1856 - St. Immanuel's Evangelical German Lutheran Cemetery established.

1858-1875 - German Lutherans worshiped in the Tracy United Methodist church.

1875 - February 23 - Congregation organized and 23 members signed the constitution.

1875 - April 24 - a tract of land was purchased.

1875 - June 13 - new church building dedicated.

1876 - March 25 - 1 1/2 acres purchased for a cemetery.

1882 - Schoolhouse built and Christian Day School established.

1885 - September 30 - parsonage built & finished north of cemetery.

1895 - Congregation became affiliated with the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.

1895 - First English sermon delivered in the church at a mission festival.

1908 - January 1 - church constitution changed to allow English sermons on the 4th Sunday of the month.

1910 - February 20 - English sermons allowed 3 times a month. School to be taught in English.

1911 - Steeple & bell added to church.

1923 - April 15 - resolved to have church constitution translated to English.

1924 - May 4 - decided to tear down school & remodel church, including the basement & new furnace.

1928 - January 1 - donation of a new picture behind the altar.

1928 - August 17 - two acres purchased for a new cemetery.

1937 - January 1 - discontinue German services.

1940 - electric lights added to church.

1942 - July 5 - Ladies Aid joined Lutheran Women's Missionary League & Young Peoples Society joined the Walther League.

1943 - September 8 - new stained glass windows installed in church.

1953 - August 25 - became a dual parish with St. Matthew, Hamlet.

1958 - April 26 - decided to purchase a new altar & dossal curtain.

1969 - new pews installed.

1971 - cross installed on the steeple.

1973 - January 29 - Youth Group constitution approved.

1973 - November - new lights installed in church nave.

1975 - March 30 - groundbreaking for new Fellowship Hall.

1998 - Spring - the church interior was redecorated after the ceiling fell.

2005 - Fall - no longer a dual parish with Hamlet.

Who We Are

OUR CONFESSION OF FAITH: We stand in the long tradition of the Christian church confessing the faith through the words of the Apostles and Nicene Creeds. We also trace our heritage to the days of the Reformation and Martin Luther affirming l) that it is by God’s grace alone that we are made right with Him, 2) that it is by faith alone in God’s goodness that this rightness is possible, 3) and that the Scriptures alone speak to us the truth of God’s Word. As a congregation we are a member of the Indiana District of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod.

OUR HISTORY: In February of 1875 a group of residents in and around Tracy Station organized Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church. Four months later in June 1875 they had erected their first house of worship, the core of which (although remodeled through the years) serves as the nave of Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church to this day. The congregation has never been a large one, but for almost 150 years it has faithfully supported the ministry of Word and Sacrament at this place. By God’s grace this ministry may proceed for another 150 years and beyond.

TODAY: In Acts 2:42 it is said that the members of the early Christian church “devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” That’s means that their lives as Christians revolved around 1) a study of the Scripture, 2) to sharing the Christ-like life, 3) to worship, and 4) to praying for one another and all others. So it still is at Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church, Hamlet IN—located in what is locally know as “New Tracy.” It truly is a matter of Faith and Life.

For over 150 years our congregation has been served by faithful pastors who proclaimed the Word of God, administered the sacraments and the Office of the Keys, taught the young and old, officiated weddings, supported the hurting, visited the sick and dying, laid to rest the faithful departed and comforted those who mourn.

In the early years of our congregation we were served by: Rev. Tamm, Rev. Niethammer, Rev. Schlesselmamm and Rev. Huge.

Our resident pastors: Rev. H. Hamm 1882-1884, Rev. Niethammer 1884-1885, Rev. Schuppmann 1885-1886, Rev. C. A. Huxhold 1887-1890, Rev. T. Gerike 1892-1896, Rev. Lutz 1896-2/7/1897, Rev. Meinzen 7/1/1900-1/2/1906, Rev. F. W. Mueller 1/2/1906-3/10/1907, Rev. Gustave Schimmel 1/1/1907-2/20/1910, Rev. Luebker 1910-1911, Rev. G. Bloedel 10/19/1911-4/1913, Rev. Louis Sauer 1914-10/3/1920, Rev. Walter Feddersen 10/24/1920-4/1/1938, Rev. Laurence Speckman 7/17/1938-12/31/1944, Rev. Arvin Tweitmeyer 5/13/1945-7/6/1948, Rev. Norman Kline 11/30/1948-6/30/1952, Rev. Robert Hamp 6/30/1952-6/1956, Rev. Albert Schlegel 9/19/1956-9/19/1962, Rev. Herman Grunau 9/19/1962-3/8/1964, Rev. Edward Koehneke 3/8/1964-1983, Rev. Robert Schilling 12/1983-1991, Rev. Timothy Gravelyn 6/1991-10/2005 and Rev. David Albertin 12/2005-present.