Sunday Mornings at the Corner of Woodland and Farmington
Immanuel Congregational Church sits at the corner of Woodland Street and Farmington Avenue in Hartford, Connecticut, and the doors at 10 Woodland Street open each Sunday at 10:00 a.m. for worship. The congregation belongs to the United Church of Christ and describes itself as Open and Affirming, Just Peace, anti-racist, and environmentally conscious. About sixty to seventy people typically gather for a service that lasts close to an hour, with another hundred or so joining the livestream on YouTube. In summer, the air-conditioned Fellowship Hall serves as the worship space; the rest of the year the main Sanctuary is in use.
The Sacraments of Baptism and Communion
Like most Protestant denominations, the United Church of Christ recognizes two sacraments, and Immanuel observes both with care. Baptism at Immanuel celebrates belonging to the family of God. Parents and the congregation give thanks for the gift of new life, and the rite is described as a visible reminder that salvation comes as a gift from a loving God who chose us before we chose God. Infant baptism is the usual practice at Immanuel, though people of any age can receive the sacrament. Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month. Children are welcome at the table, and there are no preconditions for receiving the bread and cup. The congregation uses the occasion to remember its identity as the body of Christ and to be sent out as that body in the world.
Music in the Sanctuary
Music is one of the cornerstones of Immanuel. Hymnals, anthems, organ and service music are interwoven throughout worship to deepen the relationship with God and with one another. The Chancel Choir, described as a family of all ages and backgrounds, rehearses on Thursday evenings and again on Sunday mornings before the service. It is directed by Amanda Hanzlik, the Director of Music, and accompanied by Organist Stephen Scarlato on the Sanctuary's Austin Organ. The choir is supported by section leaders and collegiate scholars, and a scholarship in honor of former Director of Music Mark Singleton (who served from 2004 to 2024) helps a promising college music student sing with the choir each year. The musical range is wide: on a typical Sunday one might hear a gospel anthem, a jazz combo, a bluesy solo on the piano, or even a Spanish corito alongside the traditional sacred music written for the organ.
What a First-Time Visitor Can Expect
Visitors are told simply to come as they are. Dress is up to the individual; most people fall somewhere between formal and casual. Children of all ages are welcome in the Sanctuary during worship. Wheelchair access is available from the Woodland Street entrance, and ushers can provide a hearing assistance device on request. Parking is available behind the Town & Country building at 22 Woodland Street (except on Palm Sunday and Mother's Day), along Woodland Street, in a small lot in front of the 10 Woodland Street entrance, and in the circular driveway near the side entrance for those with mobility impairments. After the service, the coffee hour in Fellowship Hall offers fair trade coffee, cold drinks, and a chance to meet the pastor and members.
An Open and Affirming Congregation
Immanuel voted unanimously on October 29, 2000 to become an Open and Affirming congregation of the UCC, and on June 24, 2012 a second unanimous vote added gender identity and gender expression to the welcome. The Open and Affirming Resolution on file at the church declares that Immanuel welcomes into full participation members and staff of every sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression, as well as people of every age, race, sex, physical and mental ability, ethnicity, and economic status. The congregation affirms that discrimination is incompatible with the gospel of Jesus Christ and commits itself to honor all people and to work to end oppression. A painted rainbow sidewalk leads up to the front of the church from Farmington Avenue, and Pride Sunday each June is observed with music and a powerful, interactive worship service.
Just Peace and Anti-Racist Identity
Immanuel is also a Just Peace church, meaning it seeks to encourage reconciliation, forgiveness, and peacemaking as core virtues. It is one of the congregations that has adopted the United Church of Christ anti-racist policy, committing to programs and policies that dismantle racism in the church and in society. The congregation's STAND UP! gatherings take place on the corner of Farmington Avenue and Woodland Street on two Saturdays each month, drawing attention to vulnerable communities, the environment, and other concerns, and providing a place to share thoughts on policies and how to support those most affected.
Loaves and Fishes at Immanuel
One of the most visible signs of Immanuel's commitment to its neighborhood is the daily presence of Loaves and Fishes Ministries. The soup kitchen operates on the Immanuel campus and serves lunch to about 130 people a day, five days a week. Beyond the hot meal, the ministry provides groceries and clothing for people to take home, and runs job training that includes computer instruction, résumé help, online job searches, and a sewing program where participants learn to use a sewing machine, read patterns, and make clothing. Members and friends of Immanuel volunteer to serve at Loaves and Fishes once a month, and the church's children collect canned goods for the food pantry. Each year the congregation participates in Foodshare's Walk Against Hunger, raising between five thousand and nine thousand dollars designated for Loaves and Fishes.
Food Collection for Hands On Hartford
For decades, Immanuel has also placed a grocery cart in the Sanctuary each Sunday to collect non-perishable food for the Hands On Hartford food pantry. Founded in 1969 as Center City Churches, Hands On Hartford now serves about 8,500 people annually through its MANNA soup kitchen, food pantry, advocacy center, weekend meal programs for children and seniors, supportive housing and housing assistance, the Faces of Homelessness Speakers' Bureau, and community engagement. The church's Social Action and Mission Committee contributes mission dollars to Hands On Hartford's overall work and partners with other Asylum Hill congregations to respond to individual requests for assistance.
Focus on South Marshall Street
In February 2011, members of Immanuel sat down for fifty one-on-one listening conversations with their neighbors on South Marshall Street, just two blocks from the church, and decided to focus the congregation's energy there. The street is home to residents of Marshall House, a shelter for homeless children and families, more than 300 Burmese and Nepali refugees sponsored by Catholic Charities, Habitat for Humanity homeowners in new condominiums and duplexes, and residents of several Section 8 apartment buildings. The South Marshall Interfaith Coalition, convened in 2011 by Immanuel minister Ed Horstmann, now brings together faith communities, Habitat for Humanity, Catholic Charities, Marshall House, neighborhood groups, the Asylum Hill Neighborhood Association, and city government. Each summer the church sponsors a block party for the neighborhood that draws hundreds of residents and introduces them to resources from forty nonprofit agencies, with pop-up events throughout the year for children at Halloween, Christmas, and spring.
