During the April 2026 Annual Ministry Celebration, we reflected on 140 years of ministry in the Midwest Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) — a diverse family of churches across Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Colorado, deeply committed to Jesus Christ and passionately engaged in God’s mission in the world.
What began in the late 1800s with Swedish Mission Friends gathering for worship, prayer, Scripture study, and mutual encouragement has grown into a network of congregations representing many cultures, languages, worship styles, and ministry expressions. While our communities may look different from one another, we remain connected by a shared commitment to follow Jesus together.
As part of this celebration, we looked back across four major eras in the history of our churches. We’re excited to share these era videos with you as we remember the past, celebrate the present, and look ahead with hope toward the future God is still unfolding among us.
Immigrant Era (1871-1906)
The first MWC Churches were formed shortly after Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. Historians refer to these years following the Civil War as the “Gilded Age,” a time marked by rapid industrialization, income inequality, and political corruption.
The transcontinental railroad had just been completed, opening the American West to increasing numbers of new residents. Churches in this era formed as Swedish immigrants settled in communities like Omaha, Garfield Center, Moses Hill, Des Moines, and Oakland. Swedish Mission Friends collaborated to educate their young, to serve the vulnerable in their communities, and study the scriptures together.
The Immigrant Era was a time of new technology. Bicycles were surging in popularity. The typewriter, handheld cameras, and safety pins were all new. The Chicago world’s fair in 1893 featured electric lights … an invention that would change the way we lived.
But not everything was easy during the Immigrant Era. The nation continued wrestling with inequality, economic hardship, and questions of justice and opportunity. An economic downturn in the 1890s left many families struggling.
In the midst of all this, Mission Friends gathered to worship, study the Bible, and establish communities of Jesus (in the Swedish language at first).
