Mt. Zion Lutheran Church on German Hill in Tionesta will celebrate its 175-year anniversary on Sunday, July 21, with a special service at 1 p.m., followed by a meal. Established on July 17, 1849, as a log church on land donated by Sara Ann Ford, it has undergone several changes, including a new frame building in 1864, a cornerstone laid in 1897, a Narthex addition in 1963, a social hall in 1995, and a new bell tower in 2005. The church has had a long history of pastors, with the Rev. Samuel Mabugu being the most recent, retiring in February 2022. The church, currently served by retired and lay pastors, has seen generations of families like the Blums, who have nine generations in its membership, and other prominent names such as Glassner, Weingard, and Wagner. The church cemetery reflects its deep historical roots with numerous family names etched in its history.
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