WAUWATOSA — Inside Wauwatosa Avenue United Methodist Church, one small room is creating big change, locally, nationally, and around the world.
It began about a year and a half ago when longtime member Shirley Carter approached Pastor Kate Jones with an idea.
“We were doing some remodeling,” recalled church member Carolyn Dressler. “And Shirley said, ‘We need a mission room.’”
Pastor Kate moved quickly, put out a call for sewing machines, and within days, four arrived. Soon, the sound of stitching, cutting, and conversation began filling the space.
Watch: Wauwatosa church creates worldwide impact with Mission Room
The women started by turning grocery bags into sleeping mats, cutting them into strips and weaving them together.
“Those mats go both locally to Saint Ben’s, Repairers of the Breach, and a food pantry on the South Side, and to the Midwest Mission Distribution Center in Illinois,” Dressler said. “From there, they’re sent around the world to people who need a barrier between themselves and the ground.” What began as a recycling effort now offers comfort to people in need while keeping plastic out of landfills.
From there, their mission expanded. The group began sewing cloth diapers, washable feminine hygiene products, and baby clothes for communities where disposable items are out of reach.
“Girls can go to school instead of staying home during that time of the month,” Dressler said. “It’s heartbreaking, but we can help.”
Volunteers also knit hats and assemble infant layette kits, many of which go overseas, while others are shared closer to home at places like Hawley Environmental School, where church members volunteer. The Mission Room has become a circle of giving and community.
“It’s by giving that we receive,” Dressler said. “We’ve built this wonderful sense of connection here. It’s not just people from our church; we have volunteers from Peace United Methodist, Mary of Magdalene Catholic Congregation, and neighbors who help from home.”
The women meet every Wednesday evening at 5 p.m. and Saturday morning at 10 a.m., but the spirit of service extends beyond those hours.
Recently, several members traveled to the Midwest Mission Distribution Center near Springfield, Illinois, to see where many of their projects end up. They helped build desks from reclaimed bleacher wood, packed flood buckets, and sorted donations.
“Nothing goes to waste,” Dressler said. “It’s amazing work.”
For Pastor Kate, the Mission Room embodies faith in action.
“This room represents the heart of Jesus,” she said. “Everything made here is a gift of love. A grocery bag that once carried food becomes a mat for someone without a home. It helps the person, the planet, and it helps us too. When women gather to weave, sew, and talk, community grows.”
As she looks around at the circle of women, young and old, hands busy and hearts open, Pastor Kate smiles.
“There are so few spaces today where generations truly do something together. The love that starts here ripples out into our city, our world, and our future,” Kate said.
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