Zion Lutheran Church and School sits on Old Highway 94 South in St. Charles, Missouri, drawing families from across St. Charles County, St. Peters, Cottleville, O'Fallon, and the greater St. Louis area. The congregation was organized in 1884, and the school began in 1851 as a branch school of Immanuel Lutheran Church, two years after Immanuel's own founding in St. Charles. Together they form one of the oldest continuous Lutheran ministries in the region, and the school now enrolls more than 575 students from an Early Learning Program for 18-month-olds through eighth grade, making it the largest Lutheran grade school in St. Charles County. As the school approaches its 175th anniversary of Christian education, the campus celebrates that heritage each year through a Hymn Festival and other long-running traditions.
The mission of Zion Lutheran Church and School is a single sentence that runs through everything from Sunday worship to eighth-grade graduation: To nurture and expand God's family as we proclaim Jesus Christ, who restores the broken, and leads us to reach into our community with acts of love and service. The school restates that vision in its own words: Ministering to families in Jesus' love while embracing, equipping, and enhancing each child's gifts for acts of service.
Worship on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday in Summer
Zion offers worship three times a week for most of the year and adds a fourth in summer. Saturday evening service begins at 5:00 p.m., with two Sunday morning services at 8:00 and 10:30 a.m.. From June through August, an additional Monday evening service is held at 7:00 p.m. The congregation describes its style as traditional worship blended with contemporary elements. Services follow the historic liturgy, including classic Lutheran orders of worship with organ or piano accompaniment, hymns drawn from the Lutheran Service Book, some newer songs, Scripture readings, confession and absolution, a creed, and the celebration of Holy Communion. Acolytes (the current confirmands) carry the light of the Gospel, lay readers proclaim the lessons, and choirs, handbells, instrumental ensembles, and soloists add to the music. Ushers and Greeters offer a warm handshake at every entrance; Elders assist with the reverent conduct of services.
Visitors can complete an attendance card and leave contact information so the staff can say thank you. There are no reserved seats, and the congregation encourages an easy, family-friendly atmosphere. Communion is closed, practiced in fellowship with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, and members of other LCMS congregations are welcomed to share in the sacrament.
The church year is observed thoughtfully. During Lent, Ash Wednesday services are held at 3:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. (with dinner beforehand), followed by Midweek Lenten services at the same hours; Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil (Saturday 5:00 p.m.), and Easter Sunday services at 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 a.m. fill out Holy Week. At Advent, women gather for an evening called Advent by Candlelight, and the choir leads the congregation in special music throughout the season.
Worship is livestreamed on Vimeo for those unable to attend in person, and weekly bulletins are posted online so members can revisit past sermons.
What Sundays Look Like: Sunday School, Bible Class, and a Nursery
Between the 8:00 and 10:30 services, from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m., the campus hums with Christian education for every age.
- Sunday School meets in the school commons for children from preschool through fifth grade, with Bible lessons, singing, crafts, games, activities, and snacks.
- Junior High Sunday School, called CHAOS (Challenge, Hear, Act, Offer, Serve), gathers 6th- through 8th-graders in the Junior High Building under two long-time teachers, Jeff and Taylor Demien.
- Senior High Sunday School meets in the Family Life Center, taught by the youth director.
- Adult "Higher" Education Bible Class meets in the church basement at 9:30 a.m., with a separate senior Bible class called ACTS (Active Christians Through Study) gathering on Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. for Bible study and refreshments.
- Nursery care is provided at 9:30 a.m. on Sundays by two or three volunteers so parents can attend adult Bible study between services.
During worship itself, children are cherished, not sidelined. A children's message before the sermon invites kids forward for a special lesson tailored to them, and worship bags with supplies sit at the back of the sanctuary. A cry room is available for families with little ones.
Grace Alone, Faith Alone, Scripture Alone
Zion is a congregation of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, and the congregation's confession of faith can be summarized in three Reformation watchwords:
Grace Alone (Sola Gratia). God loves the people of the world even though they are sinful and rebel against Him. He sent Jesus, His Son, to love the unlovable and save the ungodly.
