The need for a new congregation was felt by a small group of Christians living in the small town of Pewaukee, nestled by the lake about one half the size of the Sea of Galilee which was the inspiration for the church’s name.  The congregation held its first services in the local theater and town hall before moving into what has been our own church home for more than 50 years.  Founded 1954 by eight charter families, Galilee has grown to include more than 300 families.  We walk in faith with our children from baptism, first holy communion, confirmation and beyond.     In 2003, the people of Galilee Lutheran Church voted to move from a “membership-based” to adopt a “discipleship-based” model of ministry, including the development of a new Mission Statement, a new Vision Statement, a new organizational structure, new bylaws to the constitution, and a new practice of governance.   For one year, leaders entered into a Mission and Vision process, including the study of Power Surge:  Six Marks of Discipleship for a Changing Church, by Michael W. Foss ( © 1989, Minneapolis: Fortress Press).  This process resulted in streamlining a 13 member Church Council to a five member Leadership Board organized in concentric circles.  At the center is the Leadership Board, then Coordinators of nine areas of ministry, and then Ministry Teams.  Galilee’s ministries were re-organized under three main areas:    Welcoming ~ ministries that welcome people to faith in Jesus Christ and into the community at Galilee Equipping ~ ministries that provide tools and resources for a faith that works in real life Sending ~ ministries that send us into the world to make a difference in Jesus’ name   We continue to discover more faithful ways to increasingly live into and demonstrate the Christian practices of discipleship as defined by Galilee’s Vision Statement, which flows out of a response of faith through grace in Jesus Christ.

The need for a new congregation was felt by a small group of Christians living in the small town of Pewaukee, nestled by the lake about one half the size of the Sea of Galilee which was the inspiration for the church’s name.  The congregation held its first services in the local theater and town hall before moving into what has been our own church home for more than 50 years.  Founded 1954 by eight charter families, Galilee has grown to include more than 300 families.  We walk in faith with our children from baptism, first holy communion, confirmation and beyond.     In 2003, the people of Galilee Lutheran Church voted to move from a “membership-based” to adopt a “discipleship-based” model of ministry, including the development of a new Mission Statement, a new Vision Statement, a new organizational structure, new bylaws to the constitution, and a new practice of governance.   For one year, leaders entered into a Mission and Vision process, including the study of Power Surge:  Six Marks of Discipleship for a Changing Church, by Michael W. Foss ( © 1989, Minneapolis: Fortress Press).  This process resulted in streamlining a 13 member Church Council to a five member Leadership Board organized in concentric circles.  At the center is the Leadership Board, then Coordinators of nine areas of ministry, and then Ministry Teams.  Galilee’s ministries were re-organized under three main areas:    Welcoming ~ ministries that welcome people to faith in Jesus Christ and into the community at Galilee Equipping ~ ministries that provide tools and resources for a faith that works in real life Sending ~ ministries that send us into the world to make a difference in Jesus’ name   We continue to discover more faithful ways to increasingly live into and demonstrate the Christian practices of discipleship as defined by Galilee’s Vision Statement, which flows out of a response of faith through grace in Jesus Christ.