A 150-Year Ministry on Cole Road
Zion Lutheran Church and School has been part of Monroe, Michigan for more than 150 years. The congregation on Cole Road worships as a member of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), a fellowship that holds the Bible as the inspired Word of God and the only source of truth. Generations of Monroe families have attended Zion Lutheran School on the same campus, and the church continues to see Christian education as central to its calling, drawing on Proverbs 22:6: "Train a child up in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."
Sunday Worship and Wednesday Nights
Sunday worship is held at 9:00 a.m., with a second midweek service on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. Both follow a traditional Lutheran order of service with sermon, congregational singing, and weekly prayer. Once a month, on the second Tuesday, an afternoon service is held at 1:30 p.m. for members and visitors who find an evening or morning gathering difficult to attend. The Holy Sacrament of Holy Communion is celebrated on the first and third Sundays of the month, at the Wednesday service that comes before each of those Sundays, and at the monthly Tuesday service.
Every service is also livestreamed on YouTube, with the full service folder and bulletin posted alongside each week's video. An archive of recent services, complete with bulletins, is kept online so members who are traveling or homebound can keep up with the church's worship life.
JESUS CARES Special Needs Worship
Zion hosts a monthly JESUS CARES worship service for individuals with special needs and their families, held on Sunday afternoons. JESUS CARES is a ministry of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod designed to bring the Gospel to people of all abilities through simplified liturgy, music, and teaching. The service is open to anyone in the wider Monroe community who would benefit from a worship setting adapted to the needs of each participant.
What Zion Believes
Zion describes its faith simply and directly. The congregation confesses that the Bible is the inspired Word of God and the only source of truth, and that through the perfect life and innocent death of Jesus Christ, believers receive the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. As a Christian church and a member of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, Zion follows the Great Commission of Matthew 28, seeking to make disciples through the Means of Grace God has entrusted to the church.
The congregation outlines its mission around three commitments: nurturing one another's faith through regular worship, Bible study, and the Word and Sacraments; reaching the lost by equipping members to share the Christian message; and building Christian fellowship through a variety of opportunities for mutual support.
Sunday School, Bible Study, and Catechism
Christian education for every age runs alongside the worship schedule. Sunday School meets from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. during the school year for children ages 3 through fifth grade, with Old and New Testament lessons and opportunities to learn about serving others. Adult Bible Class meets at the same hour on Sunday mornings in the church basement.
On Tuesday mornings, a Bible class gathers from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. in the church lounge. For public school students preparing for confirmation, classes are held on Mondays during the school year. Parents interested in enrolling their student can contact Pastor Ulrich.
Zion Lutheran School
Sharing the Cole Road campus with the church, Zion Lutheran School offers a preschool and elementary program that integrates academics with daily instruction in the Christian faith. The school publishes a year-long calendar each spring and maintains two blogs that keep families informed: the Zion School Connection Blog and the Zion Preschool Weekly Blog. Teachers share classroom activities, special events, and ideas for faith at home throughout the school year.
Pastor Greg Sitzman
Pastor Greg Sitzman has served as Zion's pastor since 2022. A graduate of Martin Luther College and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, he previously served Emmanuel Redeemer Lutheran Church in Yale, Michigan, and completed his vicar year at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in College Station, Texas. He and his wife Stepfanie, whom he met while at Martin Luther College and married in 2011, have five children. Zion is also served by Pastor Ulrich, who teaches the public school confirmation classes.
Devotional Resources and Connection
Members of Zion are encouraged to take advantage of several WELS devotional resources, including Daily Devotions, Family Devotions, Teen Devotions, and Military Devotions, as well as the Time of Grace video series. The Messenger Newsletter shares news from the congregation and school, and a public Google Calendar of Zion's events is available for anyone who wants to keep track of services and school activities.