A BRIEF HISTORY OF IMMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH
When, in 1891, Herman Buegel accepted the call to be the first resident
missionary of the Missouri Synod in Western Canada, he regarded his
missionary field "as extending from Winnipeg to some point near Vancouver
and from the border to the North Pole." Buegel and Pastor Herman Brauer
from North Dakota arrived in Winnipeg, a city of 18,000, on September 2,
1891. Through a contact with D.W. Riedle, a real estate agent in the city a
small group of German Lutherans were gathered into a congregation.
Pastor Buegel organized several congregations in rural Manitoba and
Saskatchewan before really focusing his efforts in Winnipeg. On October 30,
1892, Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church officially came into existence.
There were four charter members: D.W. Riedle, A. Helm, H. Peterson and E.
Schultz. Worship services were held in a rented store where Pastor Buegel
also lived. A Christian Day School was also organized in 1892 with Pastor
Buegel as the teacher. Although immigration was quite rapid, Immanuel's
growth was slow because many of the immigrants went on to homestead in
Saskatchewan and Alberta. Late in 1893 Pastor Buegel accepted a call to
North Dakota.
Immanuel's second pastor was Rev. E. Starck, who served from 1894 to 1898.
Under his pastorate the congregation grew to the point at which it erected
its first building to serve as church and school.
Rev. R. Zwintscher was Immanuel's pastor from 1899 to 1910. The
congregation experienced such rapid growth that a new and larger building
was constructed in 1903. The first building continued to serve as a
two-room schoolhouse. The school also thrived at the beginning of the
century so that in 1905 there were two full-time teachers employed.
After Pastor P.E. Ross arrived in Winnipeg in 1910 to serve as Immanuel's
fourth pastor, the congregation looked northward for its next location. A
two-story school, church and parsonage were built in 1912-1913. The church
building served the congregations for over 70 years. The pre-war time was a
time of decline in membership for Immanuel.
Changes were beginning to take place, for under the pastorate of Rev. L.
Rosin (1917-1919) English worship service began. Pastor M.W. Riedel served
from 1919-1926, and the congregation also employed the services of several
teachers during the period from 1915-1937, at which time the school was
closed.
In 1922 Immanuel became one of the charter members of the newly formed
Manitoba and Saskatchewan District. The first District President, Rev. P.
Wiegner, became Immanuel's next pastor, serving from 1927-1938. Pastor L.W.
Koehler, Immanuel's longest serving pastor (1938-1972, also served the
District as president (1951-1970). Under Pastor Koehler's leadership the
congregation grew once again. It became self-supporting in 1941; English
became the language of the main service in 1946; a parish hall was built in
1950, replacing the old school house; sixteen vicars receive their tutelage
under Pastor Koehler.
Pastor James Schuelke was the pastor at Immanuel from 1973 to 1978. During
this time German worship services were discontinued. Pastor Paul DeBlock
served Immanuel from 1980-1987. During his pastorate, the congregation
received what might be called a 'blessing in disguise'. In 1984 a fire in
the church caused enough smoke damage in the building to cause the
congregation to relocate out of the old and declining North End to a new
suburban area in the North-West. The existing church building, the fourth
built by the congregation, was dedicated in December 1985. Pastor Laverne
Hautz came to serve the congregation in 1989 until 1997. Once again
Immanuel experienced a new growth in a community of young families, and in
1992 was privileged to celebrate its 100th Anniversary.
Today, Pastor Jan Pastucha serves Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran church,
it's 12th pastor. Pastor Pastucha came to Immanuel in 1998. God continues
to be faithful to the people of Immanuel over the many years, keeping His
promises, blessing the proclamation of His Word and nurturing His people.
Pastor Pastucha sees great opportunity for outreach in the community and
continues to lead the congregation to be faithful to God's Word and make
life-long disciples beginning with their community. He sees Immanuel as a
caring church with many gifts, and one to meet the needs of its people.