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What We Believe - Location - Staff - History

What We Believe

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." 2 Timothy 3:16

"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

"And (Christ) died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them, and was raised again." 2 Corinthians 5:15

We believe that Jesus Christ, true God, Son of the Father from eternity, and true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is our Lord.
At great cost He has saved and redeemed us from sin, death, and the power of the devil-not with silver or gold, but with His holy and precious blood and His innocent suffering and death.
All this He has done that we may be His own, live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence and blessedness, just as He is risen from the dead and lives and rules eternally. This is most certainly true. (Martin Luther) [return to top]

Location

Immanuel is conveniently located on U.S. Highway 71, just south of the intersection of Iowa 9 and U.S. 71. Through MapQuest's interactive website, you can customize a map and obtain driving directions to Immanuel. (This link opens in a new window.) [return to top]

Staff

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History

The early history of Immanuel Lutheran Church dates back to the years of 1869 and 1870 when a number of families with German ancestry settled northwest of the town of Spirit Lake. This was just 12 years after the Spirit Lake massacre when the area was opened once again to settlement. In those days there were circuit riding pastors who came to the area and held worship services in log cabin homes.

It was not until 1878 that the congregation really considers its date of origin, however, when it was recorded in the proceedings of the First Convention of the Iowa District of the Missouri Synod that Immanuel Lutheran Church had installed her first resident pastor. It had to be an
incorporated congregation by that time to have issued a call for the pastor.

In 1879 the first building was built in Spirit Lake to house the worship and school area on the second floor and the parsonage for the pastor’s family on the main floor. Since that first building was constructed there have been four other building programs in the congregation, the most recent being concluded in 2003 in conjunction with the congregation’s 125th anniversary.

Since 1878 the congregation has grown from a mere handful of people to a congregation of over 850 members. In the early days of history, it was felt that the lakes area of Iowa would never draw residents. Today the area is the fastest growing rural area in the state of Iowa. What began as a small congregation of farmers has grown into a large congregation of people from all walks of life. Each year the congregation continues to find new and exciting ventures for ministry in the lakes region.

Today the congregation also serves as the host congregation for all of the Iowa District West Conventions providing a large worship facility to adequately facilitate all those attending the various conventions. The congregation also serves to facilitate many community needs as well and provides worship opportunities not only within the facility but also through local television and radio stations. [return to top]