Get
to Know Immanuel
The people of
Immanuel Lutheran are the people of God in Christ - worshiping,
growing, and going in the name of Jesus. We're a church family of
individuals, families, students, and children who wish to "serve our
community and campus with the pure Word of God, deepening the faith of
the saved, and bringing the lost to faith in Jesus Christ." (Our
Mission) We welcome everyone to come grow in God's Word with
us.
We're one ministry with two buildings: Immanuel Lutheran
Church on Grant Street and Immanuel Lutheran Student.Center on Clay
Street, near the WIU campus. All our office hours are at our Student
Center, open from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday through
Friday.
We're a member congregation of The Lutheran Church -
Missouri Synod. Check out the LCMS website for more information on our
denomination as well as links to the mission, beliefs, and resources
of our church.
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Worship
Coming
together for Services in God's house is the most important thing we do
as a congregation. We believe worship is primarily God serving us
through the Good News About Jesus, and from that flows our response of
adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and prayer.
Our
congregation worships in a liturgical style, utilizing various forms
of the liturgy with traditional hymns as well as new
songs. Lutheran Service
Book hymnal. Our Adult Choir enhances worship
in song. Children's sermons invite young Christians to be active in
understanding the theme of our worship through Bible stories and
object lessons. During the 8:30 AM Service, an unstaffed cry room is
available in our Preschool classrooms for parents and young
children.
Special Services are held throughout the Church year.
During Advent, Wednesday Midweek Services are held at 7:00 PM at the
Church, and in Lent our Wednesday Services are held at the Student
Center. Christmas, Holy Week, Ascension, and Thanksgiving, too, draw
us to worship the Triune God for His grace and mercy, responding in
repentance and joy.
All are welcome in our worship services.
Come join us soon!
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Sunday School
Sunday School classes are held
every week at the student center from 9:40-10:35 for kids age three
through High School. Our Life in Christ serves as our curriculum,
presenting the truth of God's salvation in Jesus through Bible
stories, and reinforcing the Gospel in music, crafts, and service. All
children are welcome to attend our Sunday School, and there is no
cost. Come have fun with us, and learn of Jesus! If you wish to know
more about our Sunday School, or wish to enroll, our Superintendent
will be happy to help you. Visitors, guests, and friends are always
welcome. Call (833-5483) or email us and we'll get you and your
children into the Word!
Bible Classes are held each Sunday for
adults. We believe that spiritual growth and the health of a
congregation depend largely upon our time in the Word of God,
individually and corporately. Pastor's Class meets in the student
center each Sunday from 9:50-10:35. There is, of course, coffee. It
seems that we Lutherans can't do some things without it! All are
welcome. The setting is informal and the focus is always upon Christ's
Word for us today.
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Youth
Our
church family is working to deepen our ministry to youth and their
families by supporting parents as the most influential "youth
ministers" in their kids' lives.
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Vacation Bible
School
VBS is held in June. To register, send
an email message to secretary@immanuelmacomb.com,
or call the church office at 833-5483.
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Choir
Our Adult Choir utilizes a variety
of styles, and sings in Worship Services at least
monthly. Open to singers in high school and
above.
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Campus Ministry
We recognize that we have
a calling to minister to and with college students of Western Illinois
University and Spoon River College. This aspect of our ministry is a
tremendous blessing. Lutheran Student Fellowship is our campus
ministry organization, and weekly Bible Study (Wednesday 8:00 PM) and
Sunday Worship (11:00 AM at the Student Center) are the central
gatherings for our students.
Of course, Christian love and
witness are spreading through our campus whenever Christian students
and staff are living out their faith in Jesus in the world. Servant
Trips, Retreats, and social events keep our campus ministry busy. A
Servant Trip takes place each school year. It is a great
opportunity to share the love of Christ and to see the need for
compassionate service that's also right next door.. Go to the Lutheran Student
Fellowship website and learn more.
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Women's
Guild/LWML
Immanuel's Lutheran Women's Missionary League (LWML)
is an official organization of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. Our focus is sharing
the Word of Jesus Christ through the support of local, state, national
and international mission organizations. These include Lutheran World Relief, Dakota Boys
Ranch, Angel Tree Prison Ministry, Lutheran Bible Translators, and Adopt-a-Seminarian
Program.
In September and October our local LWML collects
clothing, soap, health kits, school kits and sewing kits. These items
are packed and transported to a Lutheran World Relief pick-up site for distribution
oversees. In December we assist with Angel Tree Prison Ministry. LWML
coordinates the collection of Christmas presents for area children. In
March, LWML hosts a Chili Supper/Silent Auction/Street Fair for the
congregation and friends. Monies raised at the silent auction and
through freewill donations are distributed to mission projects.
Members also contribute mites/offerings at our monthly meetings. These
funds help fund district and national projects.
Our local group
meets monthly on the second Tuesday at 7:00 p.m., January - May and
September - December. Information on our monthly meetings and agendas
is contained on the announcements and calendar page. Further
information may be obtained by contacting Immanuel Lutheran Church and
Student Center.
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Compassion Committee
All members of our church family serve as
the congregational "compassion committee" for the purpose of sharing
God's love and help in small and large ways. Praying for one another,
sending messages of support, and providing meals or other help, are
just some of the ways that the compassion committee seeks to reach our
membership and community with the love of Jesus. If there is some way
we could assist you, please let us know by email or phone
(833-5483).
If you're a member or student of Immanuel and would
like to volunteer to help in a compassionate way, contact us and we'll
share our survey with you. Let us put into practice the response of
God's redeemed people of which Paul wrote: "[Christ] died for all,
that those who live should not longer live for themselves but for Him
who died for them and was raised again." 2 Corinthians 5:15
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A Little
History
Immanuel Lutheran
Church began in 1956 for the purpose of knowing Christ and making Him
known, and soon constructed its present Sanctuary on Grant Street.
Under the direction of the Central Illinois District of the LCMS, The
Lutheran Student Center was built in 1968, an outgrowth of the Gamma
Delta campus ministry at WIU. Both ministries served independently
until 1981, when they came together as Macomb Lutheran Ministry, a
united LCMS ministry to the entire Macomb area. In 2001, our name was
changed slightly in order to bring both buildings under the
congregational name, "Immanuel Lutheran (LCMS)." Our campus ministry
remains a positive and helpful partnership with the congregations and
members of the Central Illinois District, which owns the Student
Center building. Together, we seek to grow up and out in
Christ.
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