Zion United Church/First Evangelical Church - Waco, TX
N 31° 28.747 W 097° 09.496
14R E 674951 N 3484170
Zion United Church/First Evangelical Church is at 6347 S I-35, Waco, TX. Sunday services are at 10:15 AM.
Waymark Code: WM14K1T
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 07/18/2021
Views: 0
A 1972 Texas Historical Marker provides a little bit of history:
First mission congregation of the Evangelical Church in Texas. Initial services were held for German-speaking people of Waco by The Rev. Friederich Werning (1843-1931) in Presbyterian church.
Frame structure built on this site in 1882 was replaced in 1914 (for $10,000) by present church.
Use of German ceased in 1931 when members were using English in homes. The denominational affiliation of congregation has been determined by mergers in which Evangelical and Reformed Church and, later, the United Church of Christ were created.
An addendum plaque (see gallery) clarifies that the historical marker refers to their old location in Waco at 629 S Eighth St -- the building still stands -- and notes that the congregation moved here in 1994. The church's website indicates that German actually remained in use until 1942, and it explains the history of their different names:
"In 1934, a merger occurred between the Evangelical Synod of North America and the Reformed Church in the United States that changed the Zion Church name to the Zion Evangelical and Reformed Church. In June 1957, the union of the Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Church was consummated, giving Zion Church a new name - Zion United Church of Christ. On December 5, 1993, the congregation voted to change the name of the church to Zion United Church (UCC)."
They broke ground here in 1992, and a little over a year later, they poured their slab. By July of 1994, they had completed their move from Eighth St and begun worship here.