Immanuel Lutheran Church

Northwestern University and Garrett Biblical Institute opened their doors in what is now Evanston in 1855. These two Methodist institutions set the moral and intellectual tone of the future town as a center of learning, with abolitionist and temperance beliefs. Evanston was incorporated in 1863. In 1871, many of the wealthy Chicagoans whose homes were destroyed by the Chicago fire relocated to the more peaceful and rural atmosphere of Evanston. The town's population grew from 4,400 in 1880 to 13,059 in 1890. The town needed many working-class people to build and maintain these homes, and to work as maids. Working class Swedish immigrants flocked here to work as carpenters, bricklayers, blacksmiths, and housemaids.

By 1886 there were enough Swedes here who wanted to worship in their own language that one of them, Miss Josephina Erickson, arranged for Rev. Sven A, Sandahl, of Trinity Lutheran, then a Swedish Lutheran Church in Chicago, to conduct worship services in the home of A. Jacobson at 818 Lake Street and in rented quarters. The Martha Society, a sewing society, was organized in 1887. On January 10, 1888 an organizational meeting was held at Union Hall, 807 Davis Street. There were 60 persons present, including ten families and 23 individuals. They adopted the name "The Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Immanuel Church of Evanston" and became part of the Scandinavian Augustana Synod.

Pastors of Immanuel

Please click on an image below for a slideshow of our previous pastors as well as some important events that occurred during their tenure.