Who We Are

Hephatha began in 1913 as a neighborhood congregation formed by German immigrants on 18th and Locust in Milwaukee.  We have been a neighborhood church our entire history, serving God and others on the north side for 112 years.  In the 1960’s, as the neighborhood demographics changed and Hephatha became active in the Civil Rights Movement, the congregation moved from a largely German patronage to one that is primarily African American.

Hephatha remains to this day in and of our neighborhood, a sign of how God’s care for us is particular in nature and a sign of how God calls us to be part of the community.

Hephatha Lutheran Church takes our name from Mark 7—Jesus heals a man who is unable to speak and unable to hear with the word of prayer that gives us our name: “Be Opened.” The man is.  We are…opened as a church to God and to our neighborhood…to you!

- www.hephatha100.com

How YOU Can Help Hephatha

Join Us For Outdoor Worship

During one Saturday each summer, we host our friends from Hephatha and enjoy worship outside at 5 pm followed by dinner, fellowship and playing together in CTK’s Backyard.  This is a great way to get to know our partners in our beautiful outdoor space! In 2025 it will be held on August 23.

Donate To Our Annual Backpack Drive

You will be able to pick up a tag at either campus during the summer and return backpacks filled with listed school supplies in early August.  In 2024, you filled 66 backpacks—what a powerful outpouring of generosity! Each fully stocked backpack costs between $70 and $110.  When you multiply that across 66 bags, it becomes clear: your giving is making a major impact.  For a family at Hephatha with two or three school-age children, receiving these backpacks is not just helpful—it’s a blessing that eases a real burden.

Donate To The Strong Baby Sanctuary (SBS)

SBS strives to support parents who are pregnant or have a baby under 12 months old to combat the high infant mortality and high lead poisoning rates in the surrounding community.  The ministry meets twice a month for lunch and discussions on various topics.  SBS provides childcare, offers resources (diapers, wipes, formula, etc.), delivers furniture, prays with families and so much more!

To find out more about SBS and how you can contribute contact Shirley Denu by clicking on the ‘Contact’ button below OR click to open Hephatha’s SBS Webpage here.

Donate To Our Annual Mitten Trees

Each year, the Mitten Tree in CTK’s narthex and Mitten Bin by COL’s fireplace accept donations from early December through the end of January.  Our two campuses offer the same great way to help the kids at Hephatha and their neighborhood kids stay warm during the winter through your donations of hats, mittens, scarves, and socks.  These are much-needed replacements for items that fall by the wayside.  The most-needed item is warm mittens for school-age kids.  Questions?  Contact Jane Boorse.

Provide Gifts Through UNITY's Angel Trees

“Angel Trees” at our COL and CTK campuses are an easy way to give at Christmastime.  Each tree is adorned with tags for small thank you gifts for staff and residents at our partner ministries, as well as presents for kids at our partner churches.  Angel Trees are typically adorned with tags by Advent Fest (first Friday in December), with wrapped and labeled gifts due by mid-December.