Disciples Making Disciples on 70th Street East
Emanuel Lutheran Church sits at 2075 70th Street East in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, with the phrase "Disciples Making Disciples" framing its ministry. As a congregation of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Emanuel organizes its life around four connected movements: connect, grow, live, and share, rooted in the words of Matthew 28: "go and make disciples of all nations."
Two Sunday Services, Two Styles
Each Sunday brings two distinct services to Emanuel's sanctuary. The 8:00 AM traditional service uses the Divine Service straight from the hymnal in classic liturgical form. The 10:30 AM contemporary service is led by Praise Teams with singing that fills the room, and the church openly invites worshipers to sing along, clap, and dance as they worship together.
Both Sunday services are livestreamed and recorded, with full archives posted on Emanuel's YouTube channel and on the church's member portal. The traditional service runs at 8:00 AM through the school year, while the contemporary service meets at 10:30 AM, with a 9:30 AM adjustment during summer on the Sunday when communion rotates to it.
Between the two services sits the Educational Hour at 9:15 AM, where Sunday School for children and Youth Group for grades 6 through 12 meet together for study, discussion, and fellowship.
A Communion Rhythm That Reaches Every Sunday
Communion follows a rotating pattern designed so every Sunday of the month shares in the sacrament. It is offered at the 8:00 AM service on the 1st and 3rd Sundays, at the 10:30 AM service on the 2nd and 4th Sundays (9:30 AM during summer), and at both services whenever a 5th Sunday appears in the month.
Music: Five Groups in One Building
Music is one of Emanuel's most active ministries, and five ensembles rehearse and serve each week. The Emanuel Choir welcomes singers of all abilities and rehearses Wednesday evenings from 6:00 to 7:15 PM, September through May, singing in worship at least twice a month. The Emanubells handbell choir rehearses on Thursdays from 6:00 to 7:00 PM on three octaves of handbells and three octaves of handchimes, playing level 2 music for worship at least twice a month. Petite Praisers, the children's choir for grades 1-6, meets Wednesdays from 5:15 to 5:55 PM and sings a lively mix of contemporary and traditional music. JoyFul Noize, the youth praise team for grades 6-12, sings monthly and rehearses on the Monday before they lead worship. Two adult Praise Teams and a youth Praise Team round out the program, leading the contemporary service each week.
Singers who miss a rehearsal can catch up with Emanuel Choir rehearsal tracks, split into soprano, alto, tenor, bass, and piano parts, kept in the church's media library. A Spotify playlist extends the church's musical reach to listeners at home.
Children, Youth, and the Next Generation
The next generation is woven into the rhythms of Sunday at Emanuel. Children gather for Sunday School and youth gather for Youth Group at 9:15 AM, sharing time for discussion about how God is present in everyday life. The youth ministry describes its gatherings as a place "where everyone is accepted, no one is judged, and everyone is always welcomed." During the summer, the youth take part in a servant event, the National Youth Gathering, or a local trip, serving others while growing together in faith. Emanuel also keeps an archive of Children's Messages from past services on YouTube for families to revisit together.
Adult Ministries: LWML, Miriam Circle, and Small Groups
Adult life at Emanuel centers on three offerings. The Lutheran Women's Missionary League (LWML), the official women's auxiliary of the LCMS, gathers women of the congregation to support missions and put their gifts to work in ministry. Miriam Circle, a women's fellowship, meets on the first Monday of each month to deepen understanding of God's word and connect with other women of faith. Small groups form periodically throughout the year around shared interests and study.
What Emanuel Believes
Emanuel Lutheran's teaching is rooted in Scripture, the historic creeds, and the Lutheran confessions. The church confesses belief in the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, revealed as three distinct persons in one God. It holds the Bible to be God's inspired and inerrant word, written by men under divine guidance and without error. The Apostles' Creed is recited as the shared summary of the faith, with its witness to Christ crucified, descended, risen, ascended, and coming again. As an LCMS congregation, Emanuel teaches that the Holy Spirit works saving faith through the hearing of the Gospel (Romans 10:17) and that Baptism, with water and Word, brings new life to infants, children, and adults alike (Titus 3:5).
Visiting, Giving, and Staying in Touch
The church office is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 AM to 2:30 PM, with the phone answered at 651-457-3929. Visitors who want to give can do so online through a secure giving portal, mail an offering to the church office, or download the Vanco Mobile Faith Engagement app and search for Emanuel Lutheran Church Inver Grove Heights. A prayer request form can be submitted online or by calling the church office.
Emanuel keeps in touch with its community through its Facebook page, YouTube channel, and Spotify playlist of its music. A weekly bulletin and the church calendar are posted online for visitors to browse. Emanuel belongs to the LCMS Minnesota South District. Sister institutions and resources include Concordia University, St. Paul, Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Concordia Academy, King of Kings School, Trinity Lone Oak Lutheran School, Camp Omega, Lutheran Heritage Foundation, and Lutheran Church Extension Fund.