About five miles north of Gothenburg sits a beautiful brick church that has served the congregation of Zion Lutheran for more than 60 years. Over the years, Zion - like many rural churches - has seen an aging and declining membership. It became apparent to the leadership of the church that some decisions would need to be made, and they would likely not be easy ones.
The building was constructed in 1964, which meant it was too new to abandon - but at the age where repairs and upkeep were eating away at a reduced budget that is totally dependent on volunteer giving. “It was our former members who were very generous - but also aging - that helped keep us going for a few years,” said Jo Anderson, long-time member of the church. “It seemed our only mission was fundraising - not ministry. We were…