Forest City, IA -Immanuel Lutheran Church

On May 28, 1918 , the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Congregation and the Evangelical Lutheran Congregation were joined to form Immanuel Lutheran Congregation. Just a year before, a synodical merger formed the NorwegianLutheran Church in America bringing together the three largest Norwegian Lutheran synods and the vast majority of Norwegian Lutheran congregations in America. The older of Immanuel’s parent congregations, Luther Lutheran, was incorporated on May 10, 1870 , making this the “birth date” of the congregation known today as Immanuel Lutheran Church of Forest City, IA.

Immanuel’s proud history has been written by men and women who came to a “land of liberty and opportunity” who were “deeply concerned with the spiritual growth of their children, and the continued growth of their members in the knowledge of the doctrines of the church.”This passion for knowledge is evident in the congregation’s strong ties to the founding of Waldorf College in 1903 and its continued support.

As the congregation grew within Forest City , it also sought opportunities to reach out globally through
missions support and sponsorship of missionaries. In addition, dozens of men and women of the congregation attended seminary through support of the Immanuel congregation.