IMMANUEL THROUGH THE YEARS
by Mary Baumann
(Mary has been a member of Immanuel since 1936 and also served as church secretary and bookkeeper for many years.)

 Immanuel and Me

My first contact with Immanuel was in October, 1936 Leonard took me to meet Pastor Brandhorst one evening, and a few days later Pastor married us in the church. There were no guests, only our two witnesses. This was not unusual during those depression years.

We attended church at Immanuel regularly. Leonard had no problem transferring his membership from a Lutheran church in Wausau, but I was a member of the Oregon Presbyterian Church, and there are differences which would not allow for a transfer.

Soon Pastor Brandhorst organized a membership class which I attended. We met one evening each week. Quite a number of people were at the first meeting, but by the time of the final meeting (six or eight weeks later) only two of us were still attending. I never knew what became of the others. Preparation for membership seems to have become shorter--another change.

Originally only men could be voting members of Immanuel. Eventually the constitution was changed to include "all adult members of Immanuel" as voting members.

 The Old Church at Jenifer and Ingersoll Streets

Immanuel has had many changes during our first 100 years.

In the beginning three or four families who hoped to form a congregation met for services in each other's homes. Soon there were too many people for the average home. They arranged with Bethel Lutheran Church to hold services in Bethel's little red brick church building at times which would not conflict with Bethel's services.

Later the people who had now organized into Imnianuel Lutheran Church and affiliated with the Missouri Synod decided to build their own church at the corner of Jenifer and Ingersoll Streets. The church was built. Membership grew faster than they had ever expected. Of course, Madison was also growing and Immanuel was still the only Missouri Synod Lutheran Church in town. There seemed only one direction to expand the building-UP! So a balcony was installed. That added a good number of seats which were soon occupied, too.

Finally a second service was added every Sunday morning instead of only on Easter. That eased the crowding considerably.

One thing I particularly noticed at Immanuel was the picture painted on the wall above the pulpit. It was a traditional picture of Jesus kneeling by a rock in the desert. I often wonder if that picture is still there.

(Editor's Note: The painting is no longer there.)

Our Church Building on Spaight St.

It was probably early in the 1940's when a member of lmmanuel bought the property where the church is now and donated it to Immanuel. The congregation was not financially able to build a new church right away. Temporarily the house on the new lot became the parsonage. The original parsonage was beside the old church, and now it was available for Sunday School classes and various church group meetings. It also provided office space.

By the mid- 1950's, after a three-year Building Fund Drive, and much studying of floor plans, the new church was built at 1021 Spaight Street. The first church at 1103 Jenifer Street was sold.

Now there was no parsonage,. and it was decided to have Pastors buy or rent their homes and increase salaries accordingly.

Immanuel is now planning changes in the"new" church. This will provide an elevator from the lower level to the main floor and on up to the choir loft, which will be enlarged to provide more space for the choir and other musicians. ----To be continued next month.

Organizations at Immanuel

In the Winter of l940-1941 two evening groups were organized for the younger women of Immanuel.
One was for unmarried women, who were probably working, and thus unable to attend Ladies Aid afternoon meetings. This group lasted only a couple of years.

The second group was Philea. One rule was: "Phulea members shall be young, married women members of Immanuel." it inferred that when a Philea member reached the age of 40 she would automatically transfer to Ladies Aid. That never worked out Much later the rule was rewritten omitting the words "young' and "married." Philea remained active until the end of the year 200l.

One year Phllea members invited their husbands to their Christmas party. It was a big success and resulted in the formation of the Couples Club which continued meeting for several years.

In 1965 several Immanuel members who were retired from their employment worked together to start a new club. It was supposed to be strictly social with as little organization as possible. They did not want to be known as "Golden Agers" or "Senior Citizens' so became "The Adult Club." In their first years attendance was often 60 or more, but membership dropped so that only eight persons attended each of the last three or four meetings. December, 2001, was the final meeting.

Holy Communion at Immanuel

In earlier years communion was celebrated about once every two months with exceptions for special occasions such as Maundy Thursday. Later this was changed to once a month, alternating between first and second services. Now it is offered every Sunday alternating between services. If there is a fifth Sunday in the month, communion is sewed at both services.

Another rule about communion was that you must announce your intention to partake at a certain service some time during the week before. This could be done by placing a communion announcement card on the collection plate the previous Sunday, mailing the card in, telephoning the Pastor, or coming to see him. One person could make announcements for all family members planning to commune.

The common cup was used at communion during Immanuel 's early years. Later this changed to individual cups. More recently it has been changed again so that persons may use either individual or common cup as they prefer.