In August of 1922, the Rev. George Kase, the Federation Chaplain held the first worship service at the home of Mae Livingston; the attendance at these worship services grew, until in 1924, the Federation purchased from the City of Cincinnati a bath house on the corner of Betts and Cutter Streets, which was remodeled into a worship edifice and dedicated on the 7th of December 1924.

Two years later, Immanuel parish was formally chartered on the 12th of September 1926; that same year, the Federation called a school teacher- C. W. Klawitter- to open a parochial school (and which later closed in 1932 due to great Depression). In 1928, the Rev. Kase asked the Synodical Conference to call a permanent pastor. The Rev. Paul Schauer accepted the call and was installed into office in September of 1928. The next pastor, the Rev. Omar Rau, began his pastorate in February of 1930. During his tenure, the West End of Cincinnati greatly increased in population with the building of the Laurel Homes, requiring demolition of the old “bath house”. In response, the Cincinnati Lutheran Federation purchased the second Church building for Immanuel parish, a Church building originally used by the United Brethren, located at the corner of Clinton and Baymiller Streets; the dedication of the Church building took place on the 26th of April 1936. The Federation provided the building to Immanuel rent free for many years before selling it to the parish at a very favorable price. In 1942, in the midst of World War II, pastor Rau accepted a call to Indiana; during the tenure of his twelve-year pastorate, the parish had grown to 129 members.

In June of the following year, Immanuel’s next pastor came as a seminary candidate; he was the Rev. Francis Runge, who served Immanuel for two years, before being called as a military chaplain in 1945. The next pastor was also a seminary candidate from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, the Rev. Walter Fehrmann; during his twelve-year tenure, the congregation grew to 455 members. It was also during his tenure that Immanuel parish was received into formal membership of the Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod.

With the building of Inter-State 75 through the West End of Cincinnati, Immanuel parish relocated into its present location in Avondale. With the new Church edifice dedicated in March of 1957; several months later, Pastor Fehrmann accepted a Call to enter the foreign mission field in New Guinea. And so, another young and dynamic pastor came in the person of the Rev. G. Hans Liebenow. Under his pastorate, the congregation increased to its largest size- 529 members- and the congregation for the first time became self-supporting. Reverend Liebenow served until 1963, when he resigned to start a mission on the west side of Cincinnati.
The Rev. Luther Robinson began his pastorate in 1963, and served the congregation until his retirement in 1970. After Pastor Robinson’s retirement, the parish once again turned to Concordia Seminary in St. Louis for its next pastor, the Rev. Robert Grosch, who was ordained and installed into the holy ministry at Immanuel in 1971. Especially active in the areas of Social Ministry within the Community, Pastor Grosch shepherded the members of the parish until he accepted a Call to serve in Oakland, California in 1981. It was during his pastorate that the first Tax Clinic in the country, run through the VITA program, was opened to the community. During his tenure, the interior of the Church edifice was remodeled in 1978.

Following Pastor Grosch, the congregation extended the divine Call to the Rev. Oscar Jones, who served Immanuel from 1982 to 1983. The congregation asked the Rev. Milton Berner to serve until such time that the parish could call a permanent pastor; Pastor Berner served Immanuel for 22 years.

By the grace and mercy of God, in 1984, Immanuel parish sponsored two group homes- the We Care Homes- for the Lutheran Social Services of the Miami Valley who runs them; one of these homes was built upon land given by the congregation and lying immediately to the north of the Church. In 1985, an additional worship opportunity was added with the start of the Wednesday evening Vespers.

The name Immanuel means “God With Us”. As Immanuel Parish moves into its 80th year of ministry, it is a very exciting time. Rev Everette E. Greene accepted the call to be our new Shepherd. Pastor Greene is the first full time Shepherd at Immanuel since 1983. God is truly with us!