Proclaiming, Connecting, Strengthening Since 1858
Emanuel Lutheran Church has been part of the New Haven community since 1858, more than 165 years of gathering on Green Street for the proclamation of the Gospel. The congregation belongs to the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and summarizes its calling with three words that appear on every page of its ministry: proclaiming, connecting, and strengthening. Emanuel proclaims the love of Jesus in word and deed, connects people to that love, and strengthens the faith of families at home and in the surrounding neighborhoods.
Two pastors shepherd the congregation: Pastor Scott Zeckzer and Pastor David Stecker. The mission that frames everything else is simple and direct. Emanuel is a united and growing family of Christians joyfully dedicated to furthering God's kingdom by connecting people, strengthening families, and proclaiming God's Word. Visitors who want to know more are invited to contact the church office at 260-749-2163 or churchoffice@emanuelnh.org.
Saturday Evening, Sunday Morning, and the Gym at Central
Worship is at the heart of life at Emanuel, and three very different services give newcomers a way to find a fit.
The Saturday evening Divine Service begins at 5:00 p.m. and uses orders of service found in the Lutheran Service Book. The piano is the primary instrument, and the service carries the same reverent character as the Sunday morning liturgy, with the Lord's Supper celebrated on the Saturday before the first, third, and fourth Sundays of the month.
Sunday brings two traditional services at 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. The organ leads the singing, and the liturgy rotates through the settings of the Divine Service from the Lutheran Service Book. The first Sunday of the month follows Setting One, the second uses Matins, the third uses Setting Three, the fourth uses Setting Four, and a fifth Sunday returns to Matins. The Lord's Supper is offered on the first, third, and fourth Sundays.
At the same 10:30 hour, a service called The Gathering meets in the auxiliary gym at Central Lutheran School. The Gathering blends the old and the new. The structure of confession and absolution, readings, sermon, prayers, and the Lord's Supper is traditional, but the music is contemporary and the atmosphere is described as more relaxed than the services in the church nave. The Lord's Supper is offered at The Gathering on the first and third Sundays of the month.
A quote from Martin Luther near the worship schedule captures the spirit of the congregation: "Next to theology, I accord to music the highest place and the greatest honor." The quote is one Emanuel returns to often, alongside an Introduction to the Lutheran Service Book passage explaining that in Lutheran worship, God comes to His people through Word and Sacraments, and the people respond in praise and thanksgiving.
Bible Study for Every Age and Schedule
Emanuel takes the Apostle Paul's encouragement in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 to heart: all Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. The church offers a Bible study for nearly every kind of schedule.
On Sunday mornings at 9:15, the Fellowship Hall hosts an adult Bible study led by one of the pastors between the two traditional services. Sunday School for children from age three through seventh grade meets in the church basement at the same hour. Confirmation students gather in the Family Life Room for their junior confirmation class, with the Rite of Confirmation celebrated on the third Sunday of May.
A High School Bible Class for older youth meets in the Youth Room at 9:15 on Sundays, led by Seminarian Joshua Brandmahl. For men, the ROMEO Bible Study, which stands for Retired Old Men Eating Out, meets Mondays at 11:30 a.m. in the back room of the New Haven Richards restaurant, and both retired and non-retired men are welcome.
Early risers can join Pastor Zeckzer in the Council Room at 6:45 a.m. on Mondays for a morning Bible study. On Wednesdays at 9:00 a.m., a Ladies Wednesday Morning group gathers in the Council Room in the Church Office, led by Pastor Zeckzer, for fellowship and discussion of timely topics and the upcoming Sunday sermon. Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. bring Life Light Bible Study, a nine-week program in the fall and another nine-week program in winter and spring, with Pastor Stecker leading the group study; materials cost $10, and no prior Bible knowledge is required.
Christian Education at Central Lutheran School
Emanuel is a sharing congregation of Central Lutheran School, a Christ-centered accredited school that serves preschool through eighth grade. The partnership means that Christ is present in every classroom and that Emanuel families have a Lutheran option for the early and middle school years. The shared ministry extends to Concordia Lutheran High School for older teens, giving young people a continuous Lutheran education from preschool through graduation.
The Sunday School program at Emanuel carries the same conviction, teaching children from age three through seventh grade at 9:15 a.m. between the two traditional Sunday services. Sunday School meets in the church basement.
Marriage, Confirmation, and Family Life
The congregation takes seriously the biblical vision of marriage set out in Mark 10:8-9, that the two become one flesh and what God has joined together no one should separate. Emanuel publishes an Emanuel Lutheran Rite of Marriage Manual and a Wedding Bulletin Template to help couples plan a service that is rooted in the church's liturgical tradition.
Confirmation is a major milestone in the life of a young Lutheran. Junior confirmation class meets in the Family Life Room at 9:15 a.m. on Sundays, and the Rite of Confirmation is celebrated on the third Sunday of May. Students preparing for confirmation can choose from a list of suggested confirmation verses provided by the pastors.
