Come join us for worship! 2003 Zion Hill Rd; Centralia, IL
Adult Sunday School 9:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall.
Children Sunday School 9:30 a.m.
Nursery is available 9:30 a.m.
Sunday Worship 10:30 a.m. (Nursery is available)
Sunday Evening Youth Program 5:45 p.m. School House
Wednesday Bible Study 7:00 p.m. Fellowship Hall
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We are located one-half mile south of Green Street Road on Zion Hill Road in rural Centralia. |
2003 Zion Hill Road, Centralia, Illinois 62801 618.267.3508 zionhillcentralia@gmail.com
Zion Hill Missionary
Baptist Church
Profile
The Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church was established July 15, 1860 in the Northeast corner of Centralia Township, Marion County Illinois. The church originally met in the one-room Zion Hill Schoolhouse that still exists today. In 1870 a Building Committee set aside $525 for the building of a new church. The building was dedicated in July 1872. In the 1930’s a basement was dug under the church building with horses and slips. In the 1940’s a two-story education addition was built and in the 1990’s a fellowship hall was added to the facility. Unfortunately, on July 15, 2018 the church building burnt to an almost total loss with the fellowship hall the only remaining portion of the building that remained. The fire was ignited by a lightning bolt in the early morning hours that Sunday morning. The Church Trustees were tasked with the duties of rebuilding the church building which was completed in September 2020. The congregation was able to meet for worship services in the Kaskaskia Baptist Association office in Sandoval, Illinois during the rebuilding process.
About Zion Hill
Zion Hill has a history of solid Southern Baptist ministry in our community. Prior to the fire in 2018 our Sunday School averaged approximately 30 members with classes from pre-school to senior adults. Our bus ministry brought 6-8 children and youth along with a few senior adults to the Sunday School hour. Our Sunday Morning Worship Service averaged 50-60 people. We met again for Sunday evening Training Union and Worship with an average of approximately 40 people in attendance. Wednesday nights were regular business meetings, benevolence meals and bible study. Since the fire, our ministry has been reduced to the available facilities. The Kaskaskia Baptist Association offered the use of their facility in Sandoval. Our church congregation is currently meeting in the KBA chapel at the association office where we average 40-50 people for Sunday Morning Worship. We have an Adult Sunday School hour prior to the Worship Service with approximately 12 in attendance. Our bus ministry brings the children, youth, and seniors to the Worship Service. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic our children and youth met on Sunday evenings for bible study, recreation and fellowship in the Zion Hill Schoolhouse, a one room historic school which is part of our campus and sits across the road from the church building. They would average 12-15 in attendance on Sunday evenings and always had a great time.
A few months after the fire in 2018 our Pastor announced his resignation to answer a call at a church in his home State of Kansas. We went through a phase of rotating temporary preachers, and then called our current Interim Pastor, Brother Ray Barnes. Brother Ray has been instrumental in leading our church during the rebuilding of our new church building and preparing us for our new pastor.
Even though we have battled through adversity during the last couple of years, the foundational members of our Church have remained committed. Our annual budget of approximately $70,000 has not faltered, and our Trustees are nearing completion of the new building. We anticipate being in the new church building sometime during the month of October 2020 where we will re-establish our ministry to the Zion Hill Community.
Population Trends
According to Wikipedia, the population of Marion County in 1860 was 12,739 people and in the 2010 Census was 39,437 people. The County population peaked in the 1940’s & 1950’s when oil was discovered a few miles east of the church. This discovery was the biggest in the United States at the time and drew workers from Oklahoma and Texas to our community. The church is located near the corner of four intersecting Townships: Centralia Township, Salem Township, Raccoon Township and Odin Township. The population of these townships are 14,547; 8,993; 1,498 and 1,654 respectfully for a total population within a 10-mile radius from the church of approximately 26,692 people or 68% of the County population.
Zion Hill is also located near the corner of four intersecting rural K-8 grade school districts listed below with the following attendance:
Central City Grade School – 335
Selmaville Consolidated Grade School – 275
Raccoon Consolidated Grade School – 250
Odin Grade School – 198
and three High School districts:
Centralia High School - 905
Salem Community High School – 686
Odin High School – 72
Demographics
According to Wikipedia, in the 2010 Census, the racial makeup of the county was 93.1% white, 3.9% black or African American, 0.6% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.4% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 27.5% were German, 15.8% were Irish, 13.6% were English, and 10.8% were American.
Of the 16,148 households, 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.5% were non-families, and 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.91. The median age was 41.4 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $38,974 and the median income for a family was $50,518. Males had a median income of $41,428 versus $28,042 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,493. About 12.2% of families and 16.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.9% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.
