Our Vision, Our Mission, Our Calling

Our mission at Zion Evangelical Lutheran United Church of Christ is:

To worship and glorify God;

To preach, teach, and bear witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ;
To celebrate the Sacraments;
To realize Christian fellowship and unity within this congregation and the Church Universal;
To render loving service toward humankind; and
To strive for righteousness, justice and peace.

Meet Us

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Mission: Our Mission

Mission: Leadership

The Reverend Craig S. Sparks

Pastor Craig comes to us from 10 years as Co-Pastor and Pastor of Columbia United Christian Church and 6 years as the pastor of Zion UCC, Perry Hall. He was born and raised in the southwest corner of Virginia and northeast corner of Tennessee, the very heart of Appalachia—’raised, reared and run out of’ as the saying goes. He graduated from Wesley Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity in 1997. Pastor Craig also holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina with a concentration in History. Before that he was an airborne infantry office in the Army. That was a great adventure for him. “The first 5 airplanes I was ever in, I jumped out of” he recalls.

Pastor Craig is excited to find creative ways to make Biblical faith real and engaging for people of all ages. Connecting families and allowing the wisdom and energy of the generations to come together as they grow into all their God given potential, is his goal. He is passionate helping people see the Spirit at work in their lives and in the whole community. He enjoys hanging out with the church members, children’s sermons, and just plain visiting with folks.

Hiking, cooking, family stories, reading, and sports – especially football are some of the activities that Pastor Craig enjoys. Currently, he is living in Dundalk with his wife Cissy and their beloved beagles Lucy and Patti. All that and Cissy’s 3 grown children and her 6 grandchildren give him a very full and blessed life!

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