Zion United Church of Christ in Lehighton is about to ring in a milestone birthday in style.

A worship service to celebrate its Sesquicentennial will be held at 10:15 a.m. Sunday at the church.

Ken Leffler, church office manager, said Sesqui-Celebration Sunday will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of the church.

“Our goal is circle of faith for 150 years, to get together in a way recognizing and honoring the past, and looking forward to the future,” Leffler said. “It’s a major milestone; there aren’t many churches that can say that.”

Highlights of the service will include:

• An inspiring organ prelude by organist Laura Reichard.

• Responsive reading of A Litany of Celebration.

• Reading of Psalm 118:24-29 from their original German & English Pulpit Bibles.

• Special anthem from their Chancel Choir.

• Hymns such as “We’re Marching to Zion,” “Blessed Assurance and Onward Christian Soldiers.”

• Paster Frey’s Sermon-Blessed Assurance.

• Remarks and presentation from Rev. Dr. Bonnie Bates, Conference Minister of the Penn Northeast U.C.C.

• Chiming of a hymn from their clock tower carillon which was dedicated on April 30, 1923. Souvenir program of the bell concert from that dedication will be included in the bulletin.

• Refreshments and fellowship in their dining room complete with a birthday cake and the singing of Happy Birthday.

Leffler said the congregation has 484 members on the rolls.

“We’re hoping it draws lot of people, because it is important to the life of the church,” he said. “It would be nice to have a good crowd here.”

Other Sesquicentennial events are as follows:

• May 7: Dedication of a wall hanging crafted by Zion’s Daughters of Zion; dedication of Zion’s Sesquicentennial Chalice & Paten; celebration of Holy Communion using the Sesquicentennial Communion Vessels.

• May 20: Faith Walk & Movie including a walk together with Trinity Lutheran Church in Lehighton, which is also celebrating its 150th anniversary as a Faith Community. The walk begins at the corner of Second and Iron streets at 6 p.m. with brief remarks and prayers offered by Pastor Nancy Moore and Rev. Dr. Dean D. Frey; presentations from our Congressional, State and Local government officials; and ends at Trinity Lutheran Church where they will enjoy a showing at 7 p.m. of Sight & Sound’s “Jonah.” Contact Becky Worthy at rebeccapearl205@yahoo.com, or the church office to confirm attendance.

• May 21: Confirmation Sunday, in which the 2023 Confirmation Class will become members and their first gift to Zion will be to bury the church’s Sesquicentennial Time Capsule. This group will serve as the bicentennial committee to celebrate Zion’s 200th birthday in 2073.

• Date to be announced: Zion Opera Workshop Revue, complete with skits and various musical presentations by the current members of Carbon County’s oldest extant theater group, will be presented in Smith Auditorium at a yet to be selected date and time in June. Smith Auditorium was the original Sanctuary of the church for numerous decades.