Our History
Groton Scandinavia Evangelical Lutheran Church was
formally organized on December 21, 1907. One year
later a constitution was adopted and the fifteen
charter members signed their names to this
document. In January 1908, the Ladies Aid was
organized with nine charter members. A Luther
League was organized early in the history of this
congregation.
There were some difficult years with occasional
worship services and other meetings held in homes
or at the German Lutheran Church. In 1916 there
were ten families who were members of the
congregation. In 1920 a building committee was
appointed. In 1924 or 1925 the ladies were given the
privilege of voting in the congregation’s business
meeting, a new constitution was adopted and the
name of the congregation was changed on Feb 25,
1926 to First English Evangelical Lutheran Church.
In the fall of 1928, the congregation purchased
property for a new church. At this time, the
congregation still numbered fewer than twenty
families but when the church building was finished
the debt was only $2,797.00. The new church was
dedicated on Sept 8, 1929. During the years, the
Ladies Aid had purchased most of the inside
furnishing including pews, altar, and baptismal font.
The next few years were difficult and the mortgage
was paid off in Feb 1945.
In the years ahead, the program of the church was
nurtured, a choir was organized and Trinity Lutheran
Church of Houghton became a parish with Groton. In
1948, a parsonage was purchased.
As the congregation grew, a new church was needed.
In Oct 1961, they voted to build a new church and
changed the name to Emmanuel Lutheran Church. A
new constitution was adapted which was the model
prepared for the merger of the American Lutheran
Church in 1961. On Palm Sunday, April 7, 1963, the
first service was held in our new church.
On August 4 & 5, 2007, Emmanuel celebrated it’s
100th anniversary with a worship service, reunion
choir, children’s choir, catered mean and wonderful
fellowship.
From a very humble beginning of a few families it has
grown now to some 122 families with a total of 227
baptized members and 185 confirmed. We continue
to be dedicated in working together to the Glory of
our Lord, as Jesus calls us.
About Emmanuel
Membership
Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Groton
currently has about 122 families with a
total of 227 baptized members and
185 confirmed.
Opportunities for Fellowship
Emmanuel is proud of an outstanding
choir, has an active altar guild, a
rapidly growing and very involved
Sunday School program, active
women’s Bible study groups/circles, a
Luther League youth group which
plays an active role in the church, and
a church-wide Women of Evangelical
Lutheran Church of America (WELCA)
group which is constantly involved in
mission projects to reach out through
Christ to others in our community and
throughout the world. We invite you
to join in any and all of these groups!
Emmanuel also offers an adult Bible
study at various times throughout the
year.
