The Jersey City news., 1899-05-19
new ZION CHURCH.
Ground Broken For the
Evangelical Lutheran
Building Yes
terday.

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Ground was broken yesterday morning
for the erection of the new Zion Evan
gelical Lutheran Church. The building
site, which is located on the Boulevard
and McAdoo avenue, was crowded with
the happy members of the congregation
when, with appropriate ceremonies, the
first shovelful of earth was turned over
by the pastor, the Rev. William e. Sanft.
A short prayer was delivered by Pastor
Sanft after which each of the seven
members Of the Building Committee also
turned over a shovelful of earth. The
work then began in earnest amid the
cheers of the congregation.
The new house of worship will be sit
uated on the southwest corner of the
Boulevard and McAdoo avenue and Will
face the Boulevard. The church win be
So feet wide, So feet in length and s.
feet high. A tower, 1l5 feet high, will
be built on the northeast corner of the
building The style of architecture is
Gothic. The best Collarbarre brick will
be used in it's construction
The interior will be finished in oak of
the best quality. The benches will be
of oak The new church will have two
stories and a cellar. The upper story
will be used for church purposes and the
lower story for the Sunday-school and
meeting rooms The building will be
erected at a cost Of $4,000 and, according
to the contract, will be completed on
November 20, 1899.
The corner stone will be laid in about
six or eight weeks. Lutheran ministers
from all over the State will be present
to take part in the ceremonies
Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church was
founded thirty years ago and throughout
this period it has been unusually prosper
GUS The church in which services are
now held is a two story frame structure,
located on McAdoo avenue, in rear OF
the new church site. Preparations are
now being made to move the old building
to the south side of the new edifice fac
ing the Boulevard. 1t will be used as an
annex to the new house of worship.
Pastor william e. Sanft took charge of
the Zion congregation about three years
ago, and since his management it has
steadily increased numbering now about
three hundred families About year ago
it was found that the old church was
too small to accommodate the large con-
gregation. Owing to the efforts Of Pas
tor Sanft, building committee was
elected with Mr.. Sanft as chairman.
WAYS and Means were discussed. plans
submitted, funds collected. and after nu-
merous meetings of the committee and
congregation plans were finally decided
upon last week, and the work of building
was started yesterday morning.
Pastor Sanft is highly elated now thai
the project for which he has striven so
hard for is assuming shape. In speaking
of the new church Mr.. Sahft said that
the contractor suggested that work be
started next Monday, but the pastor in
sisted that it be started at once, which
was done.
Mr. Sanft is a hard worker and one OF
the most popular ministers in the Green.
vile section. The Ladies Aid Society Of
the church deserve great credit for their
assistance in arranging entertainm ents,
the proceeds of which went to the build
ing fund. Mrs. Sanft has also worked
INCREASINGLY for the interests of the new
church. She is highly pleased that the
result has been accomplished in SO short
time.
The members of the Building Commit
tee are:-Rev. William E. Sanft, Chair
man; Mr.. George Dorm Mr.. Henry Mey-
err Mr.. Herman Cordes, Mr.. john Cross
klaus Mr. Henry Grossklaus and Mr..
Carl Graesing. In speaking of the work
done by the committee Mr.. Sanft said
that it gave him great pleasure to state.
that ali proceedings had been conducted
in perfect harmony and that the plans
for the church had been accepted unani-
mously.