Faith Alone (Sola Fide). By His suffering and death as the substitute for all people of all time, Jesus purchased and won forgiveness and eternal life. Those who hear this Good News and believe it receive the eternal life it offers. God creates faith in Christ and gives people forgiveness through Him.
Scripture Alone (Sola Scriptura). The Bible is God's inerrant and infallible Word, in which He reveals His Law and His Gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ. It is the sole rule and norm for Christian doctrine.
The congregation accepts and teaches the Bible-based teachings of the 16th-century Reformation as summarized in these phrases and articulated in the Lutheran Confessions (the Book of Concord). Zion confesses the three ecumenical creeds - Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian - and celebrates the two Sacraments: Holy Baptism, including infant baptism, as God's gift of forgiveness and new life, and Holy Communion as Christ's true body and blood for the forgiveness of sins.
The word "Synod" comes from the Greek for "walking together." Congregations voluntarily choose to belong to the LCMS, and though they are diverse in their service to their communities, they share a common confession of Jesus Christ as taught in Holy Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.
A School on the Same Campus Since 1851
The history of Christian education in this congregation predates the founding of the church itself. 1851 saw the opening of a branch school of Immanuel Lutheran Church, just two years after Immanuel's founding, underscoring the early Lutheran commitment to Christian day school education. In 1884, growth in the Harvester area led to the formation of Zion Lutheran Church as an independent congregation, with the school continuing seamlessly under its care. Rapid enrollment growth in 1983 prompted construction of a new ten-room school building, and steady expansion through the 1990s and 2000s brought the remodeled Sonshine Center for early childhood in 2001 and a new sanctuary in 2003. In 2014, Zion opened a state-of-the-art Early Childhood wing and commons to meet growing demand.
The campus today has four buildings: the Main School (elementary classrooms, gymnasium, and office), the Junior High Building, the Sonshine Center for Early Learning and Preschool, and a dedicated Early Childhood wing. Zion Lutheran School is accredited by the National Lutheran School Accreditation (of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod) and the State of Missouri, admitting students of any race, color, national, or ethnic origin.
Test scores rank in the top 20% nationwide, and 75% of graduates go on to Lutheran High School in St. Charles County, extending the Christ-centered education from 18 months through 8th grade and beyond. Sixty-two percent of faculty hold master's degrees or higher, and the average student-teacher ratio is 22:1. One-to-one technology (iPads for grades 1-3, MacBooks for grades 4-8) is integrated into a Google for Education environment.
Programs include:
- Early Learning Program (ELP, 18 months through Preschool): Two, three, four, or five days a week, half day (8:00-11:30 a.m.) or full day (8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.), with mixed-age classrooms (18-36 months together; 3-5 year-olds together) and low ratios of 1:4 to 1:8. About 230 young students fill early-childhood classrooms each week. Project Construct, Handwriting Without Tears, Second Step social-emotional learning, and the One in Christ series anchor the curriculum, with SMARTboards in every room. Before-and-after care is available.
- Kindergarten: Half-day and full-day options with weekly chapel, Physical Education, Music, Library, field trips, and family celebrations including Moms, Dads, and Grandparents Days.
- Elementary (Grades 1-5): Ready Math, Structured Literacy, Science & STEM, Social Studies, daily Bible integration, weekly chapel, music, art, library, and field trips.
- Junior High (Grades 6-8): Departmentalized classes in Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, and Math for grades 7-8; differentiated math tracking from sixth grade; two periods of Spanish per week in grades 7-8 (with cultural fiestas involving food, crafts, and music); competitive athletics; and leadership opportunities.
Tuition varies by grade and program, with flexible Joyful Response automatic deductions and confidential financial aid through FACTS Grant & Aid Assessment. The school also runs a Summer Day Camp for ages 2 through fifth grade with weekly chapel, themed activities, water play, arts and crafts, and field trips.
