A Small and Diverse Congregation on Clifton Avenue
Immanuel Presbyterian Church sits at 3445 Clifton Avenue on the north side of Cincinnati, in the tree-lined neighborhood of Clifton that surrounds the University of Cincinnati. The congregation describes itself in plain terms: a small but diverse community of faith where people love God, care for one another, and try to be good neighbors. Anyone looking for inclusive welcome, belonging, and a place to grow in faith is invited to walk through the door.
The same brick building that houses Sunday worship has, for nearly a century, also been home to a licensed Child Development Center. Sunday worshipers, weekday preschoolers, after-school students, and summer campers all share the same halls on Clifton Avenue.
Sunday Morning Worship at 10:30
Worship takes place each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. in the sanctuary and is also livestreamed for those who prefer to join from home. The service is described as informal and traditional at the same time: music and prayers and confessions of faith that span the centuries, paired with sermons that bring the stories and teachings of Scripture into everyday life. Visitors can expect a friendly welcome, an opportunity to meet new people, and the chance to be encouraged and lifted up by the music, prayers, and reflection.
The Rev. Brad Sheppard serves as the church's Minister. Music is led by Music Director Emerson Wynn and Organist Haenarie Lee. Recordings of the service are available through the worship page for anyone who wants to follow along or catch up later.
Coffee & Conversation at 11:30
Immediately after the service, the congregation gathers for Coffee & Conversation, a relaxed half-hour of coffee, snacks, and conversation that runs from 11:30 a.m. to about noon. The fellowship time doubles as the church's natural welcome desk: first-time visitors can meet people without an agenda, regulars can linger, and everyone can get to know one another a little better before heading out into the rest of the week.
Wednesdays: Bible Study by Zoom
Each Wednesday at 1:00 p.m., a virtual Bible study brings the church together for conversation, study, and reflection. The gathering meets online and by conference call, with the Zoom link available by emailing the church office. It is open to anyone who wants to learn from the text and from one another, whether they have joined Immanuel for years or are just exploring. The Wednesday hour has long been part of the congregation's rhythm, going back to the midweek prayer meetings that grew up alongside the Sunday services in the church's earliest years.
The Child Development Center Since 1929
The Child Development Center has been part of Immanuel since 1929, when Margaret Benton founded what was then called the Immanuel Nursery School. Benton led the school for forty years and often reminded her staff, "Never underestimate the mind of a child." Her vision, work, and dedication continue in the program today.
The Child Development Center is owned and operated by Immanuel Presbyterian Church, and tuition is subsidized for all families as a mission of the congregation. The program is explicitly non-religious and developmentally appropriate, offering a place where children can construct knowledge in the social, emotional, cognitive, and physical areas of growth.
Year-round, full-day care runs Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. for toddlers (18 months to age 3), preschoolers (ages 3 and 4), and pre-kindergartners (ages 4 and 5). Small group sizes and low teacher ratios are a hallmark, and the program is state licensed. A non-denominational religious program is offered twice a month for preschool and pre-kindergarten children who want to participate; participation is optional.
Weekly tuition is $195 for preschoolers and $222 for toddlers and includes registration, breakfast and lunch plus two snacks daily, and field trips for preschoolers. Recent preschool trips have included Burger Farm, the Cincinnati Zoo, and the local library.
An After-School Program serves students in grades K through 6 from August through May, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Staff pick up children from Annunciation Catholic and Fairview-Clifton German Language Schools and walk them back to the center; students from other schools are welcome and are dropped off by a school-appointed escort. Weekly tuition is $62 and includes registration, an afternoon snack, and full-day care with meals when local schools are closed for snow days, conferences, or breaks. Field trips for all-day attendees have included Burnet Woods, Skyline for lunch, and Graeter's.
A Summer Camp Program runs Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. for children who have completed kindergarten and are entering first grade or above, with enrollment capped at 28 children. Weekly tuition is $175 and includes registration, all meals, and field trips. Past summers have included trips to Coney Island, The Beach Water Park, a B&B Riverboat Pirate Cruise down the Ohio River, Jungle Jim's, Colerain Bowl for glow bowling, the Cincinnati Zoo, the Contemporary Art Center, Dewey's Pizza, Skyline, Graeter's, Burnet Woods, Sawyer Point/Yeatman's Cove, and swim days at the Hanna Armleder Aquatic Center.
