Etta Wurmser

Etta Wurmser could be considered an apostolic pastor-teacher to the state of Ohio. She planted several churches herself and then supervised the planting of more Alliance churches in various locations in the state of Ohio.

At six years of age, Etta received a vision from God. As she sat next to her father’s barn in Findlay, Ohio she audibly heard God call her into ministry. It was her earliest childhood memory. She forgot about it until years later. She joined the Alliance Mission in Findlay, Ohio serving as Mission mobilizer and teacher of youth.

Etta’s heart was crushed when her husband, Frank, divorced her. Etta wrote about the pain of the divorce saying, “In that very day of hardest crushing when my heart was broken, my hair turning gray, and my sorrow so great that there were no nights of sleep, the Lord came forth one night and took it all away. He took every bit of sting away and blessed me once more as a child.” Etta heard an audible voice in the night and saw a vapor of smoke. Jesus said to her, “I have chosen you out of the furnace of affliction.” Soon afterward, Jesus led her to attend Bible school. Having no money and a baby girl to care for, as well as suffering the stigma of being a divorced single mother, she enrolled at the Missionary Training Institute in Nyack, New York.

After graduating with Evangelist and teaching credentials in 1904, Etta was appointed as a local superintendent authorized to exercise oversight of the C&MA in Oberlin, Ohio and the surrounding district in January of 1905. From the Oberlin church, she began to plant daughter churches in the surrounding area. 1n 1907, she officially organized Alliance Churches in Sandusky, Norwalk, and other locations in Ohio. She was a pastor and was the supervising authority over several other churches.

Etta already experienced anointed ministry in her first two years, but having heard of the great Welsh revival in 1904, she began seeking revival in Ohio. In 1906, she experienced a personal outpouring of Holy Spirit. The revival spread from her to the ministry she supervised and beyond. In 1908, the C&MA weekly reported the Alliance work in Toledo, Bowling Green, and Findlay had all experienced Pentecostal outpourings. Many people experienced supernatural signs and wonders, many were physically healed, and many had been converted.

Soon after the outpouring of Holy Spirit, God led Etta to start a Bible training school in Norwalk, Ohio. She equipped scores of young men and women. Twenty-five missionaries had gone out from her school by 1917 with 19 more soon to follow. The Bible school was moved to Findlay, Ohio where as a six-year-old she was first called to ministry by God. Etta Wurmser pastored the Alliance church in Findlay from 1933 until her retirement in the 1950’s all the while maintaining and leading her Bible School.

God chose a divorced, single mother to be a pastor who ushered in revival, planted churches, and launch a ministry training school. Perhaps, we should beware in silencing the voice of called women. We just might be resisting Holy Spirit.

Author: Steve Fowler