All Member Stories Updates

Kristin Wilson is currently serving the first of her three-year term on Zion’s congregational council. Kristin grew up at Zion, and considered it her home away from home. Daughter of Byron & Irene Oistad, she was confirmed at Zion (her big hair can be seen in the 1986 class photo in the choir room hallway) [...]

Ron & Heather Dick have been married for 30 years and have lived in Wright County all their lives. Ron works as a welder, and Heather is working in the deli at Coborn’s in Buffalo while studying for her A.A.S. degree in the Medical Administrative Assistant program at Hennepin Technical College in Brooklyn Park. They [...]

Amy Chalupnik felt the call to ministry at a young age and, although life and education took her on a different path for a while, she will soon be graduating from Luther Seminary with a Masters of Divinity. Amy and Jason Chalupnik both graduated from Buffalo High School, where they met working on the school [...]

Harley has just begun his 3-year term on Zion’s church council. He is married to LeAnn who is a lifetime member of Zion, and the daughter of Jerry & Bea Specht. They were married at Zion almost 40 years ago, and their son Josh was baptized and grew up enjoying the ministry of Zion.  Josh [...]

by Carol Olson Duane and I are extremely happy calling Zion our church home. Because it is so close to our home, we walk daily on the church grounds with our yellow lab, Maggie. Ties to Zion go back to what we call our “first lives.” Porky Elliott, my deceased husband was a member of Zion when [...]

Prior to moving to Buffalo, Mike Honsey had spent 12 years in commercial banking as a VP for two large banks in the Kansas City area while his wife, Krista, completed her medical education. Krista accepted a position with Allina Hospitals and Clinics as an Obstetrician/Gynecologist for Buffalo Hospital, so two-and-a half years ago they [...]

Mike and Jill Davis live in Rockford. They have two daughters, Ellie (10) and Tia (soon to be 8). Both of them enjoy piano, horseback riding, Girl Scouts and other interests which keep the family very busy. They were visiting churches shortly after they were married in the summer of 2000 when they first came [...]

Roger and Sandy Brenny are both retired from many years work at General Mills. Roger worked for 42 years as a Logistics Manager in the Gold Medal Flour Division, and Sandy worked for 31 years in the Foodservice Division. Sharing a commute, they got used to spending two hours a day together in a small car, sharing [...]

Kia Prell was Kia Swaggert when she was baptized and confirmed at Zion. She went off to college at Concordia in Moorhead, lived in Cambridge, Saint Paul and Eagan, and was a member of Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church. Ten years after graduating from Buffalo High School she moved back to Buffalo with her [...]

Kelly Hanson is  serving on the council for the years 2012-2014, was vice president of the congregation in 2012, and is president of the congregation for 2013. Tell a little about your family I am married to Beth Hanson. We have 4 kids. Where do you work? I’m an Attorney in private practice in Buffalo. [...]

Tom Moline works as a graphic artist at Tolomatic, Inc. in Hamel, MN. He is married to Karen and has two sons, Taylor (a student at North Hennepin Community College), and Dan (a senior at Buffalo High School). Tom describes himself as “closer to 60 than 50, but when averaged against my emotional maturity my [...]

I cannot thank Lorraine enough for all she has taught me…I met her as a volunteer and she became my friend! Dawn Bestick, Administrative Assistant by Lorraine Statema I grew up on a farm near Hamel, Minnesota. I had two brothers and there was always lots of things to do and enjoy in those carefree [...]

Bob and Diane Strommen will have been married for 43 years this December. Their grown children are Jon in Ohio, Victoria in Le Suer, MN, Christina in Maple Lake, and Timothy in Buffalo. Bob has worked for MnDOT at the Minnesota Road Research Project, also known as MnROAD, for 16 years. His official title is [...]

Being a member of Zion for almost 17 years I think it is safe to say it’s like a second home to me. I have always felt welcome and there have been many opportunities for me to be involved in the church. Those opportunities started in Sunday School. I was a member of the SONshine Choir, Ring 4th, [...]

As I reflect on what the Zion to Zambia mission trip meant to me as a Zion lay person, I realize that it was a life changing experience in so many ways. Serving others gave me joy and purpose. I felt led by God in every step of the preparation, planning, and trip. The team [...]