Celebrating 175 Years!

Wauwatosa Avenue UMC’s history reflects its commitment to gather as friends, grow in our faith and share God’s love. Most recently, in November 2019, we formalized our “all are welcome” positions and became a Reconciling Congregation. In addition to worship services, adult education classes, children’s Sunday School and many other in-church activities, we strengthen our faith by sharing God’s love throughout the community and the world.

We provide hands-on, financial and prayer support for more than 15 local, national and international mission efforts. A few examples of long-time and more-recent worthy causes include: making bag lunches and muffins for The Gathering; serving hot meals at Summerfield UMC; collecting nonperishable food, clothing and personal hygiene items for Tosa Food Pantry, United Methodist Children’s Services and other social service agencies; and, providing Hawley Road Environmental School students with literacy support. We’ve helped build 19 Habitat for Humanity houses, sent youth and adults to work on multiple Appalachian Service Projects and financially supported a missionary in Africa for many years. Our longest-running support is as sponsor of Boy Scout Troop 21 since 1922 and counting! Everyone is invited to help. 

We support the building of interfaith community by providing worship and office space, since 2013, to the Mary of Magdala, Apostle to the Apostles, Catholic Church. WAUMC and Mary of Magdala share a commitment to social justice and work together on various educational and community service programs. We also worship together every Ash Wednesday.

First WAUMC church before fire

WAUMC began as the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Wauwatosa and was incorporated on May 22, 1848. For 20 years, circuit rider preachers gathered a small group of worshipers together in the village school house where other Protestant and Catholic congregations also met.