Immanuel House Across the Street
In the 1960s the people of Immanuel Congregational Church developed a not-for-profit corporation named Immanuel Church Housing Corporation and, using low-interest government loans, built a high-rise directly across the street from the church. Immanuel House opened its doors in 1971 and has since been recognized as a leader in providing housing and supportive services to Hartford-area elders. In June 1995 it was selected by HUD and the Administration on Aging as a Best Practices awardee. The building provides 120 independent living units and 70 assisted living units, and prides itself on being A Home Where Love Has Truly Come to Live. The bond between church and residence runs deep: children from Immanuel visit in costume at Halloween, and the choir sings Christmas carols and anthems that move residents to tears.
PFLAG Hartford, Born at Immanuel
In 1982, a small group dedicated to creating a society that is respectful of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities began meeting once a month at Immanuel. That group became PFLAG Hartford. Today it draws forty to fifty people each month and supports, educates, and advocates for LGBTQ+ people, parents, families, and friends in the greater Hartford area. PFLAG Hartford meets at Immanuel on the third Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. and continues to host an expansive lending library and scholarships for higher education for LGBTQ+ students and allies who have made a difference in their schools and communities.
HartBeat Ensemble on the Immanuel Campus
The Carriage House Theater, part of the Immanuel campus, is home to HartBeat Ensemble, a professional theater company founded in 2001 that creates original full-length plays drawn from contemporary life in Connecticut. HartBeat's Education Programs, inspired by Augusto Boal's Theater of the Oppressed, include conflict resolution workshops and play-building residencies. The ensemble has been named one of the top three professional theaters in the Hartford Advocate's annual Best of edition. Immanuel is currently working with the directors of HartBeat on a play about South Marshall Street based on interviews with residents.
Legislative Advocacy Through GHIAA
Immanuel is a founding member of the Greater Hartford Interfaith Action Alliance (GHIAA), a multi-religious organization of fifty faith institutions throughout Greater Hartford that organizes together for justice. The congregation participates in current action campaigns and shares in the coalition's organizing work and wins.
Growing in Faith at Every Age
Immanuel nurtures faith as something that needs to grow deeper and stronger. Throughout the year the church offers Church School classes for children from nursery age through grade 8, a Youth Group for young people in grades 6 through 12, and Adult Faith Formation opportunities in the form of book studies, discussion groups, and Second Hour programs on Sunday mornings after worship. The Second Hour sometimes features guest speakers or congregation members addressing issues tied to social action and mission initiatives. Members are warmly encouraged to participate, and the church frames Christian education as one of the most important reasons for being an active member of Immanuel.
Pastoral Care and Prayer
An active, compassionate Pastoral Care Ministry is led by Dr. Jay Terbush, Kristen Boucher, Carlotta Parr, Diane Benner, and Barbara Shaw, who provide confidential one-on-one conversations and prayer by telephone, Zoom, or in person. Prayer requests can be submitted through the church office or by calling 860-527-8121, and the Pastoral Care team is ready both to support people during hard times and to celebrate life's joys.
A Building Worth Visiting
The Sanctuary is a sunlit sacred space that seats up to 750 people under a spectacular dome. It contains an Austin Organ, a balcony, a choir loft, and the Louis Comfort Tiffany mosaic The Sower above the altar. The Chapel is a smaller worship space surrounded by stained glass and warmed by a pipe organ; it holds fifty to sixty people and is used for Ash Wednesday, smaller memorials, and meetings. The Fellowship Hall, which doubles as the summer Sanctuary, holds 110 at tables and 180 in chairs without tables and displays artwork from Immanuel members and the wider community. The Parlor seats sixty and works well for small discussions, presentations, or workspaces. A kitchen with two industrial ovens, a dishwasher, and full dinnerware supports events in either space. All of these spaces are available to rent for weddings, parties, music and arts events, and meetings.
Mark Singleton Choir Scholarship
The Mark Singleton Choir Scholarship was established by Mark Singleton, who directed music at Immanuel from 2004 to 2024, in honor of his grandfather. The Music Committee has reestablished the scholarship to continue his vision of mentoring young singers and increasing diversity in the Chancel Choir. The award provides one year of financial support to a promising college music student, who sings with the Chancel Choir under the mentorship of the Director of Music and the section leaders. Contributions can be made online, in Sunday's offering, or by mail to the church office.
Worship Through the Year
In addition to Sunday worship, Immanuel observes the seasons of the Christian year with services that have become hallmarks of the congregation. Ash Wednesday is marked by a solemn, intimate service in the Chapel. Maundy Thursday brings the Service of Tenebrae, led by clergy and deacons. Good Friday is observed with other local congregations in a diverse and memorable community service. Easter Sunday moves from grief to joy with music, lilies, and a special message. Pentecost is celebrated with an intergenerational, Spirit-filled service. Pride Sunday in June, Homecoming Sunday in September, the Book of Remembrance in November, the Annual Service of Lessons and Carols in December, and Christmas Eve round out a calendar that uses every corner of the building.
Collaborative Worship with Faith Congregational
Immanuel gathers periodically with members of Faith Congregational UCC, a historic North End congregation, for collaborative worship. The two congregations take turns hosting, celebrate communion together, and continue a partnership that seeks to work for justice and love. On Martin Luther King Jr. Day each year they are joined by other area congregations to commemorate the day and recommit to the work of racial justice.