Zion’s Reverend John G. Eiwen Retires

Pastor Eiwen has served his Lord at Zion Lutheran Church in downtown Akron for 39½ years! He began this remarkable ministry in 1969 as Assistant Pastor to Rev. Alfred Freund. When he accepted the call to Zion, Pastor Eiwen had no way of knowing that in less than one year he would be assuming all the responsibilities for Zion’s ministry due to Pastor Freund’s illnesses. Because of his faithfulness, Pastor John was soon called to serve as an Associate Pastor, and he served in this capacity, with Senior Pastor Rev. T.H. Voss, for thirteen years. Upon the retirement of Rev. Voss, Pastor John, as he is often referred to, accepted the congregation’s call to serve as Senior Pastor. He was installed on October 4, 1987, and he has diligently performed his responsibilities ever since.

A pastor is the Lord’s servant, and there is no better servant than Pastor John Eiwen. Arriving at his desk early, often staying late, visiting the home bound, praying with the ill, comforting the grieving, and leading Zion’s congregation through decades of significant transitions, he is an exemplary pastoral servant. How does God develop such a pastor? Pastor Eiwen came to Zion from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO, having earned the M. Div. and S.T.M. degrees there in 1968 and 1969 respectively. His vicarage/internship was spent at St. John The Divine Lutheran Church on the south side of Chicago from 1966-67. Pastor John also attended Concordia Preparatory School and Junior College in Bronxville NY, as well as Concordia Senior College in Fort Wayne, Indiana, graduating from the latter in 1964.

During his early years as a pastor in a downtown church, Pastor John’s ministerial tasks were traditional in nature, but changes in the culture of our country and our city brought countless unexpected challenges to Zion’s membership and its leader. A servant of less integrity may have wavered, but Pastor Eiwen met each change with prayer and purpose. It is not possible to squeeze four decades of ministry into a few paragraphs, but Pastor Eiwen was instrumental in developing lasting partnerships with Akron Pregnancy Services and Channelwood, a low income housing development, when Zion Christian School closed in 2003. He strongly promotes Zion’s weekly community food assistance program (The Lord’s Pantry), collaborates with “Jesus Said”, a non-Lutheran ministry that cares for the homeless and needy in Zion’s gym, has solidly supported Zion’s participation in First Night Akron since its inception thirteen years ago, and helped develop a Stephen Ministry Program for members along with his wife, Pat. Pastor and Pat have both worked diligently to successfully launch Zion’s on-going capital fund campaign named Building in God’s Grace.

Over the years, Pastor Eiwen served on several boards, including the Stewardship Board of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, and several district convention committees. He also served on the board of St. Luke Lutheran Home in North Canton, on the Akron March for Jesus Committee, and was a founding committee member and long time board member of LOVE I.N.C. of Greater Akron.

Pastor’s wife, the former Patricia Huge, has been a tremendous help mate. Married in Westlake, OH in 1968, Pastor and Pat have three grown children – Rebecca, Joanna, and Mark. Devoted to her Lord and Savior, Pat has served in a host of different ways at Zion, as Praise Chorus and Choir member, flautist, LifeLight teacher, VBS assistant, Lutheran Women’s Missionary League president, Ladies Aid treasurer, and chairperson of Zion’s Stephen Ministry.

We, at Zion, believe that we know what the Lord may say when Pastor and Pat meet Him face to face one day, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21)