ABOUT US

Emanuel United Church of Christ in Woodhaven began as a mission of St. Paul's Reformed Church for German immigrants who were moving from Manhattan to Brooklyn and Queens. On May 6, 1877, the society met for the first time in a storefront on Delmonico Place in Brooklyn, and immediately began plans to construct or purchase a church building. Organized as the Emanuel German Reformed Church, the society acquired a vacant church building on Graham Street in East New York, and soon established a school for German students.

By their 25th Anniversary in 1902, the Emanuel congregation had over 500 members and over 400 students in both of their schools (one German, one English).

In 1909, a separate mission was begun in a storefront in Richmond Hill. That society purchased a plot at Woodhaven Boulevard and 89th Avenue for a permanent edifice, but due to financial restraints erected a "portable church" building. With the onset of the Great War (1914-1918), most if not all German-language societies were conflicted with the fighting in Europe and congregations diminished.

In 1922, Emanuel and the congregation in Queens decided to merge, pooling their resources to erect a church building that was completed in 1924 at a cost of over $100,000. The combined congregation struggled with the debt of the new building until a parishioner, Frederick Wallmann, passed away and left the church $43,000. In 1938, the City of New York planned to widen Woodhaven Boulevard, necessitating that the building be torn down.

With the proceeds from the City, the congregation purchased a plot on the corner of 91st Avenue and Woodhaven Boulevard, where they built the present Gothic church building that was completed in 1939.

In 1972 the congregation became affiliated with the United Church of Christ denomination and is commonly known as Emanuel United Church. Recently, Emanuel began sharing its building with The Body of Christ Church and the Grace Baptist Church.