Our History

We are the church on top of the hill doing God’s work!  We’ve been growing in faith since 1956 when the first 62 people said "Yes” to begin a new church to meet the spiritual needs of the growing Rothschild village.  Mt. Calvary started with a strong core of believers from its inception when people took out mortgages on their homes to finance a brand new church and continuing to the present where we joyfully share the Word of God.
 In the last 60 years this congregation has:
--Baptized over 1,200 souls 
--Confirmed over 1,100 youth by Affirmation of Faith
--Educated these same youth in Sunday School programs
--Deepened our faith through uncounted bible studies and faith programs
--Sponsored youth mission trips 
--Joyfully praised the Lord in song with choirs since 1959

​We are a faithful congregation led by six senior pastors:
     1957-1959   Rev. James P. Ullman
     1959-1992   Rev. Earl P. Zimmerman
     1992-1993   Pastor Timothy F. Lofgren
     1993-1998   Pastor Nancy Amacher
     1998-1999   Pastor Dennis W. Olson
     1999-present  Pastor Richard L. Block
​
Community reach
We started as a neighborhood church, but outreach to our neighbors has grown to the broader Wausau-area community.
  • Annual community rummage sale since 2008.  Click here
  • Christmas giving tree for Woman’s community
  • Clothes closet to provide free clothing to those in need
  • Regular food drives for local pantries
  • Mat ministry to crochet mats from plastic bags and given to the Wausau Warming center and distributed to homeless people as a barrier from the cool damp ground.  Click here to learn more.
  • Narcotics Anonymous meetings
  • Greater Wausau Christian Services (GWCS).  In 1981 Mt. Calvary partnered with 11 other congregations to form GWCS to bring the gospel to nursing homes, county jail and health care center.  Today we continue to provide worship services at the Marathon County Jail and support Homme Home in Wittenberg.
  • Waypost Camp supported by work crews, pastoral leadership and camp attendance.  Click here for more information.
  • Sponsor Red Cross blood drives
  • Regularly provide community meals to Jubilee House
 
Global reach
  • Since 1972 supported 10 missionaries in six countries
  • 50 years of quilts sewn and distributed globally through Lutheran World Relief.  Click here
  • Companions to South Africa (Dinokana) parish including hosting visits from our South African friends in 2012 and 2016
 History of growth
  • April 1956 - first group met and said "Yes" to a Rothschild American Lutheran Church
  • 1956 Parsonage completed and first worship services held in basement
  • 1957 New church building completed 
  • 1960 Church pews installed in place of the metal folding chairs for worship services
  • 1960 Mother-Daughter banquets began which have since evolved to the Women’s Spring Tea 
  • 1961 Dedication of newly completed parish hall constructed to meet growing Sunday School needs.  Gene Haldeman, chairman of the building committee said congregation members had “done a tremendous job in which they strove, not for ‘good enough’ but for perfection in keeping down the monetary expenditures to approximately $18,000".  
  • 1961 The first church newsletter “Messenger” published and mailed and continues today
  • 1965 Completed a larger sanctuary with stained glass windows and education unit to accommodate church growth
  • 1971 Missionary-For-A-Day starts to financially support a designated missionary.  
  • 1986 Presented first support payment of $13,545 to our “Mission Partner” church Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Kronenwetter
  • 1988 the American Lutheran Church, the Lutheran Church of America and the American Evangelical Lutheran Church merged to become the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) as Mt. Calvary remains today
  • 1992 The V.I.P.’s group starts for the “Retired, Semi-Retired, and Tired” and continues today
  • 1994 Affirmation of Baptism (Confirmation) date moved from May to Reformation Sunday in October 
  • 1997 First youth mission trip to St. Thomas
  • 2001 Installed into three new positions:
         Minister of Music of Worship - Becky Luett
         Minister of Evangelism - Deanna Morgan
         Minister of Youth - David Frei
  • 2002 Sanctuary and pews renovated and turned “sideways” to be more welcoming
  • 2002 Began “praise” style worship at second service with praise singers and band
  • 2003 Alpha groups to study Christianity began which opened the concept of small groups
  • 2013 Unbinding your Heart, Gospel, and Soul series of bible studies opening our hearts to prayer and sharing our faith
  • 2016 Community worship at Rothschild Pavilion celebrating Rothschild Centennial
  • 2019 Seeds for Growth transformational ministry emphasizing the importance of connecting with God and our neighbors
  • 2019 Updated our purpose statement, core values, guiding principles and vision statements Mission & Vision
  • 2020 Pandemic forces us to close our doors.  We move our worship services online