150 years of Faith

As the country expanded westward during the nineteenth century, Methodism expanded with it. When settlers crossed the Platte River into the area that is now Wahoo and Saunders County, the Methodists were there to meet them.


In 1872, our church officially formed, with a Methodist minister preaching in Wahoo every two weeks. In 1880, a plot of land was purchased at 7th and Beech Streets (still our location today!) and our first building was built (seen at left).


In 1923, our current building was built. In 1968, when the Methodist Church merged with the Evangelical United Brethren and became The United Methodist Church, we officially became Wahoo First United Methodist Church.


Our church has a rich history and a bright future. We celebrated 150 years of Methodist mission and ministry in April 2022. Be on the lookout for the centenary of our building in 2023!

Our Connection

Wahoo First UMC is proud of its Methodist connection. We have a long history of paying 100% of our "Mission Shares" to our annual conference, which provides for ministries, missionaries, and other support in our backyard and around the world. For instance, when our region suffered devastating floods in the spring of 2019, the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) deployed disaster-response teams and a $10,000 grant to help relief efforts. Read more about that project here >>


Our church is in the Blue River District of the Great Plains Annual Conference. You can read more about our Annual Conference, its work, and its ministries here >>


The Great Plains Conference is an annual conference within The United Methodist Church, which has more than 12 million members in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the US. Explore our United Methodist connection and heritage here >>

What We believe

As a United Methodist congregation, our beliefs align with the doctrine and teaching of The United Methodist Church. These beliefs include the historic confessions of the global church, namely the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds.


As United Methodists, we also uphold the distinctive emphases of our founder, John Wesley. These include:

  • The Centrality of Grace: Prevenient, Justifying, and Sanctifying
  • Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion
  • Holiness & Christian Perfection

Read more about our Methodist beliefs here >>