History of Emmaus Lutheran Church, Racine

As Emmaus celebrated its sesquicentennial in 2001, the congregation had to deal with the unmistakable trend: like many Protestant churches, Emmaus' congregation was becoming older and smaller. No longer could the congregation rely on the waves of Danish immigration of the late 19th and early 20th Century and the Baby Boom of the mid-20th Century to swell the membership.

As a result, Emmaus could no longer afford two full time pastors. Rev. Paul Nuechterlein resigned in 2001 to offer his services as an interim pastor at other Racine congregations, leaving Rev. Mary Janz as Emmaus' sole full-time pastor. (Rev. Nuechterlein has since become the pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Portage, Michigan.) Emmaus has shared Visitation Pastors with Lincoln Lutheran Homes: Rev. Sharon Georgi (2002-2005) and Rev. Walter Hermanns (2006-present).

Neighborhood Camp, 2004The congregation has devoted itself to community outreach. Volunteers created Emmaus After School for Youth (EASY) on January 27, 2002, creating a space for children from the nearest elementary school, Wadewitz, to come for tutoring and reading help.

Emmaus inaugurated a new outreach program, "Neighborhood Camp," in the summer of 2003. For five weeks each summer, structured recreational and educational activities are offered free to 50 to 75 children of the Emmaus neighborhood. The program quickly branched out to other ELCA congregations in Racine.

In February, 2008, a young man from Colombia visited the Sunday worship service and offered to lead a new ministry to Spanish-speaking residents of the area. Jhon Freddy Correa began gathering a new flock on Pentecost Sunday, 2009, and this church which had for 90 years offered a place for Danish immigrants to worship God in their own language, began offering the same to immigrants from Latin America. Correa was ordained and installed as pastor on July 10, 2010.

Within the first year, the Spanish-language worship service swelled to 200 persons. The Latino congregation has established its own advisory board as well as a young adults' group, a sacristy group (Altar Guild), a group to minister to members in need, and a "Good Samaritan" fund.

1851-1880 + 1880-1913 + 1913-1954 + 1954-2000

Sesquicentennial Celebration

Emmaus confirmation class photos, 1907 to present

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

  • JENSEN, JOHN M.: The United Evangelical Lutheran Church, Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis, MN, 1964.
  • SOLBERG, C.K.: A Brief History of Zion Society for Israel (undated and unsigned handwritten fountain pen transcription)
  • VIG, P. S.: Den Første Skand. Evang. Lutherke Menighed i Racine, Wisconsin: Et Omrids af dens Historie gennem 75 Aar, tr. H. Skov Nielsen. "Published by a Committee." 1926.
  • THE NEW YORK TIMES: "A Danish House of Prayer: Money From Denmark Paid for Its Start in Brooklyn," New York, NY, Oct. 28, 1894 (page 16).
  • THE RACINE JOURNAL TIMES: "17 Persons Sign 2 Petitions, For and Against New Tavern," February 18, 1947 (Page 4).
  • THE SUNDAY BULLETIN (Racine Journal Times): "Dedication Services Set For New Emmaus Church," October 9, 1955 (Page 14).
  • THE SUNDAY BULLETIN: "Dedication Festival Draws Crowds to Emmaus Church," October 23, 1955.
  • THE RACINE JOURNAL TIMES: "New Bells and Old," October 21, 1957, page 4.
  • THE JOURNAL TIMES: "Saigon Only Memory to New Residents," by Sue Harcus. Racine, WI, July 23, 1975 (Page 3A).
  • THE JOURNAL TIMES: "Former 'Boatperson' Finds New Life" by Robert A Frahm. Racine, WI, August 9, 1980 (page 4A).
  • THE JOURNAL TIMES: "History Shows Economy Was Cruel to Local Colleges," by Joseph Scolaro. Racine, WI, August 3, 1998 (Page 1B).
  • ANON.: Emmaus: The First Century. Lutheran Publishing House, Blair, NE, 1951.
  • ELCA Archives, Lutheran Churches in Chicago: A Genealogical Guide.
  • And church records.

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Emmaus Lutheran is an ELCA Church