How it all started...
Woodridge Community Church was founded in December of 1988 under the leadership of Pastor Dave and Brenda Mobley. The fellowship’s first official meeting was on the back porch of a house in Germantown, with about 20 people in attendance.
Shortly thereafter, they began meeting at Heritage Christian School, in the band room. As the fledgling group began to grow, they moved their services to the chapel at Heritage. As the church continued to grow and require more space, they met in the gymnasium.
Shortly thereafter, they began meeting at Heritage Christian School, in the band room. As the fledgling group began to grow, they moved their services to the chapel at Heritage. As the church continued to grow and require more space, they met in the gymnasium.
Expanding the vision...
At the outset, it became clear that God’s Spirit was blessing the ministry of Woodridge Community Church. Because the elders had a desire and vision to see an authentic community of grace having a wider impact in the greater Milwaukee area, they began, in 1994, to search for a building from which to carry out the ministry.
Many options were investigated, but none were viable until February of 1998, when an 18.47 acre parcel of vacant farm land on the corner of Howard and Sunnyslope in New Berlin became available. An offer was made by the church and accepted by the owner. The land sale was ultimately closed in January 2000. Woodridge liquidated its Building Fund, and the land was purchased without debt.
Many options were investigated, but none were viable until February of 1998, when an 18.47 acre parcel of vacant farm land on the corner of Howard and Sunnyslope in New Berlin became available. An offer was made by the church and accepted by the owner. The land sale was ultimately closed in January 2000. Woodridge liquidated its Building Fund, and the land was purchased without debt.
Learning to trust God...
However, no one could have anticipated the difficulties that would lie ahead. Innumerable issues arose with the land and building such as: flooding concerns, the Department of Natural Resources’ declaration of wetlands on the property, the reporting of endangered snakes, many unfavorable responses from the local government and resistant neighbors.
Even our attorney suggested the difficulties that lie ahead were possibly “insurmountable.” It could not be easily dismissed that snakes seemed to be holding up the building plans. Skepticism and doubt were nearly unavoidable by many, but others tenaciously persevered.
Even our attorney suggested the difficulties that lie ahead were possibly “insurmountable.” It could not be easily dismissed that snakes seemed to be holding up the building plans. Skepticism and doubt were nearly unavoidable by many, but others tenaciously persevered.
By God's grace...
God, in His graciousness, prevailed over what appeared to be the impossible. One by one the obstacles were removed, and in the Fall of 2005, the City of New Berlin granted a Conditional-Use Permit giving Woodridge until October 2006 to begin construction.
We are grateful to God that we had our first worship service in the new building at 13800 W. Howard Avenue in New Berlin in July of 2007. We are also grateful to the many volunteers that put in countless hours of hard work to see the building through to it’s completion. This truly was a labor of love. We are looking hopefully into the future and praying that God will use Woodridge Community Church to proclaim the Gospel to future generations.
We are grateful to God that we had our first worship service in the new building at 13800 W. Howard Avenue in New Berlin in July of 2007. We are also grateful to the many volunteers that put in countless hours of hard work to see the building through to it’s completion. This truly was a labor of love. We are looking hopefully into the future and praying that God will use Woodridge Community Church to proclaim the Gospel to future generations.
Where we are headed...
On October 13th, 2013 a changing of generations occurred. Pastor Dave and Brenda sensed the call of God on their lives to leave the church He used them to plant and pursue another ministry direction at New Hope Church in New Richmond, WI. There, Pastor Dave was involved in training leaders of the next generation onward.
We are blessed by God to have Pastor Luke Dufek, who has been serving on staff here at Woodridge since 2006, as our Senior Pastor of Preaching and Vision. Pastor Luke, his wife Amy and their four boys are a blessing to us all as we look forward to the next 75 years of ministry. Pastor Luke’s philosophy of ministry begins and ends with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is so large and encompasses all of life.
We are blessed by God to have Pastor Luke Dufek, who has been serving on staff here at Woodridge since 2006, as our Senior Pastor of Preaching and Vision. Pastor Luke, his wife Amy and their four boys are a blessing to us all as we look forward to the next 75 years of ministry. Pastor Luke’s philosophy of ministry begins and ends with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is so large and encompasses all of life.