Daily Faith in the School Day
Religion and chapel are woven into the school day, not added on. Wednesday chapel is a rhythm students look forward to, with worship and a message tailored to their age. The school counselor, Chris Tomlinson, integrates biblical truth with evidence-based practices, serving K-8 Bobcats (the school mascot) through classroom guidance lessons on friendship, emotional regulation, bullying prevention, and character rooted in Scripture; short-term individual counseling; small groups for grief, social skills, and anxiety; crisis intervention; and referrals to trusted community partners when families need deeper help.
The school counseling program is aligned with the Missouri Comprehensive School Counseling Program through the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Music, art, and physical education round out the week, and students in grades 4-8 may join the Strings program, while 5th-8th graders can participate in the Band and Choir programs (Jubilant Voice for 5th grade, Joyful Noise for grades 6-8). Concerts and chapels fill the calendar throughout the year.
Bobcats Athletics
Zion's Bobcat athletics program, primarily for grades 5-8, competes through the St. Louis Lutheran Athletic League and other competitions. The philosophy is straightforward: every practice, every game, every season is meant to nurture body, mind, and spirit. Athletes are expected to exhibit a positive Christian attitude in victory and defeat, discover their God-given traits, demonstrate Christ-like sportsmanship, and appreciate God's gift of physical health.
Teams include Volleyball (boys' and girls'; 5th, 6th, JV, Varsity), Soccer (coed; JV and Varsity), Basketball (boys' and girls'; 5th, 6th, Varsity), Cross Country (coed; JV and Varsity), Cheerleading (girls; Varsity), Track & Field (boys and girls; JV and Varsity), and Summer Basketball. In 5th grade every player receives equal playing time; in 6th grade everyone participates with playing time based on effort; in JV (7th-8th) tryouts determine placement; in Varsity (7th-8th) playing time is earned through skill, effort, and dedication.
Children and Youth Programs that Reach Beyond Sunday
Children's ministry at Zion is led by Angie Steinbacher and centers on the conviction that following Jesus is a journey, not a destination, so learning happens at every age.
Milestone Ministry walks families through eight classes that build healthy spiritual habits from preschool through fifth grade, focusing on prayer, family and personal devotions, reading Scripture, and worship. Each class gives parents and children resources and tools to continue these habits at home. Parents and kids sign up by grade level.
Sprouts is a Tuesday morning ministry for parents and caregivers of children ages birth through five. The group gathers for Jesus time, process art, sensory play, service projects, music and movement, and once a month a nature walk. They meet during the school year, usually in the nursery.
S.H.E.L.L. Seekers (Showering Heaven's Everlasting Light on Life) is Zion's baptism program, a one-time class for parents or caregivers wanting to have their child baptized.
Vacation Bible School takes place every summer in June. For one week (9:00 a.m. to noon), preschoolers through sixth graders enjoy Bible-based adventures, with dates announced on the events page.
The Ephpheta Aftercare Program (EAC) is a long-standing mission. A team of Zion members gathers every Tuesday at one of Bethlehem's three after-school-care locations to lead the children in Bible activities, dinner, and fun.
Junior High students (grades 6-8) gather for Sunday morning CHAOS, then alternate months between Recreation Events and Small Group Bible studies. Movie nights happen monthly. Senior High students (grades 9-12) have their own Sunday School at 9:30 a.m., with monthly Recreation Events, Small Group Bible studies, monthly movie nights, and regular service opportunities such as helping with the Sausage Supper and making Easter Breakfast for the whole church. Older youth also volunteer to serve the broader community and have already begun fundraising for the LCMS National Youth Gathering in San Antonio, Texas, scheduled for 2028.
A Women's Network of Ministries
Zion's Women's Network connects ministries across the congregation so that every woman - and any curious guest - can find a place to belong. Women meet for Bible study, prayer, creative service, and joyful events.
- Advent by Candlelight marks the start of Advent with an evening of preparation and fellowship.
- Baptismal Banner Team meets weekly to make banners for infants and children baptized at Zion.
- Crafters produce handmade items for two annual craft sales, with proceeds benefiting Zion's church, school, and outreach ministries. Men are welcome to participate.
- Girlfriend Gathering, held in late February (hosted by Zion in even-numbered years and by Chapel of the Cross in odd-numbered years), is a women's conference with gifted speakers and break-out sessions.
