our building history

1925 The original stone church on our property built by Trinity Lutheran Church. (The stones are from quarries in Wausau. The outer walls are 30" to 36" thick.)
1949 The founding Lakeland area Episcopal group met in homes, Security State Bank, and United Methodist Church of the Pines. 
1973 St. Matthias' Church was formally organized and the stone church was purchased and consecrated on October 14, 1973. (Bishop Brady chose St. Matthias for the name of the new church as he was ordained on the feast of St. Matthias. 
1975 The original St. Matthias' Thrift Shop opened on April 4, 1975.
1977 A stained glass window above the altar was added to the church.
1979 Our first pipe organ was purchased.
1982 A bell tower was built using the bell from the U.S. Naval ship U.S.S. Winston.
1991 Additional property was purchased and a parking lot added.
1991 Our first Parish Hall was built. (The stone, from quarries in Wausau, is from new tombstones that were broken during carving and turned broken side out to match the stone on the original church building.)
1993 St. Matthias' became a self-supporting parish instead of a mission.
1995 A Memorial Garden was added.
1997 Extensive remodeling was completed on the inside of the church. This included a new wood floor, new pews, the sides next to altar opened up, and the stairway reconfigured.
2002 Our parking lot was paved.
2003 St. Matthias' celebrated its 30th anniversary of its consecration. St. Matthias' also acquired the adjacent house on Hwy. 51 North.
2004 Our congregation began planning an expansion program called "Drawing the Circle Wider" which entailed demolishing the original Thrift Shop building and the house adjacent to it, and then building a new sanctuary, sacristy, kitchen, office, and library as well as renovating the old Parish Hall into a nursery, choir room, and class room.
2005 A groundbreaking ceremony was held for building expansion.
2006 Construction of our church expansion commenced in May and we had a dedication and opening of our new St. Matthias' Thrift Shop on Menominee Street.
2007 St. Matthias' purchased the house next door on Arbor Vitae Street and designated it as the Outreach Center (renamed Edgar’s Place in 2014). It is home for NA groups and Caritas.
2007 Our first service in our new church was held on February 25, 2007 and the dedication and community Open House for the new church facilities (church, remodeled Parish Hall, education wing, office) was held in June. 
2008 Seven stained glass windows on west wall of the new sanctuary were designed and built, as well as two small windows near the altar.
2009 St. Matthias' hosted the ordination of Geoff Ward to priesthood.
2010 St. Matthias' purchased a city lot and built a new Furniture Annex building for the Thrift Shop.
2010 A dedication ceremony was held for the eagle stained glass window in our Parish Hall. This window filled the void left when the original window above the altar was moved to the altar in the new sanctuary. The eagle window was created in honor of Betty Aldridge, one of our founders.
2012 A mortgage burning ceremony was celebrated with the community.
2013 The Susan B. Smith Memorial pipe organ was built and installed by Dan Jaeckel. A dedication concert was performed in May.
2013 Our 40th anniversary of the consecration of St. Matthias' was celebrated. Our St. Francis Project team accomplished 40 projects in this fortieth year!
2014 A Lych Gate was built in courtyard at the entrance to the Memorial Garden.

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our emerging programs & activities

1973 The first rummage sale was held. This was the forerunner of St. Matthias' Thrift Shop.
1985 The Food Pantry was organized with seven other area churches.
​1994 Our first Winter Survivor's Party is held. This is a party for those who have not fled to warmer climates and is the church's last party before Lent begins.
1995 St. Matthias' hosted the Diocesan Convention.
2001 St. Matthias' performed jointly with Ascension Lutheran Church in the Northwoods Hymn Festival.
2004 Our first annual Road Rally and fund raising dinner was held.
2005 Sunday morning Adult Forums, covering a range of topics presented by parishioners or guest speakers was initiated and a "Flower Brigade" was formed to take altar flowers to parishioners/friends with special concerns.
2006 The Men of Matthias' group (which meets twice monthly) was formed as well as the monthly meeting group, the Women of Matthias'. The Education for Ministry program began and the Pastoral Care Team became official with monthly meetings. (Prayer shawls are part of this ministry.) Our Third Thursday Evensong and Potluck dinner became a standard monthly event.
2007 The Magnetic Church Conference was held at St. Matthias', led by Andrew Weeks. Ascension Day kite flying, 'Mass on the Grass', and the EFM lasagna dinner fund-raiser were all initiated. Community Table monthly dinners, hosted by four area churches, began and were held in the St. Matthias' Parish Hall.
2008 An Equinox fundraiser auction, music, and dinner helped raise money for the building fund. This was also held in 2010.
2009 St. Matthias' hosted the Diocesan Convention. The first St. Matthias' veterans' breakfast was held on Veterans' Day.
2010 The Providence-St. Mel School of Chicago choir performed for the first time. (This is typically a biennial event.) The St. Francis Project was organized as an additional outreach program to the St. Matthias' Thrift Shop.
2011 Foyer Groups were formed for monthly dinners in parishioner's homes.
2012 Our first annual Native American Eucharist was celebrated.​ This has become a quarterly event.
2013 The Caritas program began to serve the needy with financial aid and support. Several area churches and organizations joined. Inter-denominational services were started at McNaughton Correctional Center.
2016 Mid-week healing services began; healing prayer stations added during Sunday communion. 

our priests through the years

1973 - 1976  Fr. Stephen Frampton
1976 - 1980  Fr. Roger Wharton
1980 - 1984  Fr. David Klutterman
1984 - 1990  Fr. Barry Whenal
1990 - 2014  Fr. R. Edgar Wallace 
2015 (Interim) Rev. Carol Amadio
2015 - 2020  Rev. Dr. Erin Kirby
2020-2022 (Interim) The Rt. Rev. James L. Jelinek
2023 - Rev. Deborah Woolsey