Our History

Pastor Louis Daman, serving St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Hanover Settlement, first organized a Lutheran group in Napoleon, Ohio, and announced that a meeting will be held on July 9th, 1882. At this meeting the first officers were elected and voted to organize the congregation permanently.

Some of the first members were Frederick Theek, Henry Rohrs, George Behrens, August Hirseland, Theodore Suhr, H.C. Groeschner, George, H. Rohrs, Otto Kuntzner, Ferdinand Roessing, and Henry Holterman. These men and their families held the first services in their homes, the court house, school house, and sometimes in the Episcopal church. Later they rented the brick church building at the corner of West Clinton and Scott Streets, which had been built by an Evangelical group.

The congregation eventually bought the church building from Mr. Filling for $4450.00, and at the September 11, 1898 meeting, decided to repair it.

The following is part of a special report taken from the old church records. "The evening of October 28, 1916, about 5 p.m. the fire sirens and bells indicated that there was a fire someplace in Napoleon. Much to our sorrow the Emanuel congregation found out that it was their dear old brick church. For an unknown reason the fire started in the Northeast corner. The quick acting fire department and other helpers brought the fire under control in a short time. However, it looked very bad in the corner. Our good pipe organ was completely ruined by fire and water. The chairs of the choir loft and a number of benches were also destroyed. The Northeast wall was damaged to the point that it very likely had to be taken down and rebuilt.

The next Sunday, November 12, 1916, at 2:00 p.m. we had our first worship service in the Evangelical church about 200 feet west of our church. The congregation and pastor were kind enough to offer their edifice for our use on Sunday afternoons or other times when the need arose.

In November 1916, after pledges were received in excess of $10,000.00 and fire insurance coverage for $2,500.00, the congregation decided to build a new church and tear down the old building.

The old church was dismantled by the able-bodied members and all usable material was cleaned and stored for use in the new church.  G.F. Tuttle of Napoleon was awarded the contract to rebuild Emanuel with his bid of $18,287.00.

The cornerstone was laid on Sunday, September 2, 1917. The following items were enclosed in the cornerstone: the history of the congregation, one Bible, one Catechism, a complete list of church members, names of all acting church officers, names of the building committee members, a copy of all newspapers of that date, the Northwest, Henry County Signal, and German Democrat (later named Henry County Democrat).

The congregation used the facilities of the Evangelical congregation until November 17, 1918, at which time the present House of Worship was dedicated for the service of the Triune God, and for which it has been used since that time.

In September of 1943 the congregation voted to buy the property located on the east side of the church. The house located on that property was sold and removed in April 1948.

At the January 7, 1945 annual meeting, the decision was made to build an educational unit on the newly acquired property. The total cost of the unit was established at approximately $90,000.00. Ground breaking ceremonies for the new unit were held in July of 1949. The dedication of the Educational Unit was held on May 28, 1950.

At their January 1951 annual meeting, the congregation voted to join the American Lutheran Church. They were accepted into membership in the summer of 1951.

In June of 1960, at a special congregational meeting, it was decided to rid the church property of all the old remaining buildings, and to construct a parking lot at the east side of the Educational Unit.

In September of 1972, a parking lot was constructed at the rear of the church building. C.F. Gerken & Sons, Co. constructed the lot at a cost of $6,000.00, including the six-foot high fence along Shelby Street.