- Ladies' Aid Society, affiliated with the Lutheran Women's Missionary League (LWML), donates mites to LWML missions, works on mission quilts, serves funeral luncheon families, hosts an annual August card party, and provides oil for church candles.
- Saint Charles County Lutherans for Life (LFL) equips Lutherans and neighbors to be Gospel-motivated voices for life and ministers personally to people as opportunities arise.
- Mary Martha Society, part of the LWML, serves the church through altar guild, flower team, hospitality, and a December coffee hour. The group also prepares a Lenten Soup 'N Salad meal.
- Altar Guild, a committee of Mary Martha, cleans the chancel area weekly, sets up and cleans communion ware and linens, and launders sacred linens.
- Moms in Prayer meets weekly during the school year to pray for teachers, staff, students, and special concerns.
- Nursery Ministry provides childcare on Sunday mornings during the Higher Education classes between services.
- Quilting Club gathers for Christian fellowship and produces beautiful quilts that fund God's work at Zion.
- Treble Choir, a women's-only ensemble, practices weekly from fall through spring and leads worship at select services and special events. Anyone from high school age up is welcome.
- Women of Grace, an eight-week program based on Titus 2:3-5, pairs older and younger women for topical study ending in a husband-inclusive Celebration Meal.
- Women's Bible Study meets Wednesday mornings, Wednesday afternoons, and Thursday evenings during the academic year, with a simultaneous children's program in the morning class.
- Women's Retreat Ministry plans an annual offsite weekend of Renewal, Reconnection, and Relaxation.
Life Ministries: Bible Study for Adults at Every Age
Adults have many on-ramps into Scripture at Zion. The flagship Sunday morning Bible Class meets at 9:30 a.m. in the church basement; the senior ACTS class meets Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m.; Women's Bible Study meets Wednesdays at 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. and Thursdays at 6:00 p.m., all in the Family Life Center; a Young Adult Bible study for those in their 20s and 30s meets Wednesdays from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the Chapel (with Lenten fellowship at 6:00 p.m. and a 7:00 p.m. Lenten service during the season); and a Men's Bible Study gathers on the second and fourth Saturday mornings of each month at 7:30 a.m. for a light breakfast, with the study running 8:00 to 9:00 a.m. in the Family Life Center, often producing service opportunities for the congregation.
Worship & Music Ministries
Music and the arts have always been a major part of Zion's witness. Mark Thoelke directs worship and music, and the Music Department features choirs, handbell groups, and instrumental ensembles. Liturgical teams arrange seasonal altar flowers and create paraments and banners for the sanctuary; the Altar Flower Team (sponsored by the Mary Martha Society) handles poinsettia and Easter lily displays; the Sanctuary Arts Team designs, creates, and maintains seasonal and temporary visual art; the Acolyte Team (current confirmands) carries light into worship; and the Lay Reader team proclaims God's Word. The Technology Team handles sound, lighting, cameras, and live streaming for the Vimeo broadcast.
Support Ministries That Keep the Campus Running
Behind every Sunday service, school day, and choir practice is a network of volunteers who quietly hold the ministry together. Teams include Counting Teams that count weekend, holiday, and special-service offerings; the Church Décor Team that paints and designs displays outside the sanctuary; the Facilities Team that cares for buildings and grounds; the Garden Tenders that tend plants and trees; the Home Bound Ministry that brings the Church to members who cannot attend; the Kitchen Team; the Memorial Team that publishes wish-list items; and the Quilters, who gather on Tuesdays for fellowship and craft.
The Sausage Supper Team plans the long-running fall Sausage Supper, a church-wide event with cooking, serving, and administration. The Endowment Fund receives, manages, and distributes funding for scholarships and improvements, providing ongoing, reliable income to support student scholarships, future church workers, facility enhancements, and ministry initiatives.
LERT (Lutheran Early Response Team) is a disaster-response ministry. Volunteers complete a certification course so they can serve with a local team when storms or other disasters strike, helping storm-damage victims with cleanup.