The facility includes classrooms with specialized learning centers, an outdoor playground, and indoor gym play areas for both preschoolers and toddlers. Greg Windle serves as Director of the Child Development Center and Facilities Manager; the CDC office can be reached at (513) 324-2618.
Community BBQs on the Patio
Once a month, Immanuel opens its patio to the neighborhood for a free Community BBQ. The meal is vegetarian-friendly, includes live music, and is open to regulars and newcomers alike; conversation with neighbors is the heart of the evening. The gatherings have been held on the second Thursday of each month from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m., running through the warmer months and returning each season.
Pub Theology at a Local Pub
Immanuel also meets off-site for Pub Theology, a casual gathering that has historically met the first and third Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. at a bar on Ludlow Street in Clifton. The format is simple: good company, a good brew, and good conversation about God, often exploring how the Christian faith responds to current events. Recent gatherings have been hosted at Sitwell's, 324 Ludlow Street. Anyone interested in joining is encouraged to email the church for information on the next event.
Buddy Bags, Shoebox Christmas, and Holiday Meals
The church keeps a steady focus on the practical needs of its neighborhood.
Buddy Bags are backpacks of food packed twice a month during the school year for forty children at Fairview-Clifton German Language School, supplementing what they have at home over the weekend. A gift of $20 feeds one student for a month.
At Thanksgiving and Easter, the congregation assembles and distributes boxes of food for hungry families in the community. At Christmas, the church prepares shoeboxes of gifts for children of all ages who are served by the St. George Interfaith Food Pantry.
Giving to support any of these efforts, or to the General Fund, is available online through the church's giving page.
A Story That Begins in 1879
Immanuel traces its origins to a Sunday in 1879, when a woman named Mrs. Morrison heard a sermon at Second Church in Cincinnati. The minister's challenge, "do something yourself, don't wait for others to do it," took root. Mrs. Morrison gathered two couples along with her husband, and together they organized an afternoon Sunday School. On November 2nd, thirty-five children gathered in the Town Council Chamber in Clifton. Adults soon followed. The group quickly outgrew the Council Chamber and moved to a larger hall in the school. Sunday evening services began, then midweek prayer gatherings, and eventually conversations about forming a Presbyterian congregation.
Land was purchased in 1882, and Immanuel Presbyterian Church was incorporated on August 25th of that year. Construction began, and the church was dedicated on Easter in 1885.
The nursery school followed in 1929, founded by Margaret Benton. The church remained active in education through its Sunday School program and through a longstanding relationship with the University of Cincinnati, including ties to the College-Conservatory of Music.
From the Women's Foreign and Home Missionary Societies of the 1890s to the churchwide efforts of today, the men and women of Immanuel have worked together to support the needs of their community. The mosaic in the sanctuary pictures the women who visited the tomb that first Easter and were the first to hear and tell the good news, a reminder that the congregation's story begins with witnesses who refused to remain silent.
Values and Vision
Immanuel's stated values fall into seven words: Christ-Centered, Relevance, Hospitality and Community, Discipleship, Diversity, Serving, and Risk/Curiosity/Innovation. The vision that gathers them is a single sentence: "Loving and meeting all on a Christ-centered journey."
Underneath those words sits a clear welcome. The church is small enough to know one another by name and large enough to be diverse across ages, backgrounds, and stages of faith. Worship is both traditional and contemporary; the congregation is committed to engaging the Scriptures with honesty and to serving its neighbors with practical love.
Staff and Leadership
The Rev. Brad Sheppard serves as Minister of Immanuel Presbyterian Church. Greg Windle is Director of the Child Development Center and Facilities Manager. Emerson Wynn is Music Director and Haenarie Lee is Organist.
The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and can be reached at (513) 751-0312 or secretary@immanuelpresby.org. The Child Development Center office can be reached at (513) 324-2618 or by emailing Director Greg Windle at windlegreg@immanuelpresby.org. Worship is livestreamed online, and giving is available online.