Emmanuel’s History

Emmanuel Lutheran church was founded on January 5, 1947. The first service was held in the Orchard Beach Improvement Hall. Six months later the church was able to buy its first property, however the cornerstone on that property was not set for another two years.

In 1962 the church bought a house on Granada Road which would serve as a parsonage. At the same time the church bought Brandon’s property for a new, larger church building. Seventeen years passed before the congregation voted to relocate to our current location at 8615 Fort Smallwood Road. In June 1982 services were moved to the new building.

Nineteen eighty-four saw the addition of the church counseling center. The church began to participate in NCEON in September of 1989 and the first internship for aspiring pastors began in September of 1990. Emmanuel started its popular train garden program in 1991.

The latest addition was built onto Emmanuel in 1997 and expanded the church’s hall and added a new multipurpose room.