those who want to leave a lasting gift to the congregation. Gifts to the Endowment Fund are invested permanently, and only the earnings are used; the grand piano in the sanctuary is one example of a purchase made possible through the Nora Matson Endowment. Members and friends can also support Zion by linking a Fred Meyer Rewards card to the church's Community Rewards number.
Planning a Visit
Worship takes place at 9:00 am each Sunday in the sanctuary at 25105 132nd Avenue SE in Kent. Greeters will hand out a bulletin at the door, the service is projected up front, and Holy Communion is shared each week. A nursery is available for babies and toddlers, and a Cry Room is set aside for families who want to worship together. After the service, members often gather for coffee and conversation.
Those who cannot attend in person can join the service through Zion's YouTube channel. The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm and can be reached at 253-631-0100 or office@zionkent.org. Sunday School for all ages begins each year on Rally Day in mid-September and runs through May, with classes meeting at 10:15 am.