Our Pastors

In the 200 years, Zion has had 35 Pastors. Zion’s first pastor, as mentioned above, was Rev. H. N. Pohlman, who was quickly followed by Rev. D. Hendricks. Overall, in the early days, the pastors were on a general rotation of 2-4 year assignments as was the custom in those days. Rev. Martin Snyder broke this tradition and stayed with Zion from 1900 to 1911. During the depression, Rev. Emanuel Dreibelbis stayed with Zion for 17 years and made significant changes to our Parish House and Parsonage home. The Rev. William Frederick Behrens, who stayed with Zion for 21 years, is known for his active involvement with the New Jersey Synod, the expansion of Zion by erecting Fellowship Hall, amending Zion’s constitution to enable women to serve on the church council, and an enlarged benevolence program. Rev. Roy George Almqist may be Zion’s most famous pastor, as after 11 years with Zion, he became a member of the New Jersey Synod Council. In 1984, Pastor Almquist accepted a call to be Pastor at Calvary Lutheran in West Chester, PA. In 1994, he was elected Bishop of the Southeast Pennsylvania Synod, serving two terms, a total of 12 years.

​

Below is our long lineage of Pastors, who we honor for their years of service and dedication to Zion:

1. 1818 – 1821 Rev. Frederick Christian Schaeffer

2. 1821 – 1822 Rev. H. N. Pohlman

3. 1822 – 1830 Rev. D. Hendricks

4. 1830 – 1833 Rev. H. J. Smith

5. 1833 – 1835 Rev. W. L. Gibson

6. 1835 – 1838 Rev. J. Eisenlord

7. 1838 – 1847 Rev. Jacob Christian Duy

8. 1847 – 1850 Rev. George Neff

9. 1850 – 1853 Rev. Matthew Waldenmeyer

10. 1853 – 1856 Rev. N. Wert

11. 1858 – 1867 Rev. Ephraim De Yoe

12. 1868 – 1870 Rev. Laurent D. Wells

13. 1870 – 1873 Rev. William A. Julian

14. 1874 – 1881 Rev. John Switzer

15. 1881 – 1882 Rev. P. M. Rightmeyer

16. 1882 – 1886 Rev. D. A. Shelter

17. 1886 – 1889 Rev. J. V. Bodine

18. 1889 – 1897 Rev. E. Hughes

19. 1897 – 1900 Rev. Charles A. Hutton

20. 1900 – 1911 Rev. M. L. Snyder

21. 1912 – 1914 Rev. J. K. Efird

22. 1914 – 1915 Rev. W. H. Minicke

23. 1915 – 1917 Rev. Carl H. Yettru

24. 1917 – 1922 Rev. G. D. Strail

25. 1922 – 1925 Rev. Albert Massey

26. 1925 – 1942 Rev. Emanuel Dreibelbis

27. 1942 – 1944 Rev. John H. Sardeson

28. 1944 – 1951 Rev. George W. De Lawter

29. 1951 – 1972 Rev. William Frederick Behrens

30. 1973 – 1984 Rev. Roy George Almquist

31. 1985 – 1997 Rev. Jack R. Behlendorf

32. 1998 – 2001 Rev. Albert H. Heusmann

33. 2004 – 2018 Rev. Wesley W. Smith II

34. 2019 – 2019 Rev. Amy Hotter

35. 2021 – 2024 Rev. Dr. Jisun Kwak