Sunday Mornings at 8:30 and 11:00
On any given Sunday morning during the school year, the sanctuary on the second floor of St. Matthew's Evangelical Lutheran Church fills twice, once at 8:30 and again at 11:00, with pastors, lay liturgists, choir singers, and neighbors from Wauwatosa and across Milwaukee's west side. Holy Communion is celebrated at every service. Between the two services, the building hums with a coffee hour and an education hour from 9:45 to 10:45, when children head to Sunday School and adults gather for a faith formation class. During the summer, from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, the schedule simplifies to a single 9:30 service.
Worship at St. Matthew's is led by Lead Pastor Kevin Kretzmann Farrar and Associate Pastor Ann Williams, who share preaching responsibilities and are assisted by lay liturgists and worship helpers. For those who cannot attend in person, every service is livestreamed on YouTube and saved to the church's channel for later viewing.
Welcome, Nurture, Equip, Send
St. Matthew's is a member congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), within the Greater Milwaukee Synod, a network of 118 congregations stretching from Kenosha north to Sheboygan and west to Ixonia. The congregation's mission is captured in four short words: Welcome, Nurture, Equip, and Send. Its vision is to be a community of disciples growing in faith, hope, and love in Jesus Christ. The values underneath that vision are the Fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
The church's constitution was approved in January 2017 and updated to reflect amendments made to the ELCA Model Constitution for Congregations at the 2019 Churchwide Assembly. An Annual Report gathers the year's ministries in one document and offers a window into how the mission is lived out week by week.
A Pastorate Shared by Two
Lead Pastor Kevin Kretzmann Farrar joined St. Matthew's in February 2024. A graduate of St. Olaf College, Yale Divinity School, and Luther Seminary, he oversees worship, preaching, teaching, ministry partnerships, youth and family ministry, church operations, and staff. Before coming to Wauwatosa he served congregations in Wisconsin, Minnesota, New York, and California. He lives in Wauwatosa with his wife, Pastor Alissa Kretzmann Farrar, their daughter Zoë, son Callum, and a menagerie of pets.
Associate Pastor Ann Williams has served St. Matthew's since her installation on June 12, 2016. In her part-time role she leads worship, shares preaching, oversees women's ministry, and makes pastoral visits. A graduate of Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, she previously served a congregation north of Milwaukee and worked as a campus minister at Regis University in Denver. She lives in Waukesha with her husband and two children.
Music That Stretches from Pre-K to Adulthood
If there is one ministry at St. Matthew's that runs through every age and corner of the building, it is music. Minister of Music and Organist John Paradowski has shaped the program since 1987, overseeing graded choir programs and worship planning. He directs the youth choir, the adult handbell choirs, and assists with children's choirs and small ensembles. The National Religious Music Alliance honored him with an Award of Distinction for developing one of the nation's finest worship music programs.
The acoustic centerpiece of the sanctuary is a Schlicker pipe organ, custom built by the Schlicker Organ Company of Buffalo, New York, and dedicated on June 3, 2001. With 55 ranks and 3,135 pipes, it was designed to lead congregational singing, support the liturgy, and accompany choirs and soloists. A small Liturgical Ensemble of brass, percussion, and instrumentalists rounds out the leadership of hymnody and choral anthems.
Children begin young. Praise Kids!, a vocal choir for children in 4K through second grade, meets Thursdays from 4:00 to 4:50 and emphasizes learning about God through songs and movement. New Creation Choir, for grades 3 to 6, rehearses Wednesdays from 5:45 to 6:30 and sings in worship regularly. New Generation Choir, for grades 7 through 12, rehearses Wednesdays from 6:30 to 7:00 and sings everything from contemporary to classical repertoire. Two handbell ensembles serve the same range: Godsbells for grades 3 to 6 on Wednesdays, and Righteous Ringers for grades 7 to 12 on Tuesdays at 7:00.
