The Journey to Faith United Lutheran Church

Our story began in the winter of 2004, when three men from Immanuel Lutheran Church in Gillett—Ray Wickman, John Kasten, and Dave Pelow—met with the church council of St. John Lutheran Church in Pulcifer. They brought a vision of combining ministries. They saw the growing need due to a lack of resources in many congregations, a shortage of pastors, and fewer men entering the ministry.

We decided to share resources among six congregations, with the hope of one day uniting them and building a centrally located church. We called this coalition GALAC (Gillett Area Lutheran Association of Churches). We began by combining Sunday school, Vacation Bible School, youth group, and a senior meal site. The meal site not only brought seniors together for food and fellowship, but also gave us the opportunity to share and preach the Gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

As we continued to grow together, we started holding joint worship services. Eventually, financial challenges pushed us to seriously consider closing some of our churches. Membership had declined, costs to maintain aging buildings were rising, and none of our buildings were handicap accessible. Convincing members to close their beloved country churches proved difficult. Many felt attached to the buildings and didn’t yet see that we, the people, are the Church.

Out of the six congregations, only two, Immanuel and St. John’s Pulcifer, chose to move forward with the vision. We closed and decommissioned Immanuel Lutheran Church first and moved all members to St. John Pulcifer. Then we began planning a new church. Keller Structures created floor plans and provided pricing for new construction.

We worked together to purchase land and liquidate assets from both congregations to raise the funds we needed. When we realized we fell short for the initial floor plan, we met with Keller Structures again. They suggested we downsize slightly and use materials from both churches in the new building. We embraced the idea and moved forward with construction in 2005.

We sent the stained glass windows out for refurbishment and planned for them to be installed in the new church. We also reused lighting, pews, and the altar. When the new building was complete, we closed and decommissioned St. John Pulcifer—marking the end of an era for both churches.

Next, we needed a new name and identity. Our members submitted numerous suggestions, and we overwhelmingly chose Faith United Lutheran Church. The name reflected how we had combined more than just buildings—we had become one body of believers, Growing in Faith Together in Christ.

We dedicated Faith United on April 29, 2007, beginning with a debt of $1,800,000 and a 30-year mortgage. Thanks to faithful prayers, tireless work, and generous giving, we held a mortgage burning ceremony on August 20, 2023, and officially retired the debt. Praise the Lord!

We celebrated with a special worship service led by Rev. Dwayne Lueck, President of the North Wisconsin District of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. The service included choir music, solos by Debbie Krause and Faith Laatsch, the burning of the mortgage by our elders, and closing prayers by Pastor John Laatsch. We enjoyed a catered dinner of chicken and tips donated by Bill and Keri from the Red Rooster.

We also collected a free-will door offering for Support Kingdom Come Food Pantry in Oconto Falls, Wisconsin. It was truly a joyous day as we celebrated what God had done—and continues to do—through our church. Together, we remain committed to Growing in Faith Together in Christ.

Submitted in Christ by, Mark Williamson, Elder, Faith United Lutheran Church