Hilton pastor retires after three decades serving the community

St. Paul Lutheran Church, Pastor Albert Zoller. Photograph by Walter Horylev.

Hilton pastor retires
after three decades
serving the community
Will ride off into sunset on his motorcycle

He came in driving a Lincoln Continental and he'll leave riding a Honda motorcycle. After 33 years of ministry at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Pastor Albert Zoller, 66, is retiring and leaving behind a church family that he helped put together one person at a time.

Three decades allows time to perform a lot of baptisms, marry and bury many people. Thirty-three years allows for thousands of sermons and bible studies and in the life of St. Paul's Church allowed time to tear down a church, build up the school and eventually attach a modern sanctuary.

As the head of a church that serves more than 300 weekly worshippers, operates a day school with children in preschool through eighth grade and opens its facility to community groups seven days a week, Zoller has had a big impact on the Hilton community. However, his real contribution can be seen in how he reaches out to one person at a time. Zoller has brought people to the church through his basketball games, motorcycle rides, community service and frequent meals at the Hilton Family Diner.

Banking on his faith
Colleen Zingaro is one of the most recent additions to St. Paul's church family. Zingaro met Zoller while working at a local bank. He would stop in and strike up casual conversation. After exchanging pleasantries, Zingaro worked up the nerve to ask him a few questions about the Lutheran faith. His answers and an invitation to stop by the church would be a life-changing moment for her.

"It was at an absolute time that I needed something bigger in my life," Zingaro said. "I've known a lot of clergy and they kind of come off as self righteous. He is the opposite of that. As my mother would describe it, he is a 'kind old soul.' "

After a few unanswered invitations, Zingaro agreed to spend a Sunday at St. Paul's. From there she attended membership classes and became an official member last month. She credits Zoller with renewing her faith. "Who would not want to believe in what that man believes in," Zingaro said.

There's no "I" in church
Mike Owens, a member and Board of Christian Education president at St. Paul's said he definitely had an immediate interest in what Zoller had to say. Owens, with his wife Alicia and their daughters, had moved back to Rochester and were looking for a school for the eldest, Kate.

After attending church for several weeks, the Owens family asked to meet with Zoller. They were impressed with the way he described the church and explained its commitment to the Christian Day School. "It was never about him. It was always about the congregation," Owens said, describing Zoller's talk. "We left that meeting knowing what we were going to do."

Sermons sway sisters
Zoller's words also moved sisters Yvonne Martin and Marlene Warnick to action. The two moved into the Village of Hilton in November of 2004 and began their search for a church that fit their needs.

When Martin heard Zoller's sermon for the first time she knew she had found her new church home. "He is magnetic with his sermons," Martin said. "It was as if God delivered me to Pastor Zoller."

Man of the people
Dale Platt, a relatively new member at St. Paul's, felt the same magnetism. He was invited to attend an Easter Sunrise Service held at Hamlin Beach State Park, a longstanding St. Paul's tradition. As the collection plate was passed from person to person, Zoller instructed those in attendance to only contribute if they could afford to do so. "He really impressed me with that," said Platt. "This was a religious man telling us we didn't have to put money in the plate." Over time, Platt visited St. Paul's, but he was really drawn back to the church when he and his wife, Beth, were attempting to be married in a Catholic church. Due to previous marriages they were not welcome to be married until other obligations were met. When Platt explained the situation to Zoller, he welcomed them to St. Paul's and encouraged them to include their children in the ceremony.

"The man is an extraordinary person," Platt said. "He doesn't care what walk of life you come from." Years after the couple's wedding, Platt decided that he wanted to become an official member at St. Paul's. However, because he worked evenings he was unable to attend membership classes. When he explained the situation, Zoller provided an alternative that included having Platt meet one on one with Zoller during times that were more convenient for him.

Easygoing at an early age
Darlene Strussenburg remembers being the first at St. Paul's to witness Zoller's easygoing nature. She and her late husband, Fritz, were trying desperately to find a new leader for St. Paul's. When they heard about a young pastor in Fulton, they decided it was worth the drive.

It was there one Sunday that they witnessed a 33-year-old Zoller preaching to his congregation when in the middle of his sermon a dog wandered into the middle of the church. Noticing the unexpected visitor, Zoller casually walked over to the dog and while holding its collar walked it to the door. He continued without missing a beat. That down to earth style was evident when the congregation extended a call to Zoller.

"Most of the other pastors asked to see the parsonage before they made up their mind," Strussenburg said. "He only asked if he could bring his dog and a Black Angus cow." The rest is history.

Spiritual in the field or on the court
Ken Guyett, who has been a leader at St. Paul's for many years, said his relationship with Zoller was an almost instant friendship. Guyett and Zoller have shared a lot of time on the softball field and on the basketball court where they still play. "He just has a knack for connecting," Guyett said. "He is truly a spiritual leader. He leads a Christ-centered life and yet he doesn't take himself too seriously."

Answering the call
Something that Zoller has taken seriously is his commitment to the Hilton Fire Department. Chief Mark Kalen said Zoller's retirement is a big loss to the department. He has served as chaplain for more than 15 years. Kalen said Zoller has been called on several times to handle difficult situations. "He took responsibility for the job and has taken it to the next level," Kalen said. His service to the fire department has led some of the firefighters to become members at St. Paul's.

A strange entrance and a good neighbor
Doug Hurlbutt, and his wife, Carolyn, became members of St. Paul's more than a decade before Zoller arrived. Doug was standing beside Fritz Strussenburg in the Christian day school's front loop eagerly anticipating the arrival of their new pastor. The anxious greeters were shocked to see a Lincoln Continental pull into the driveway. "Fritz said, 'That can't be him and if it is we can't afford him,' " Hurlbutt said. It was, and they managed to afford him just fine. For the Hurlbutts, Zoller has been more than their pastor.

"He's a good neighbor," Hurlbutt, who lives a few houses down the road from Zoller, said. "He has been there to help many times." At St. Paul's, Hurlbutt said he has taken advantage of Zoller's open door policy often to offer suggestions, or ask questions, and every time Zoller has lent an ear. Hurlbutt said life without his pastor and neighbor will seem strange. "I'll miss seeing his motorcycle go by," Hurlbutt said.

And hundreds will be missing his sermons after he delivers his final one on June 25 at 4 p.m.

Hoping for a long ride with many stops
Martin, who was drawn in after one sermon, said she considers the time she spent with Pastor Zoller to be a blessing from above. "I'm glad that God gave me the opportunity to know him even if it was for a short amount of time," Martin said.

When he rides off for the last time on his motorcycle, his destination is still somewhat undetermined. But his admirers like Marlene Warnick have a good idea how the trip will go. "I can see Pastor riding his motorcycle and stopping at a little restaurant in a quaint town. He'll order a doughnut and coffee and sit down beside someone. The next thing you know he'll be sharing the Word of God," she said.