Our History

On May 25, 1902, eighty-five people gathered to combine their dreams to make a new church. As residents of Schofield and Rothschild, most employed at the local paper mills, those faithful folks had always had a difficult time getting to downtown Wausau in the snowy mid-Wisconsin winters to worship at St. Paul’s Evangelical church. Being made up of folks raised in the German Evangelical tradition, they decided to combine their dreams to begin a new church steeped in that tradition here in Schofield.

 

Peace Evangelical and Reformed Church became Peace United Church of Christ in 1959, following the merger of several denominations that became The United Church of Christ.

 

“That they may all be one.” This motto of the United Church of Christ – which can be found in John 17:21 – reflects the spirit of unity on which our church is based and points toward future efforts to heal the divisions in the body of Christ. We are a uniting church as well as a united church. This motto also affirms our history as a church home for all people seeking a connection to a faithful Christian community.

 

Today, Peace United Church of Christ continues to live out that vision as members dare to dream and then work faithfully to make those dreams a reality. Our proud heritage of faithful worship, Christian Education, local and global outreach, fellowship, and vital youth ministry, continue to embrace the vision of our members to live out their faith in community with others.

 

Caring, Believing, and Doing continue to characterize the mission and purpose of Peace Church. We invite you to find your place in the ministry and life of Peace United Church of Christ.
 
In January of 2022 Peace Church voted to officially become an Open and Affirming Church in the United Church of Christ. This solidifies our extravagant welcome and love for all of God’s creation. 
 

Our Mission & Vision

It shall be the purpose of this organization to establish in its community a Christian congregation to worship God, to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, and to celebrate the Sacraments; to realize Christian fellowship and unity within this church and the Church Universal; to render loving service toward mankind; to strive for righteousness, justice and peace; and to advance the Kingdom of God, both at home and abroad.

Quoted from Article II of the Peace UCC Constitution

 

This church acknowledges as its sole head, Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the Savior of man. It acknowledges as brothers and sisters in Christ all who share in this confession. It looks to the Word of God in the Scriptures, and to the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, to prosper its creative and redemptive work in the world. It claims as its own the faith of the Historic Church expressed in the ancient creeds and reclaimed in the basic insights of the Protestant Reformers. It affirms the responsibility of the Church in each generation to make this faith its own. In accordance with the teachings of our Lord and the practice prevailing among evangelical Christians, it recognizes two Sacraments: Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper of Holy Communion.

What We believe

 
Live Out “A Shared Faith” at Peace United Church of Christ!
A shared faith can best be described with the help of six phrases from scripture and tradition that express our commitments . . .

  That they may all be one. This motto of the United Church of Christ – which can be found in John 17:21 – reflects the spirit of unity on which our church is based and points toward future efforts to heal the divisions in the body of Christ. We are a uniting church as well as a united church. This motto also affirms our history as a church home for all people seeking a connection to a faithful Christian community. In essentials unity, in non-essentials diversity, in all things charity. The unity that we seek requires neither an uncritical acceptance of any point of view, nor rigid formulation of doctrine. It does require mutual understanding and agreement as to which aspects of the Christian faith and life are essential. The unity of the church is not of its own making. It is a gift of God. But expressions of that unity are as diverse as the individuals who make those expressions. The common thread that runs through all is love. Testimonies of faith rather than tests of faith. Because faith can be expressed in many different ways, Peace United Church of Christ and the United Church of Christ have no formula that is a test of faith. Down through the centuries, however, Christians have shared their faith with one another through creeds, confessions, catechisms and other statements of faith. Historic statements such as the Apostles’ Creed are valued in our church as authentic testimonies of faith. There is yet more light and truth to break forth from God’s holy word. This affirmation by one of the founders of the Congregational tradition assumes the primacy of the Bible as a source for understanding the Good News and as a foundation for all statements of faith. It recognizes that the Bible, though written in specific historical times and places, still speaks to us in our present condition. It declares that the study of the scriptures is not limited by past interpretations, but it is pursued with the expectation of new insights and God’s help for living today. The priesthood of all believers. All members of Peace United Church of Christ are called to active ministry for and with others and to participate as equals in the common worship of God, each with direct access to the mercies of God through personal prayer and devotion.  Recognition is given to those among us who have received special training in pastoral, priestly, educational and administrative functions, but these persons are regarded as servants rather than as persons in authority. Their task is to guide, to instruct, to enable the ministry of all Christians rather than to do the work of ministry for us. Responsible freedom. As individual members of the Body of Christ, we are free to believe and act in accordance with our perception of God’s will for our lives. But we are called to live in a loving, covenantal relationship with one another, gathering in communities of faith, congregations of believers and local churches.  In the United Church of Christ, each congregation or local church is free to act in accordance with the collective decision of its members, guided by the working of the Spirit in the light of the scriptures. But it also is called to live in a covenantal relationship with other congregations for the sharing of insights and for cooperative action under the authority of Christ.