Zion Evangelical Church

The Oldest German Congregation in Indianapolis

First Church The First Church building on Ohio Street was dedicated to the glory of God in 1845 to house the congregation which was then called, “The German United Evangelical Protestant Lutheran and Reformed Zion Church of Indianapolis, Indiana.” In the 1960s some of the oldest members still remembered the long staircase leading to the church doors. Source: Genealogy Indy

Zion Evangelical United Church of Christ is one of the oldest churches in Indianapolis, founded by German immigrants in 1841. Unlike some immigrant groups, such as the Irish, who were predominantly Catholic, German Americans were religiously diverse. Instead of forming one unified religious body, they organized into smaller communities based on faith tradition, such as German Protestants or German Jews.

Zion Evangelical represents one of these modest but enduring Protestant congregations. The church’s first pastor, Reverend J.G. Kunz, was called in 1841 to lead a small group of German-speaking worshippers. Over the years, three different structures were built to house the growing congregation, first in 1845, then 1866, and finally in 1913. These buildings gave German immigrants a place to worship in their native language and maintain spiritual traditions in a new land. Although regular Sunday services are now conducted in English, the church still holds Easter and Christmas services in German to honor its heritage.

The current church building, dedicated on May 18, 1913, was designed by the Bohlen architectural firm. It was the oldest architectural firm in Indianapolis, founded by German immigrant Diedrich A. Bohlen. His sons Oscar and August carried on the legacy, designing Zion Evangelical in a Gothic Revival style. Note the high ceilings, square towers, three pointed-arch doorways, and the beautiful stained glass windows depicting scenes from the life of Jesus. The bells, originally purchased from Germany in 1873, were relocated into this new church, another meaningful connection to the congregation’s homeland.

Like many churches of the era, Zion Evangelical played a vital role in community service. In 1860, the congregation helped build a schoolhouse, which by 1891 served over 500 students. Between 1895 and 1899, the church held fundraising events for the Deaconess Hospital, where deaconess women provided both spiritual and physical care to the sick and needy. The church also supported the Pleasant Run Children’s Home, often inviting children to attend Christmas celebrations. Recognizing the need for elder care, Zion organized the Altenheim Community in 1909 to provide healthcare and assisted living for aging members.

Today, Zion Evangelical United Church of Christ stands not only as the oldest German congregation in Indianapolis, but also as a living testament to more than 180 years of faith, service, and cultural continuity in the city.

Images

First Church The First Church building on Ohio Street was dedicated to the glory of God in 1845 to house the congregation which was then called, “The German United Evangelical Protestant Lutheran and Reformed Zion Church of Indianapolis, Indiana.” In the 1960s some of the oldest members still remembered the long staircase leading to the church doors. Source: Genealogy Indy

Second Church The second church was built on the spot of the first, on Ohio and Pierson Streets. It was built in 1866 to meet the needs of the growing German congregation. The $23,000 debt was a heavy weight the congregation carried during the 1870s, and they brought back renting pews as a way to fund the new church building. Source: Genealogy Indy

New Jersey St Move With the sale of the Ohio St. church property for $105,000 in 1912, they were able to fund the much larger and architecturally complex building on New Jersey St., which cost a total of $138,000. Even though they went through several name and building changes they retained the German conservative basis of worship. Source: Genealogy Indy

Aerial View In this aerial view of Indianapolis the German Zion Evangelical Church and the German Turnverein Gymnasium can be seen in the right corner of the image. Source: Bass Photo Co Collection, Indiana Historical Society

Early Pastors Photographs of some of the earliest pastors in order of service. The first Reverend appointed in 1841 was J.G. Kunz (not pictured), who withdrew from the congregation and took with him many members in 1843 to remain more true to the Lutheran Church. In 1844 John F. Isensee took charge of the church and oversaw the building of the first meetinghouse in 1845. Source: Genealogy Indy

Stained Glass One of the many stained glass windows installed in the Zion church building. The stain glass is just one feature that reminds the viewer of the gothic architectural design style that the Bohlen sons used in the creation of the 1913 meeting house. Source: Zion Evangelical United Church of Christ Facebook

Location

603 N New Jersey Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202

Open in Google Maps

Metadata

Official Website

https://www.zioneucc.org/

Citation Info

Isabel Robb and Monica Berg, “Zion Evangelical Church: The Oldest German Congregation in Indianapolis,” Discover Indiana, accessed October 22, 2026, https://discoverindianahistory.org.curatescape7.reclaim.hosting/items/show/737.

Filed Under

Indianapolis: Sacred Spaces