Pastoral Care, Counseling, and Recovery Support
Zion's pastors, Rev. Mark Rouland (Senior Pastor) and Rev. Dr. Mike Fieberkorn (Associate Pastor), along with school leaders, provide pastoral care for families experiencing a life event or crisis. The Resources page links members to LCMS Health Ministry, Adoption/Pregnancy Support through Lutheran Family Service of Missouri, LCMS Life Resources, the LCMS Foundation for estate and gift planning, and Lutheran Hour Ministries daily devotionals.
Counseling and emotional support resources include Mental Health through LCMS Restoring Hope, Look Up Indiana for faith and mental health, Key Ministry for disability and trauma, Lutheran Family Service for Christian counseling, Grieving with Hope, and Aging Ahead for older adults. Zion also hosts AA and AL-ANON meetings on its campus for those seeking recovery; meeting times are available from the church office.
Confirmation and Membership
Confirmation prepares youth to publicly acknowledge their faith, drawing on the Lutheran tradition of catechesis. Members of all ages are invited to take the next step through New Member Classes, which cover Lutheran teachings, Scripture, and the church's mission. Pastor or the office can connect prospective members with the appropriate instruction; transfers from other LCMS congregations and new believers preparing for baptism or confirmation are warmly welcomed.
Campus Life: Accessibility, Building Use, and the School Year
The campus at 3866 Old Hwy 94 South, St. Charles, MO 63304, is designed with accessibility in mind. Ample parking sits right at the entrance, with clearly marked accessible spaces and smooth, ramped walkways - no stairs or curbs to navigate. Whether joining Saturday evening worship, Sunday morning services, or a school event, families find a comfortable, easy-to-navigate space.
The facilities are available for ministry activities, non-ministry events, and weddings through the Facilities/Reservations process. Visitors to the school for a tour park in the main lot near the school office, where welcoming signs point the way; for sporting events the gymnasium is at the back of campus, accessed from the main school parking area off Old Hwy 94 South.
The school year is filled with long-running traditions, including the Trunk or Treat evening in October (with candy, inflatables, music, and safe family fun in the church parking lot for kindergarten through eighth grade); the Bobcat Benefit Dinner Auction; Trivia Night; the Golf Tournament at Pevely Farms Golf Club; the Bobcat Shuffle at Legacy Park in Cottleville; and Trunk or Treat alongside an Early Childhood Fall Festival for ELP and Preschool. A 23rd Annual Hymn Festival will celebrate 175 years of Christian education at Zion Lutheran School on November 1, 2026, featuring the choirs and instrumentalists. School life throughout the year hinges on weekly chapel, music and band concerts, and spring musicals.
Giving That Powers the Mission
Online giving is available through Pushpay, where members can give to general ministry, the Endowment Fund, or specific causes. Gifts to the Endowment Fund are invested wisely, with only the earnings distributed annually to provide perpetual support for student scholarships, future church workers, facility enhancements, and ministry initiatives. Other giving options include check by mail, planned giving through a will or IRA, and stock or asset transfers.
The Together We're Better (TWB) program turns everyday purchases into school blessings. Families purchase gift cards for groceries, restaurants, gas, and more through ShopWithScrip; Zion receives a rebate percentage on every purchase (the first $100 of earnings going fully to the school, with subsequent rebates split 50/50 between the school and the family's next-year registration fees). Past impact has included more than $20,000 raised for new playground equipment, a security door system, gym pads, and AV upgrades.
A Church That Has Walked Together Since 1851
From a branch school of Immanuel Lutheran Church in 1851 to today's campus of more than 575 students, Zion's story is one of generations teaching generations the same catechism, the same hymns, and the same Gospel. The congregation worships in historic Lutheran liturgy, gathers at tables for funeral luncheons and Wednesday-night Lenten suppers, marches together to the National Youth Gathering every three years, and walks side by side with families from St. Charles, St. Peters, Cottleville, O'Fallon, and beyond. Whether a guest pulls up on a Saturday evening or a long-time member settles into a Family Life Center chair for Bible study on a Wednesday morning, the welcome is the same: come as you are, grow in God's Word, and join a family that has been proclaiming Jesus Christ in St. Charles County for more than 170 years.