History
A Brief History
Emmanuel Community United Methodist Church was started by Pennsylvanian Germans who moved to the area in the early 1840’s. Circuit riders were sent to our area in 1840. The first congregation was formed in 1846 and was known as Emmanuel’s Congregation of the Evangelical Church. The first services were held in homes until 1851 and in the school house from 1851 – 1860, which was when the first church was built. Services at first were spoken all in German, later
giving way to half English and half German. In 1915 the services changed to be conducted entirely in English since the younger members did not speak German and couldn’t understand the services.
The Building
The first Evangelical Church was built in 1860 on what is now the corner of Appleton Avenue and Roosevelt Drive. In 1902, during a terrible windstorm, the steeple was blown down and demolished part of the building. Due to the extensive damage, the congregation decided to raze the church and build a new one on the same site. The new church was laid in 1903 and was known as the red brick church on the hill. After many renovations to the red brick church the congregation decided in the 1950’s that they needed more room and so they looked for a new larger location. They chose the location of the current church on Menomonee Avenue. In 1959 they started the construction of the new building and it was completed and occupied in May 1960; 100 years after the first church was built. Additions were added to the church in 1996, which included Sunday School classrooms, new chapel lounge, a formal church entry way and celebration hall. There are three cornerstones in this church: one representing the year this church was built(1959) and the original cornerstones from the two previous church buildings.
