Set along Frankstown Road in Penn Hills, just east of Pittsburgh, Zion Lutheran Church has long served as a steady presence in a residential stretch of Allegheny County. A congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and a member of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod, Zion gathers neighbors around a simple three-part motto: Experience God. Grow in Faith. Serve Others. That rhythm shapes everything from Sunday worship to the food pantry in the parking lot to the apartment on the property that has sheltered families in transition for nearly thirty years.
Sunday Worship at 9:30
Worship is at the center of life at Zion. The congregation meets in person at 11609 Frankstown Road every Sunday at 9:30 a.m., and the same service is livestreamed on the church's public Facebook page, where recordings remain available for thirty days. Interim Pastor David Rike leads a service that the church describes as liturgical - meaning "the work of the people" - and contemporary in the way it speaks to the present day. The basic shape of the service has been used by Christians for centuries: the congregation gathers with song and prayer, hears the Word through Scripture readings and sermon, comes to the Table for Holy Communion, and is sent out as disciples.
Music is woven through the liturgy. Andrew Sabol directs the music ministry, coordinating hymns, sung portions of the service, and special music offered by individuals and small groups. Visitors who don't read music are welcome to follow along in the bulletin, which lays out the entire order of service so no one is left guessing what comes next.
Holy Communion and the Sharing of the Peace
Holy Communion is a regular part of Sunday worship at Zion. Lutherans understand the sacrament as a means of grace in which Christ is truly present in the bread and wine. All who believe are welcome at the table; infants and anyone who prefers not to receive communion are invited to come forward for a blessing instead. About midway through the service, the congregation shares the peace of Christ - a moment when worshipers greet one another, and visitors are likely to receive a warm welcome.
Christian Education for All Ages
Education at Zion is not reserved for the youngest members. Children and youth gather after worship each Sunday at 10:45 a.m. during the school year. Sunday School serves children from preschool age through fifth grade, with classes meeting in the lower level of the building. Children grab a snack in the Gathering Space after the service, then head downstairs to the Nursery for lessons, crafts, and activities built around that week's Scripture. Parents pick them up at noon.
Confirmation meets at the same hour in the Christian Education office and is open to youth in junior high and high school. The class combines learning with hands-on servant projects and game nights throughout the year. Adults have their own options, including a Wednesday Bible Study that meets in the Gerhard Lounge from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. during the school year, offered both in person and on Zoom. There is also an Intergenerational Sunday Class open to people of all ages, which gathers around special topics, area worship services, mission opportunities, and fellowship events. A Book Club meets in the Gerhard Lounge on the third Monday of each month from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.
The Food Pantry: 88,000 Pounds in a Year
Zion's food pantry is one of the most visible expressions of the congregation's commitment to its neighbors. The pantry is entirely volunteer-run and operates on the second Saturday of each month from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. as a drive-thru distribution in the church parking lot. There are no requirements to receive food - all are welcome. The pantry partners with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, purchasing shelf-stable items, fresh produce and dairy, and frozen meat. On average, volunteers serve about 150 households each month, distributing more than 88,000 pounds of food to roughly 1,900 people in the past year alone. Donations of food and time are welcomed.
The Apartment: Three Decades of Housing
Behind the food pantry statistics is a quieter, longer-running ministry. An apartment on Zion's property has provided housing for nearly thirty years. It began as temporary housing for families of transplant patients waiting for organs or recovering in Pittsburgh, and later shifted to housing for refugee and asylum-seeking families. Today the apartment is leased to a local family as affordable housing - one more way the property is used to serve the wider community.
Community Events and Support Groups
Beyond its own programs, Zion opens its building to a range of community and support groups. AlAnon meets on Mondays at 1:00 p.m. and Wednesdays from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m.; Gamblers Anonymous gathers on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m.; and the Eastern Area Youth Chorale rehearses on Sundays from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. A local Jazzercise group uses the facility several days a week, and Thomas Child Care, a licensed childcare program with a STAR rating from the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Learning, operates out of the building. The congregation also hosts indoor and outdoor events throughout the year, including flea markets, pet blessing services, and Easter egg hunts, and welcomes ideas for new gatherings.
What Lutherans Believe at Zion
Zion's teaching centers on a small number of convictions common to the Lutheran tradition. Members confess faith in the Triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - and hold the Bible as the inspired Word of God. Salvation is by grace alone, a free and undeserved gift apart from any work or worth on the human side. The crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the means of salvation from sin and death. Baptism is the means of grace by which God claims each person as a child of God, and Holy Communion is the means of grace through which believers encounter the real presence of Christ in bread and wine. The priesthood of all believers means every Christian is called to ministry in the church and in daily life. As a congregation of the ELCA - a denomination of more than 8,400 worshipping communities across the United States and the Caribbean - and as part of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod, Zion sees itself as a place where all are welcome and grace is the guiding principle.
Coming for a Visit
Visitors will find Zion easy to reach. From the Parkway (I-376), take the Penn Hills exit, follow Rodi Road to the top of the hill, and turn left onto Frankstown Road; the church sits on the right. The parking lot wraps around the back of the building, and the rear door is equipped with an automatic opener. Inside the Gathering Space, greeters can help with coats, water, and directions to the sanctuary, which lies just past the coat rack through a set of double doors. There is no dress code - some worshipers wear Sunday-best, others come in casual clothes - and there are no reserved seats. Large-print bulletins and assisted listening devices are available on request, the building is accessible, and wheelchairs and walkers can be borrowed from the greeters. Families with young children will find activity bags at the back of the sanctuary and a dedicated Prayground space for worshiping with little ones. A short children's sermon follows the Gospel reading, and children are invited to the front of the sanctuary for it. Fellowship and refreshments follow each Sunday service.