Brian and Jennie Williamson serve as Mission Directors at Saxon Lutheran Memorial—bringing 24 years of on-the-road ministry, leadership, and care for church workers and families. Rooted in the heritage of East Perry County and energized by a vision for tomorrow, they’re developing Fields of Zephaniah, a retreat initiative designed to restore, equip, and send leaders back home stronger.

“The past is our foundation. The future is our mission.”

Brian and Jennie live and serve on site, stewarding the Memorial’s history while building spaces and experiences that offer rest, renewal, and practical support for today’s church and school communities. They love welcoming guests, partnering with congregations and schools, and helping leaders thrive so their ministries—and the people they serve—flourish.

The story of Saxon Lutheran Memorial, a 501(c)(3), is rooted in the 1839 Saxon immigration, when a group of nearly 700 German Lutherans crossed the Atlantic seeking the freedom to live out their faith without interference from the state. They settled in what is now Frohna, Missouri, carving out homes and barns from the surrounding timber and laying the foundation for what would become a strong Lutheran presence in the Midwest.

More than a century later, the site that is now Saxon Lutheran Memorial began to take shape as a preservation effort in the early 1960s. Local Lutherans and community members began carefully restoring and relocating original log structures from the 1839 settlement era. In 1964, the Memorial officially opened to the public, with the log barn (1841)and several other authentic structures as its centerpiece. Over the next few decades, additional cabins, workshops, and interpretive spaces were added, creating a full living history village.

For many years, the site was owned and operated by Concordia Historical Institute, and it became a beloved destination for school groups, tour buses, church events, and festivals that told the story of faith and endurance on the American frontier.

In 2022, Concordia Historical Institute sold Saxon Lutheran Memorial to a new local non-profit formed by community members and ministry leaders committed to preserving both its historical integrity and also create gospel-centered mission. Since then, the site has continued to operate as a living history and ministry campus, blending pioneer heritage with a renewed vision to serve the church today.

Today, Mission Directors Brian and Jennie Williamson are leading efforts to restore the campus, expand programming, and develop Fields of Zephaniah—a retreat and renewal ministry for church workers and families.

The past is our foundation. The future is our mission.