We are an open and welcoming church… We are homemakers and construction workers, we are engineers and salespeople, we are lawyers and architects, we are artists and writers, we are teachers and students, we are young and old… We come from different backgrounds but we are all Christians. Our church is a family of friends who gather together seeking out God’s plan for us as well as our local & world communities. Growing together, we worship, learn, and serve together. Come as you are… there’s no right or wrong way to worship at Immanuel, hence there is no formal dress code for worship service…. We are a congregation of warm and welcoming people who wish to share what we have found with others.
What we Believe:
We are guided by our mission statement:
We share the freedom of the Loving God;
inviting & equipping all to walk together in community with Jesus Christ
Becoming a Vital Church
Immanuel’s vision is to be a vital part of the community – to be an engaged facility and people that inspire, educate, and share in the spirit. Our membership is approximately 100 people, and we firmly believe that we are a right sized church to achieve God’s work here in Oxford.
Ministry and Mission are central to the congregation and include:
- Weekly Family Worship
- Weekly Bible Studies for Adults
- Music Programs
- Middle School and High School Youth Groups
- A Prayer Circle
- Volunteer Groups supporting Oxford Orion FISH, Baldwin Center, and CROP
- Providing free meals to the community
- Encouraging use of the church facilities by local organizations
As a community focused church, Immanuel hosts local events including choir concerts & recitals, community luncheons, dinners, & gatherings, and local Youth Assistance.
A Short Immanuel History:
Immanuel Congregational United Church of Christ is located in the Village of Oxford, at the corner of Dennison and Hovey Streets.
Immanuel Congregational United Church of Christ (UCC) had its birth from a series of revival meetings in the local Christian Church which was located at the corner of Pontiac and Burdick streets in Oxford. At the close of a meeting on February 27, 1878, Immanuel Congregational Church was born.
The site of the present church sanctuary was purchased for $200, and a temporary shelter was built to be used for worship until the present building was erected. With supreme sacrifice and test of faith, the building went up. $1,000 was raised to start the construction, but the expenses soon amounted to much more and building on the site ground to a halt. To ensure completion of the work, 5 men, 3 of which were members gave their personal notes to pay the debts, and the sanctuary and adjoining kitchen and fellowship room were completed in 1879. It remains the oldest church structure in the Village of Oxford.
Congregational churches from Romeo, Rochester, Jackson, and St. Clair were amongst the list of initial contributors. A handmade pulpit was given to the church by Henry Knapp, and pulpit furniture, chandeliers, and the belfry bell were gifts from friends at Romeo, Detroit, and Area churches. Many of the original pieces including the bell and sanctuary chandeliers are still in use.
Immanuel Congregational Church became affiliated 
with the United Church of Christ in 1957 when the Congregational Churches and Evangelical and Reformed Churches merged. The Congregational church traces it roots to the Pilgrims. The Christian church was founded in 1794 with a belief that all Christians should be called simply Christians, not Methodists or Congregationalists, etc. The Evangelical Church was established in the 1800’s by German immigrants and followed Lutheran and Reformed beliefs. The German Reformed church followed the beliefs of John Calvin, the founder of Presbyterianism. The motto of these United Churches of Christ is “That they may all be one”.
In 1959, plans were put into motion to build a “fellowship hall” to support Christian Education, Dinners, and Fellowship. Prayers, pledges, and planning finally paid off when the fellowship hall built on the original site of the church parsonage was dedicated on October 15, 1961. The kitchen and fellowship hall were remodeled in 2002, the sanctuary was renovated in 2006, and a new roof was installed in 2007.
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Immanuel Congregational UCC 