OCCUMC PASTOR, Wendee Nitz
Oak Creek Community United Methodist Church serves families and individuals from Oak Creek, Franklin, Milwaukee, Greenfield, Muskego, and other communities throughout southeastern Wisconsin. Our congregation includes families and individuals of all ages. Our mission is to worship God, love and serve all people, grow in faith, and invite others to become disciples of Jesus Christ.
Pastor Wendee Nitz was appointed to Oak Creek Community United Methodist Church (UMC), Oak Creek, WI, on July 1, 2014. She holds a Masters of Divinity degree from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, IL. Wendee studied dental hygiene at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. After working in the dental field for 14 years, Wendee went on to a second ministry as a parish pastor. She has completed some Masters in the Science of Management course work at Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, and is also trained as a Labyrinth (a walking prayer path) Facilitator, Interim Pastor, Youth Ministry Institute Graduate, Reconciling Process Coach, and Volunteers-in-Ministry Leader.
Rev. Nitz loves to help build bridges of understanding and experience in our communities that help people connect with God and each other. She emphasizes mutual-shared ministries that move people to make a difference in the lives of others. A key interest of Pastor Wendee is inter-generational ministries where many generations help each other see the face of God in each other. It is a joy to bring the Gospel to the next generations while enhancing the spiritual lives of the older generations.
Rev. Nitz has served four previous churches in the Wisconsin Annual Methodist Conference. Before coming to Oak Creek Community UMC, she shared ministry at Good Shepherd UMC in Oconomowoc, Marshall UMC in Marshall, Emmanuel Community UMC in Menomonee Falls, and Asbury UMC in Janesville. Her home church is Trinity-Pilgrim UMC (now called Peace UMC) in Brookfield.
Rev. Nitz enjoys bike riding, walking and reading. She and her husband, Jim, share the blessings of their two adult children, Jeffrey and Bethanee.
OCCUMC Administrative Assistant, Jane Lentz
Jane became the OCCUMC Administrative Assistant the spring of 2021. Jane graduated from UW – Eau Claire with a B.A. in Journalism & History.
She considers herself a ‘Jane of all trades, master of none’: writing, marketing, advertising, librarian, Girl Scout Leader, Boy Scout Leader, bookstore manager, and an administrative assistant at an area high school. In her free time, she enjoys reading and going to musicals.
Jane’s son & his wife live in Arkansas with Jane’s granddaughter & grandson. Jane’s daughter & her husband live in South Milwaukee and will bless Jane with another grandchild in 2021.
Jane is looking forward to getting back to in-person attendance at church where she is an extraordinary eucharistic minister.
