THE FIRST GERMAN PROTESTANT SERMON ever preached in Two Rivers was delivered to our Emanuel congregation in January 1846. The Right Reverend John G. Miller of Galena, Illinois traveled by horseback from the Winnebago Mission to Green Bay, arriving there in early January 1846.

While in Green Bay, he preached a German sermon in their schoolhouse. The following day he traveled to Two Rivers where he met with Mr. Burkhardt, manager of a mill in the pioneer community.

An area of the mill was swept clean and arrangements made for Rev. Miller to preach a Sunday morning service to several German speaking families from the area.

During the ten years that followed, periodic visits were made by itinerant pastors. In June of 1856, the Right Reverend William Zickerick and layman Phillip Enders of Sheboygan, visited Two Rivers and Mishicot to ascertain if it would be feasible for the Wisconsin Conference of the Evangelical Church to establish a mission in the Two Rivers/Mishicot area.

In May 1857, the first session of the Wisconsin Conference of the Evangelical Church convened in the "Walter's Church" at Helenville, near Jefferson, Wisconsin. That conference assigned the Right Reverend Peter Held to their Two Rivers Mission as the first pastor to Emanuel's fledgling congregation. The mission served the towns of Two Rivers, Mishicot, Cooperstown, Morrison, and Saxonburg.

The members of Emanuel were determined to have their own church. This was accomplished with financial support from the Wisconsin Conference of the Evangelical Church. The first church, a modest wooden frame building, was located on Pine Street, Two Rivers. This site is now 1512 19th street, Two Rivers. The building was dedicated on July 17th 1859 with Bishop John Seybert officiating.

From 1859 to 1883, Emanuel's congregation grew until it bacame too large for its' building. In February 1883 action was taken to launch a building program for Emanuel's second church. The corner of 13th and Madison streets was chosen as the site and the new church was completed in the fall one 1883.

The church continued to grow, and in late 1929 the old church was dismantled brick by brick to prepare the site for the erection of a new church. The Koening School was used for services during the fund raising years of the depression and in early 1931 ground was broke for the new building. On February 21, 1932 a beautiful English Gothic structure of solid brick construction with stone trim and red tile roof, was dedicated to the services of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The church became a show church of the Evangelical United Brethren denomination. It was, and still is, distinguished by it's divided chancel and the beautiful oak carving of Da Vinci's Last Supper in the alter-communion-table; it's vaulted arches and it's wonderful stained glass windows, which create a very special mood for worship.

Rev. Schlueter would bring his catechism classes to the sanctuary where he would review the symbolism of every window. He is also quoted as saying "You will note the altar with its cross and wood carving depicting the Last Supper at one end of the building, and the hearth, the symbol of the home at the other end. The two are connected with a long aisle, the symbol of the span of life beginning in the home and reaching its glorious climax in heaven."