We are in the process of searching for a bi-vocational pastor. We are looking for someone strong in the following areas: pastoral care, preaching, and teaching. A formal education is not a factor. The candidate must affirm the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message. The salary for this position will be $18,000 to $22,000. The church will also provide a parsonage.
If interested please submit your resume to www.zionhillcentralia@gmail.org to the attention of Candace Thomas.
Baptist Church
Profile
The Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church was established July 15, 1860 in the Northeast corner of Centralia Township, Marion County Illinois. The church originally met in the one-room Zion Hill Schoolhouse that still exists today. In 1870 a Building Committee set aside $525 for the building of a new church. The building was dedicated in July 1872. In the 1930’s a basement was dug under the church building with horses and slips. In the 1940’s a two-story education addition was built and in the 1990’s a fellowship hall was added to the facility. Unfortunately, on July 15, 2018 the church building burnt to an almost total loss with the fellowship hall the only remaining portion of the building that remained. The fire was ignited by a lightning bolt in the early morning hours that Sunday morning. The Church Trustees were tasked with the duties of rebuilding the church building which was completed in September 2020. The congregation was able to meet for worship services in the Kaskaskia Baptist Association office in Sandoval, Illinois during the rebuilding process.
About Zion Hill
Zion Hill has a history of solid Southern Baptist ministry in our community. Prior to the fire in 2018 our Sunday School averaged approximately 30 members with classes from pre-school to senior adults. Our bus ministry brought 6-8 children and youth along with a few senior adults to the Sunday School hour. Our Sunday Morning Worship Service averaged 50-60 people. We met again for Sunday evening Training Union and Worship with an average of approximately 40 people in attendance. Wednesday nights were regular business meetings, benevolence meals and bible study. Since the fire, our ministry has been reduced to the available facilities. The Kaskaskia Baptist Association offered the use of their facility in Sandoval. Our church congregation is currently meeting in the KBA chapel at the association office where we average 40-50 people for Sunday Morning Worship. We have an Adult Sunday School hour prior to the Worship Service with approximately 12 in attendance. Our bus ministry brings the children, youth, and seniors to the Worship Service. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic our children and youth met on Sunday evenings for bible study, recreation and fellowship in the Zion Hill Schoolhouse, a one room historic school which is part of our campus and sits across the road from the church building. They would average 12-15 in attendance on Sunday evenings and always had a great time.
A few months after the fire in 2018 our Pastor announced his resignation to answer a call at a church in his home State of Kansas. We went through a phase of rotating temporary preachers, and then called our current Interim Pastor, Brother Ray Barnes. Brother Ray has been instrumental in leading our church during the rebuilding of our new church building and preparing us for our new pastor.
Even though we have battled through adversity during the last couple of years, the foundational members of our Church have remained committed. Our annual budget of approximately $70,000 has not faltered, and our Trustees are nearing completion of the new building. We anticipate being in the new church building sometime during the month of October 2020 where we will re-establish our ministry to the Zion Hill Community.
Population Trends
According to Wikipedia, the population of Marion County in 1860 was 12,739 people and in the 2010 Census was 39,437 people. The County population peaked in the 1940’s & 1950’s when oil was discovered a few miles east of the church. This discovery was the biggest in the United States at the time and drew workers from Oklahoma and Texas to our community. The church is located near the corner of four intersecting Townships: Centralia Township, Salem Township, Raccoon Township and Odin Township. The population of these townships are 14,547; 8,993; 1,498 and 1,654 respectfully for a total population within a 10-mile radius from the church of approximately 26,692 people or 68% of the County population.
Zion Hill is also located near the corner of four intersecting rural K-8 grade school districts listed below with the following attendance:
Central City Grade School – 335
Selmaville Consolidated Grade School – 275
Raccoon Consolidated Grade School – 250
Odin Grade School – 198
and three High School districts:
Centralia High School - 905
Salem Community High School – 686
Odin High School – 72
Demographics
According to Wikipedia, in the 2010 Census, the racial makeup of the county was 93.1% white, 3.9% black or African American, 0.6% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 0.4% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 1.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 27.5% were German, 15.8% were Irish, 13.6% were English, and 10.8% were American.
Of the 16,148 households, 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.5% were non-families, and 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.91. The median age was 41.4 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $38,974 and the median income for a family was $50,518. Males had a median income of $41,428 versus $28,042 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,493. About 12.2% of families and 16.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.9% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.
We are in the process of searching for a bi-vocational pastor. We are looking for someone strong in the following areas: pastoral care, preaching, and teaching. A formal education is not a factor. The candidate must affirm the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message. The salary for this position will be $18,000 to $22,000. The church will also provide a parsonage.
If interested please submit your resume to www.zionhillcentralia@gmail.org to the attention of Candace Thomas.