The Gathering and the Gathering Crowd: A Modern Service in a School Gym
The Gathering is the youngest of Emanuel's three regular worship services, and its home in the auxiliary gym at Central Lutheran School is part of what gives it its character. Rather than the pews and stained glass of the historic church building, the gym setting lends itself to a more relaxed gathering with contemporary music.
Yet the bones of the service are the same as the traditional ones. Confession and absolution, the readings, a sermon, prayers, and the Lord's Supper all have their place. The music is the difference, and it is the reason some Emanuel families choose 10:30 in the gym over 10:30 in the church. The Lord's Supper is celebrated at The Gathering on the first and third Sundays of the month.
Music: Organ, Handbells, and Choir
Music is a defining ministry at Emanuel. The Saturday evening service uses the piano; the Sunday traditional services feature the organ; The Gathering brings contemporary music into the picture. Behind all of it is a strong program of volunteer musicians.
The Adult Choir, directed by Doug Reynolds, rehearses on Thursday evenings at 7:15 p.m. and sings regularly in worship services. The Handbell Choir, also under Reynolds, rehearses on Thursday evenings at 6:00 p.m. and plays in services throughout the year. Singers and ringers are always welcome.
Youth Group: EJY, LYFE, and CAFE
Emanuel offers three distinct youth groups that grow with young people from middle school through young adulthood. EJY, or Emanuel Junior Youth, serves students in grades six through eight. LYFE, or Lutheran Youth Fellowship at Emanuel, is the high school group. CAFE, the College-Age Fellowship of Emanuel, walks with students after graduation.
Andrea Hoover serves as Youth Director. The youth program maintains an active presence on Instagram at lyfe_ejy and on Facebook under Emanuel Youth Group, sharing events, photos, and permission slips for upcoming activities.
Kenya Mission and Point of Grace Academy
Emanuel's longest-running mission partnership is in Kisumu, Kenya, where the congregation works alongside Compassionate Care Ministries. Through mission trips, a child sponsorship program, and contributions to various projects, Emanuel supports Point of Grace Academy, a school that cares for, educates, and shares the Gospel with more than 600 children, many of whom are orphans. The partnership gives Emanuel members a concrete way to put their faith into action far beyond New Haven.
Caring for the Community
Closer to home, Emanuel serves the New Haven community through several hands-on ministries. Food is distributed every Tuesday at the New Haven Food Bank by a welcoming group of volunteers from the congregation. The Parish Health Team gathers health professionals from Emanuel to reach out to members facing physical and mental challenges, offering care that also comforts the spirit. A Grief Support ministry is part of the Christian Service umbrella, along with a group called We Care and a Reception of New Members.
A Prayer Chain is available for anyone in need of prayer; the church office can connect visitors with the prayer team. The church also maintains its own cemetery as a ministry, with members available to assist families with arrangements.
Boards, Elders, and Service Groups
The work of the congregation is carried out through a wide network of boards, societies, and service groups. The Board of Elders assists the pastors in the spiritual care of God's people and carries out duties described in 1 Timothy 3:8-13. Members of the Board of Elders include Mike Sweet, Dennis Herman, Josh Werling, Mark Schuller, Steve Snodgrass, Ben Koeneman, Benjamin Castens, John Colter, Steve Poling, Jerry Schlund, Wade Benjamin, Paul Niccum, Paul Sims, and Tom Burkholder Jr.
The Board of Trustees oversees the care and maintenance of all church properties. The Board of Evangelism works to support the proclamation of the Gospel both within and outside the community, supporting the New Haven Food Bank, the Kenya Mission, the Welcome Team, and visitor contacts. The Board of Finance and the Church Council handle the administrative and governance responsibilities of the congregation, and a Long Range Planning Committee and Stewardship Committee look ahead.
The Ladies Society, led by Coleen Peters, takes on mission projects including rummage sales, funeral meals, the Altar Circle, Quilting Circles, Christian Welfare Mission, and Bible study. The Altar Circle, led by Jayne Scheele, prepares the altar for worship and supplies baptismal napkins and the flower chart. Ushers, under Benjamin Castens, serve as hosts for all worship services. Adult Choir and Handbell Choir, both under Doug Reynolds, lead the music ministry. Days for Girls, an international initiative to provide feminine hygiene products to girls in need, has an active chapter at Emanuel.
The Endowment Fund supports the long-term financial health of the congregation. An Altar Guild, Christian Service, Ushers, Quilters, and a Stewardship Committee round out the network of groups where members can serve.
Joining the Family
For more than a century and a half, Emanuel Lutheran Church has been gathering on Green Street in New Haven to hear the Word, receive the Sacraments, and live out the calling to love and serve the Lord. Visitors are invited to stop by the church office, attend a Bible study, sit in on a service at the church building or the gym at Central Lutheran School, or join one of the many groups that make the congregation what it is today. The church's motto captures the heart of it all: HOPE, with the verse from 1 John 1:5 that God is light and in Him there is no darkness.