Meet the Zion Team

I am a life-time, multi-generational member of Zion. Some of my fondest childhood memories revolve around this church. When I became an adult my children were baptized and confirmed at Zion and were active throughout their early years and teens.

I started working at Zion in September of 1991. I have served under Pastor Snider, Pastor Rothfuss, Pastor Landers, Pastor Schrock and many associate and interim pastors. I enjoyed them all for their uniqueness.

I love Zion. It has become my 2 nd home. I love the people of Zion. My goal is and always has been to help people solve any problems they have and make them feel part of the “family.” This is not just a job for me, it is a calling. I feel love from everyone in the congregation and appreciate that. I feel like Zion is in a good place right now. We have a great interim pastor and music director. I hope some of our members who have not come back since covid join us to see the energy we have.

My plan is to retire at 70 years of age (January 3, 2025) and I hope to train someone you’ll learn to love more than me.

William Seale has performed in recital, concert, opera and oratorio throughout Cincinnati, Delaware, Florida and Washington D.C. He has performed the solos in Handel’s Messiah, Brahms, Fauré, Duruflé and Mozart Requiems, Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, Magnificat and Cantata # 82 “Ich habe genug”, Schubert’s Mass in G, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, Saint-Saëns Christmas Oratorio, Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors (Melchior), and Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro (Bartolo). Also, an experienced accompanist for both singers and instrumentalists,
William has played for numerous master classes and recitals and provided music for the PBS special and DVD, “The Deming of America”. Before coming to attend The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music as a vocal performance major, he studied organ at The Washington National Cathedral and studied the Arthur Lessac Method of Acting with Arthur Lessac and Corinne Felton. At the Conservatory he studied voice with Franklin Bens, Patricia Berlin, and afterward, Andrew White, with whom he continued advanced study for 22 years. He studied accompanying
with Babette Effron, Mirium Kockritz, and Ruth Riley, and opera studies with Italo Tajo. He was a studio accompanist for Andrew White, Lucile Evans, Berton Coffin, Patricia Berlin, Italo Tajo, Hubert Kockritz, Helen Laird, Sherrill Milnes, Lynn Harrell, Sigmund Effron, and Eugene Blee.
He was on the voice faculty of CCM Summer Music Institute for 9 years.
Seale joined the voice faculty of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music Preparatory Department in 1976, of which he was chairperson for over 15 years, and has had students who have made debuts with Arizona Opera, The Washington Opera, The New York City Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Dayton Opera, Opera Columbus, Sorg-Whitewater Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Santa Fe, The San Francisco Opera, The Metropolitan Opera, and the Broadway stage. He was the Director of Music at The Presbyterian Church of Wyoming for 25 years and also the successful Valley Concert Series with over ninety performances, including guests: The Cincinnati Boychoir, The May Festival Chamber Choir, Friends of the Groom liturgical drama troupe, Elizabeth and Eugene Pridonoff, Michael Chertock, Frank Weinstock, The Amernet String Quartet, The Chanticleer String Quartet, The Adagio Trio, The Cincinnati Klezmer Project, and has conducted choral works that include Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s Cantata #4, Fauré’s Requiem, The Seven Last Words of Christ by Dubois and the Poulenc Motets for Christmas. He is the conductor for the CD recording “Christmas in Wyoming.” As part of the Valley Concert Series, prepared and produced a fully staged and costumed production of “Amahl and the Night Visitors” with the Soloists and Chancel Choir of The Presbyterian Church of Wyoming and included The Immanuel Presbyterian Church Choir, performing at St. George Church in Clifton and Maple-knoll Village. The Chancel Choir of the Presbyterian Church of Wyoming was invited to perform in two concerts for the internationally acclaimed Cincinnati Pops Orchestra conducted by the late Maestro Erich Kunzel. The second of those concerts at Riverbend also featured the famous Irish group, The Chieftains. Seale was a judge for the national finals competition for The Karaoke World Championship four years in a row. Seale is currently the Director of Music for Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hamilton, Ohio, where he is conductor, pianist, organist, and handbell director.

Bud has made Zion his Spiritual Home since 2006. Outside of Zion, Scharf has worked for the City of Hamilton as well as Butler Metropolitan Housing Authority. Scharf believes we are called to share God’s table without exception. Bud is a member of the Social Concerns Team and assists with the Mini-Pantry, Senior Lunch, Outreach Activities at the Community Meal Center’s Friday Meal and Saturday Meals at 1st Methodist. Scharf also assists with the Strategic Planning Committee.
((Bud has agreed to stay in this position currently as we work for the next person to have this mission))