Adults have several options. The Adult Choir, directed by Dr. Alexa Doebele, rehearses Thursdays from 7:15 to 8:45 and sings a wide variety of Christian music, rotating its schedule so all can hear its offerings. Three handbell groups give adults a place at the table: the EmBELLishments meet Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. and welcome beginners; Bell Angels rehearse advanced repertoire on Thursdays from 6:00 to 7:15; and the A CaBELLa Ringers gather on Thursday mornings year-round for daytime, advanced ringing in worship.
Children, Sunday School, and a Vibrant Confirmation Program
Children are welcome and valued at St. Matthew's, both in the sanctuary and in classrooms designed for them. The nursery is set up for children from 6 months through 5 years old. Sunday School runs from September through May, from 9:45 to 10:45, for children from age 3 through eighth grade. The Sunday School Coordinator, Izzy Vogt, leads a team of dozens of dedicated volunteers. Pre-schoolers and kindergartners work with the child-centered Spark curriculum from Augsburg Fortress. First through fifth graders rotate through five stations, each with a different learning style, while sixth through eighth graders study a Bible-based curriculum on themes like forgiveness, service, peer relationships, and world religions.
Two midweek children's programs gather grade-schoolers between Sunday services. Kids for Christ (KFC) brings grades 1 to 3 together, and Disciples of Christ (DOC) does the same for grades 4 to 5, with food, fellowship, and friends always welcome. Each summer, Vacation Bible School fills the building for one full week of faith, games, and crafts. Children entering Junior K through fifth grade are invited, along with their friends, neighbors, and relatives.
Middle school ministry revolves around learning, service, and community building. Seventh and eighth graders spend two years in Confirmation classes that move through the Lord's Prayer, the Apostles' Creed, Baptism, and the Ten Commandments, supported by small groups led by volunteer leaders. Ninth graders add an eight-week capstone on living out faith and real-world application, with a Confirmation service held in November. Acolyte and reader roles in worship, along with monthly fellowship events such as apple orchard outings, rollerskating, and trips to Wisconsin Dells and Great America, knit the group together.
High school youth meet on Sundays for a youth forum that integrates faith with daily life. They serve as acolytes and communion assistants, and a drama group presents Gospel skits several times a year. The highlight of the year is the annual mission trip, when a group of 60 to 70 persons travels to a U.S. location to serve and grow in faith. Recent trips have taken them to New Orleans for Hurricane Katrina rebuilding, North Carolina to work with people in poverty, and Colorado to serve at Harvest Farm, a recovery community for men.
Adult Life Together: Classes, Books, Small Groups, and Saints
Adult Education classes run every Sunday morning during the school year, from 9:45 to 10:45, and are open to all. Guest speakers frequently appear, and past class videos and resources are kept online for later viewing. Recent topics have included a presentation on the Mennonite faith tradition.
Beyond Sunday mornings, adults gather in a First Friday Book Discussion Group on the first Friday of each month from October through June at 7 p.m. New readers are always welcome. Small Groups, formed around shared interests, meet at various times during the week, and new groups are encouraged to start up.
The Women's Ministry holds a Wellness Day each winter on themes such as stress management, breast cancer awareness, healthy cooking, heart health, and resilience. An annual Women's Retreat usually takes place early in the year. The Men's Ministry Committee plans events and studies throughout the year, including a men's breakfast and a softball team. SAINTS, an acronym for Seniors Active in New Testament Service, is the congregation's ministry for active older adults. Monthly gatherings on the third Wednesday begin at 11:30 with announcements, a devotion, and a presentation, followed by lunch and time for fellowship.
Meals, Quilts, and a Prayer Chain that Never Stops
Care for one another takes many shapes at St. Matthew's. The Prayer Chain prays continuously for the needs of the congregation and community, sending prayers weekly or more often as requested. The Sharing and Caring Program organizes warm meals for members who are ill, have a new baby, or are navigating another life change. Stephen Ministry matches trained lay caregivers with people facing bereavement, hospitalization, terminal illness, separation, divorce, unemployment, relocation, or other crises, listening and praying without giving advice.
