Staying Connected: How Zion Is Using Technology to Bridge Communities

Just a few years ago, when the congregations that have since come together under one Zion banner, took an honest look at their reality, they knew something had to change. With pastors retiring, fewer pastors coming through the seminaries and financial concerns in bringing in a full time pastor, there is a growing necessity to think outside the box about ministry. Under the leadership of then-Pastor Matt Duerr, they chose a new course — one that would bring multiple congregations together under a shared identity rather than let each slowly fade in isolation or, as often happens, try to split a pastor across multiple congregations.

That decision gave birth to a multi-site ministry that today spans communities in Lodi and Valley Springs, with outreach stretching as far as Jackson and beyond. Now under the leadership of Pastor Jason Weber, the ministry has leaned into technology to keep its growing, spread-out congregation not just connected, but genuinely unified.

On Sundays, Zion's services rotate between its two main campuses. On the first and third Sundays of each month, the ministry live-streams from its Lodi site; on the second and fourth Sundays, the broadcast originates from Valley Springs. Pastor Weber preaches live from whichever site is streaming that week, while the other location gathers to watch together. Communion, offered first and fourth Sundays, is observed at each site, administered by either Pastor Weber or a retired pastor — ensuring that no matter where members are seated, the sacrament feels personal and present.

The logistics, Weber acknowledges, are the easier part.

"It is really about not losing our footprint," Pastor Weber said. "The trickier part is getting people on board, adjusting expectations and building that trust."

That trust-building extends beyond Sunday mornings. Zion hosts four Bible studies throughout the week, meeting people where they are — two in Lodi (a Sunday morning session and an evening study, both available by Zoom), one at the Amador Senior Center in Jackson on Wednesday mornings, and an in-person study in Valley Springs on Wednesday afternoons.

Together, they form a web of community that mirrors the ministry's broader vision: that a church doesn't have to be in one place to be one church