Save Historic St. Mary’s Church from Demolition
Tax deductible
We’d love to partner with you in making this vision a reality. This sacred space is in danger of being demolished.
In the scriptures, God meets with people in specific locations and often has them "mark that space" as sacred. This serves as a reminder of what He has done in their lives so they can pass the stories along to the generations to come. Anything from piling up rocks to building a temple, God meets people in real life at real places.
For over 150 years, God has met with people at St. Mary’s. He has guided them forward, inspired them to live better and different lives, and He has given them hope. God does not live in a building and His people can choose to connect with him anywhere. But God LOVES to meet with people in a sacred space and mark it as special, transformative, and real.
Agape Community Church believes that God still wants to pour out His presence, and His agape love in Pewaukee and given the rich traditions and history of St. Mary's church facility, we would love to carry on the sacred duty of cherishing and marking a space for people to meet with God and be changed by Him. Never before has our culture been so adrift from meaning, purpose, and peace. Pewaukee NEEDS a space which is sacred, quiet, safe, and real. We are asking God for the unexplainable once again and providing the extraordinary resources to reestablish THIS space as sacred, safe, and real for the coming generations.
The people who built this church with little money put blood, sweat, and tears into it, and now it’s our turn. Let’s be remembered for building up, not tearing down. You can make a difference and leave a lasting legacy for future generations.
To save it, we need to raise funds to secure the property and make it ministry-ready. Donate online to New Hope Fund - 100% of your money will be used for St. Mary’s church. Because we are a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, your donations are tax deductible. We also plan to have heritage and memorial options for donors ready to invest in our community’s future as Legacy Partners.
Background
St. Mary’s Church, in Pewaukee, WI, was built in 1858 and represents the legacy of a community who joyfully sacrificed their time, skills, and resources. Its bell tower overlooks Pewaukee Lake and its presence is part of the fabric of the community. It remains a symbol of stability and resilience. It ceased being used for Sunday services in 1999. The building was still used by the Queen of Apostles School children for mid-week Mass and for other meetings until 2016 when the school closed down.
Prior to the school closing, Agape Community Church received permission to use St Mary’s Church as its meeting place and leased the space from Queen of Apostles Church, who currently owns the property. After lots of love and elbow grease, Agape restored many parts of the building and used it as a place to worship on Sunday mornings and a community gathering place during the week. For over 3 years Agape was a good steward by restoring and improving the building as it was in need of some repairs.
In August 2019 the lease was terminated by the landlord as part of a decision to sell the school and church properties. At that time, Agape’s offer to purchase the church property was rejected. The proposed land development included the demolition of the church building. In response, local residents organized a “Save St. Mary’s Church” grass-roots campaign which prompted many village meetings, legal actions, and designating the church as a historic landmark.
The Village of Pewaukee entered in an agreement with Queen of Apostles Church to purchase the property and work with investors to develop the property into residential homes, while maintaining the church building. The Village reached out to Agape regarding interest in purchasing the church property and maintaining it for future generations. We want to preserve this sacred space and historical landmark, but we cannot do it alone. We need you!
We also need additional resources to restore the church building including repair damaged windows, and floors; repair roof & gutters; replace old electrical wiring; improve accessibility w/elevator and ramps; interior painting and restoration; repairs to the bell tower; parking lot resurfacing, regrading & landscaping. Please consider how you can help.
If you are in a trade that can help with repairs or maintenance and are able to donate time and materials, or if you would like more information about becoming a Legacy Partner please contact us at [email redacted]e.
In the scriptures, God meets with people in specific locations and often has them "mark that space" as sacred. This serves as a reminder of what He has done in their lives so they can pass the stories along to the generations to come. Anything from piling up rocks to building a temple, God meets people in real life at real places.
For over 150 years, God has met with people at St. Mary’s. He has guided them forward, inspired them to live better and different lives, and He has given them hope. God does not live in a building and His people can choose to connect with him anywhere. But God LOVES to meet with people in a sacred space and mark it as special, transformative, and real.
Agape Community Church believes that God still wants to pour out His presence, and His agape love in Pewaukee and given the rich traditions and history of St. Mary's church facility, we would love to carry on the sacred duty of cherishing and marking a space for people to meet with God and be changed by Him. Never before has our culture been so adrift from meaning, purpose, and peace. Pewaukee NEEDS a space which is sacred, quiet, safe, and real. We are asking God for the unexplainable once again and providing the extraordinary resources to reestablish THIS space as sacred, safe, and real for the coming generations.
The people who built this church with little money put blood, sweat, and tears into it, and now it’s our turn. Let’s be remembered for building up, not tearing down. You can make a difference and leave a lasting legacy for future generations.
To save it, we need to raise funds to secure the property and make it ministry-ready. Donate online to New Hope Fund - 100% of your money will be used for St. Mary’s church. Because we are a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, your donations are tax deductible. We also plan to have heritage and memorial options for donors ready to invest in our community’s future as Legacy Partners.
Background
St. Mary’s Church, in Pewaukee, WI, was built in 1858 and represents the legacy of a community who joyfully sacrificed their time, skills, and resources. Its bell tower overlooks Pewaukee Lake and its presence is part of the fabric of the community. It remains a symbol of stability and resilience. It ceased being used for Sunday services in 1999. The building was still used by the Queen of Apostles School children for mid-week Mass and for other meetings until 2016 when the school closed down.
Prior to the school closing, Agape Community Church received permission to use St Mary’s Church as its meeting place and leased the space from Queen of Apostles Church, who currently owns the property. After lots of love and elbow grease, Agape restored many parts of the building and used it as a place to worship on Sunday mornings and a community gathering place during the week. For over 3 years Agape was a good steward by restoring and improving the building as it was in need of some repairs.
In August 2019 the lease was terminated by the landlord as part of a decision to sell the school and church properties. At that time, Agape’s offer to purchase the church property was rejected. The proposed land development included the demolition of the church building. In response, local residents organized a “Save St. Mary’s Church” grass-roots campaign which prompted many village meetings, legal actions, and designating the church as a historic landmark.
The Village of Pewaukee entered in an agreement with Queen of Apostles Church to purchase the property and work with investors to develop the property into residential homes, while maintaining the church building. The Village reached out to Agape regarding interest in purchasing the church property and maintaining it for future generations. We want to preserve this sacred space and historical landmark, but we cannot do it alone. We need you!
We also need additional resources to restore the church building including repair damaged windows, and floors; repair roof & gutters; replace old electrical wiring; improve accessibility w/elevator and ramps; interior painting and restoration; repairs to the bell tower; parking lot resurfacing, regrading & landscaping. Please consider how you can help.
If you are in a trade that can help with repairs or maintenance and are able to donate time and materials, or if you would like more information about becoming a Legacy Partner please contact us at [email redacted]e.
Organizer
Florin Docea
Organizer
Village of Pewaukee, WI
Agape Community Church (Agape)
Registered nonprofit
Donations are typically 100% tax deductible in the US.