The Stitches of Love Quilt Ministry gathers three or four times a year, usually on Saturday mornings, to make quilts, afghans, and receiving blankets from donated fabrics. Finished pieces are donated to ministries in the Greater Milwaukee area, charities, and foreign missions. On Mother's Day each year, all of the quilts and blankets displayed in the sanctuary receive a prayer of blessing.
Beyond the Building: Repairers, Guest House, Cross Lutheran
St. Matthew's Meal Outreach Ministry carries the congregation's care into Milwaukee. Twice a month, volunteers assemble about 100 bag lunches for Repairers of Breach, a daytime shelter for people experiencing homelessness. A team cooks and transports a dinner to the Guest House of Milwaukee, a shelter that serves roughly 100 men each evening. A monthly meal at Cross Lutheran Church, served on the fourth Wednesday to neighbors from the surrounding community, is on hiatus and the congregation looks forward to resuming when it returns to Cross's ministry offerings.
Caring for creation is part of the church's witness too. Solar panels on the St. Matthew's rooftop generate power, and the data from them is available for anyone who wants to see the results.
Partners in El Salvador and Tanzania
Each January, a group from St. Matthew's travels to El Salvador to walk in solidarity with the Salvadoran Lutheran Church. Members visit Casa Esperanza, a homeless shelter in San Salvador that St. Matthew's supports financially, and sustain friendships through social media and prayer throughout the year. The congregation also sponsors approximately 25 Salvadoran students through secondary school, with sponsors and students maintaining close, enduring relationships. A newer partnership with Pan de Vida Lutheran Church (Bread of Life) extends this work further.
Across the Atlantic, St. Matthew's partners with the Sing'Isi congregation of the Meru Diocese in Tanzania. Members travel to Tanzania every few years and help sponsor visits by members of Sing'Isi. The congregation supports the church financially, along with several students pursuing secondary education. Bishop Elias Kitoi of the ELCT Meru Diocese is a particularly strong link in the relationship, and a synod-wide Meru Partnership now has its own site.
Weddings, Funerals, and a Library with Deep Roots
Weddings at St. Matthew's are shaped together with the pastors, drawing on careful selections of music, scripture, readings, and vows to reflect the couple's needs and the Christian context. A Wedding Booklet explains the details. For funerals, the pastors help families plan a service that proclaims Christ's resurrection, whether at the church or at a funeral home, with a bulletin printed in collaboration with the family and digital photos welcomed for the visitation. A reception in the Upper Commons, with coffee and treats provided by volunteers or a larger luncheon arranged with a local caterer, can follow.
The St. Matthew's Library is one of the best in the area, with a constantly updated collection of books and DVDs, including a children's section that introduces young readers to the love of God. Founded more than 50 years ago in memory of Roy R. Stauff, the library sits next to the Commons Area at the foundation of the original altar built in 1921. A self check-out system keeps it accessible whenever the church is open, and donations can be made in honor or memory of a loved one.
Alongside the church, the St. Matthew's Ev. Lutheran Church Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 1974, safeguards the congregation's long-term future and administers the Rev. Gary and Susan Erickson Scholarship Fund, established in 2011, which offers scholarships to students attending Lutheran colleges and to those pursuing theological studies.
Finding the Church
St. Matthew's stands on the north side of Wauwatosa Avenue at 1615 N. Wauwatosa Ave., Wauwatosa, WI 53213. Two parking lots sit on the west side of the building, the main lot accessible from Wauwatosa Avenue and a second lot across the street accessible from Underwood Avenue. The main entrance is on the west side; a staircase immediately to the right leads up, and an elevator down the first hallway on the right serves those who need it. The sanctuary is on the second floor.
Office hours run Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to noon. Visitors who want to follow along at home can find the livestream and a deep archive of past services on the St. Matthew's YouTube channel, and a monthly newsletter called The Voice keeps members and friends connected between Sundays.