1911 On January 22, 1911, Bethel Evangelical Congregation, our mother church, was formed. It was established as an expansion by Friedens Evangelische Kirche (Peace Evangelical Church), a congregation of mostly German immigrants from the north side of Milwaukee. (FYI, Friedens UCC was also eventually to be the founder of The Guest House shelter for men). The new Bethel Church began with 14 adults and 14 children, meeting in an ice cream parlor near Washington Park. By June 29, 1911, Bethel’s charter membership had grown to 77 people. A church building was erected on North Avenue at 38th Street.
1924 By June of 1924, six Bethel families and Rev. Ernst Gehle (pronounced Gay’-Lee) from Bethel had formed a mission church named Bethany Evangelical Church. Rev. Gehle was the part time pastor to the fledgling congregation while still Pastor at Bethel. Bethany Church worshipped in a small building at 55th and Center until it became inadequate and a Chapel was built and dedicated in 1925. The Chapel was located at the 54th and Locust, the site of our current church.
1938 Bethany Evangelical Church replaced the Chapel with the Gothic-style Lannon stone church that we occupy today. It was dedicated on May 14, 1939.
1957 The United Church of Christ was formed when several Christian denominations merged into one unified denomination. That included the German Evangelical denomination, to which Bethel and Bethany belonged. They became part of the UCC as a result of this development.
1975 The original congregation of Bethel Evangelical and its mission congregation, Bethany Evangelical, merged to become Bethel-Bethany United Church of Christ, worshiping and serving together in Sherman Park at the church on 54th and Locust.
1978 Rev. Ruth Duck served as the first woman Pastor in Bethel-Bethany’s history. During her tenure, the Sunday School was revitalized and inclusive language was introduced in worship and the life of the church.
1985 Rev. Timothy Perkins was called was called to be Pastor. During his ministry, the church transitioned to a younger leadership, and a culture of visioning and long-range planning was established. Connection with the neighborhood was expanded. Members were encouraged to engage in mission in the Sherman Park neighborhood and beyond.
2011 We adopted our “Open and Accessible” policy, which affirms that Bethel-Bethany United Church of Christ is an Open and Affirming, Multicultural/Multiracial, Accessible to All congregation. “Open and Affirming” congregations are welcoming to people of all sexual orientations and gender expressions.
2012 We committed to transforming our building into an accessible space with the “Mission: Accessible” Building Campaign. Ground was broken in 2013 for a new accessible addition to the church building. By 2015, the new addition was completed and dedicated, and administrative offices were moved in. Besides offices and meeting space, the addition includes an outdoor wheelchair ramp, automatic door openers, an accessible bathroom, and an elevator that makes both levels of the church available to all people.
2018 Renovations were made to the first floor of the church-owned duplex next door to the church building, which was renamed The Community House. The space is dedicated to being a multi-purpose space for meetings and programming that benefit both the congregation and the neighborhood.
2019 Rev. Thad Winkle was called to be our pastor. Pastor Thad oversaw the growth of our congregation and our missional responses to the numerous crises of the global COVID pandemic in 2020.
2020 We began livestreaming worship March 2020. When we could return to in-person attendance we expanded and refined our worship hybrid, blending in-person and online worship options on Sunday mornings. We installed electronic monitors in the Sanctuary to show the powerpoint and to reduce the use of paper bulletins. We continue to worship with people across the country on Sunday mornings.
2021 Food Is Free ministry began with some tables and bins outside the Community House, offering a 24/7 food pantry with a “Take what you need, Give when you can” approach. By 2023, we had permanently installed pantry cabinets and a refrigerator on the porch that was re-stocked daily by volunteers. Food Is Free is funded through grants and donations from members and friends.
2022 We installed hearing assistive technology in our Sanctuary. It allows you to receive sound directly into hearing aids or cochlear implant processors.
Our Sanctuary hearing loop consists of a special amplifier and a hidden copper wire that transmits sound from the microphones via a magnetic field to telecoils (receivers) in personal hearing devices.
2023 Rev. Nikkeya Berryhill was called to be our Pastor. Rev. Berryhill stayed with us for one year, then moved on to an ELCA church in Milwaukee.
2024 Rev. Susan Schneider-Adams was hired as an intentional Interim Pastor to help the congregation grow together and discern their mission and vision.
2026 Our search for a permanent, settled Pastor is currently ongoing.