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Immanuel Celebrated 100 Years
on February 1, 2009!
Click here to view the 100 Year Anniversary
Commemorative Bulletin.
Brief History
of Immanuel Baptist Church
Tabernacle
Baptist
Church
(renamed
Immanuel
Baptist
Church
in 1924) was organized by 33 members from
Calvary
Baptist
Church
in January
1909. Present for the first service,
February 1, in a small frame, rented building on
South Upper Street
between High and Maxwell Streets, were 119 charter members. In 1910 a lot on the corner of High Street
and
Woodland
Avenue
was purchased and the
previously rented structure on South Upper was moved to the new location.
Dr. Walter L. Brock became the
seventh pastor in 1918. During his
tenure, membership increased and a new sanctuary was dedicated in July
1921. During Dr. J. W. Porter’s
pastorate, membership increased to 1,179 and a Sunday School addition was
erected. In the late 1940's and early
1950's under the leadership of Rev. Elwyn N. Wilkinson, a parsonage and several
buildings near the church were purchased. Also the congregation helped fund a new church, Chevy Chase Baptist.
Over the years, additional
buildings near the church were purchased for educational space until it became
obvious that this location could no longer contain the growing church. In 1957 Rev. H. B. Kuhnle, a true visionary
of the post-WWII church, orchestrated the purchase of 22 acres on the outskirts
of
Lexington
on the rural
Tates
Creek Road
. The new building with an interim sanctuary
seating 1,300 was dedicated on July 1, 1962.
Immanuel became the first
church of any denomination in
Kentucky
to broadcast live
the morning worship services. The first
televised program on WLEX-TV was March 12, 1967. We have been televised live for the past 31
years, covering 46 counties.
Under Dr. Ted Sisk’s 25-year
tenure as pastor, the
Christian
Life
Center
was built in 1974, the present sanctuary dedicated in 1980, and the educational
wing and fellowship hall added in 1989. Immanuel expanded its ministry further into the community by starting a
mission church, now Victory Baptist, and housing several grades of the
Lexington
Christian
Academy.
On January 21, 1995, the church honored Dr. Ted Sisk and his wife,
Ginny, for 25 years of faithful service and at the end of July 1995, Dr. Sisk
retired.
Dr. Craig A. Loscalzo, former
Professor of Preaching at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, accepted
the call of the church to become our 14th pastor. His first Sunday was Palm Sunday, March 31,
1996. At the beginning of his ministry,
he asked the congregation to honor Dr. Ted Sisk by giving him the title of
Pastor Emeritus. This was done on July
14, 1996.
Under the leading of our
present senior pastor, Dr. Craig Loscalzo, we launched a faith offering called
“Onward in Faith,” of which $6,705,257 was pledged. On New Year’s Eve of 1999, we burned our note
of $800,000, leaving us debt free. Onward
in Faith also allowed Immanuel to complete a $2 million sanctuary
renovation.
On April 14, 2002, at the
regular business meeting, pastor Craig presented the first State of the Church
Report. This report was a highlight of where the church has been during the
first six years of his ministry and where the church is going. The report included a strategy for navigating
the uncharted waters of our future under the divine direction and leadership of
the Holy Spirit. To be a viable force for the Kingdom of God, IBC was
encouraged to continue to find ways to embrace who we are as an
inter-generational congregation; to find ways to embrace an outward focus so
the world knows that people matter to God, and they matter to us; to seek areas
of ministry where God has provided the resources and continues to make us able;
to empower our leaders to lead; and to build and strengthen the fellowship we
experience here at IBC. Two specific challenges for the near future included
moving from a guilt-based ministry approach to a gift-based ministry approach
and maintaining functional and flexible structures to ensure the best ministry
we can offer on behalf of Jesus Christ.
In 2003, Immanuel launched
the second phase of our faith offering entitled “Journey of Faith,” of
which $3.2 million was pledged. This money was used to underwrite the
construction of a new Recreation & Outreach Center (ROC), a 68,000 square
foot expansion. The new building connected to the existing building through the
hallway above Fellowship Hall, and offered many new and exciting programs. The building
included a meeting area for our student ministry, classroom space for Bible
Study classes, additional gym space for expanded recreational activities, a
conference center for large gatherings and special events, a fitness center, as
well as the ROC Café. The
Recreation & Outreach
Center
was dedicated in a
celebration service on Sunday, May 18, 2003.
In May 2003, Dr. Craig A.
Loscalzo presented The State of the Church Report for 2003, with an overall
theme of celebration. He
outlined different areas of our ministries that represented reasons for
celebration--our multi-generational character, a heart for people who need
Jesus, a heart for missions, being a house of prayer, fellowship, and our
faithfulness to the Gospel drama, recognizing that we are in the midst of
spiritual warfare. In 2003, Immanuel saw the construction of our 10th Habitat House, delivered 600+ Thanksgiving baskets through our Helping Hands
ministry, began F.A.I.T.H. outreach training, continued our support of
Shalom
Baptist
Church
in
Guatemala
, and saw
a time when all ministry areas were fully staffed.
In February 2004, Immanuel
fulfilled a five year commitment of support to
Imani
Baptist
Church
and presented their pastor, Rev. Willis Polk, with $250,000.
We have truly come a long way
from that little frame building, but we have a long way to go. It takes each one
of us working and praying. Immanuel--“God with Us” always!
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