Northwestern University and Garrett Biblical Institute opened their doors in what is now Evanston in 1855. These two Methodist institutions set the moral and intellectual tone of the future town as a center of learning, with abolitionist and temperance beliefs. Evanston was incorporated in 1863. In 1871, many of the wealthy Chicagoans whose homes were destroyed by the Chicago fire relocated to the more peaceful and rural atmosphere of Evanston. The town's population grew from 4,400 in 1880 to 13,059 in 1890. The town needed many working-class people to build and maintain these homes, and to work as maids. Working class Swedish immigrants flocked here to work as carpenters, bricklayers, blacksmiths, and housemaids.

By 1886 there were enough Swedes here who wanted to worship in their own language that one of them, Miss Josephina Erickson, arranged for Rev. Sven A, Sandahl, of Trinity Lutheran, then a Swedish Lutheran Church in Chicago, to conduct worship services in the home of A. Jacobson at 818 Lake Street and in rented quarters. The Martha Society, a sewing society, was organized in 1887. On January 10, 1888 an organizational meeting was held at Union Hall, 807 Davis Street. There were 60 persons present, including ten families and 23 individuals. They adopted the name "The Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Immanuel Church of Evanston" and became part of the Scandanavian Augustana Synod.

The Rev. August Edgren was called as first pastor in May, 1888 and arrived in September, 1888. The congregation voted in March, 1888 to purchase two lots, where the sanctuary and the North end of Fellowship Hall now stand, for $2,000 They bought a wood-frame church building which stood at Lake and Florence from a German congregation, Bethlehem Lutheran, and had it moved across the tracks (which at that time were at ground level) to the corner of Lake and Sherman. . Pastor Edgren built a house immediately south of the church property at 1431 Sherman, on what is now the courtyard and Southern portion of Fellowship Hall. History records a decline in church interest and in financial contributions during the financial depression resulting from the Panic of 1893. Pastor Edgren resigned in January, 1895.

Mr. Carl Solomonson served as student pastor from 1895 until his ordination in 1896 when he became the full-time pastor. The first church building was sold to Trinity Lutheran (Norwegian) and moved back west across the tracks to 806 Greenwood Street, and later sold to the Knights of Columbus.

The present church sanctuary, designed by architect Henry Koll, was built on the corner of Sherman Avenue and Lake Street in 1898, and was dedicated on February 10, 1899. A parsonage was built at 616 Lake Street, where the North end of Fellowship Hall is now, in 1900. Pastor Solomonson resigned late in 1900.

Rev. G.K. Stark was called, and began serving in April of 1901, continuing as pastor until October, 1907. The church interior was first decorated in 1904. The first pipe organ was purchased and installed in 1905 at a cost of about $2,500, to replace the small foot-pumped reed organ used previously. The first pipe organ and the choir were located at the front right of the sanctuary in those days. The church had 400 members and raised $4,000 a year during Rev. Stark's ministry. In 1905, the Dorkas Society, composed of younger women, was organized by Mrs. Anton (Anna) Stark to raise funds for the church.

In August, 1908, Dr. Ludwig Holmes began serving as pastor. The present church bell was dedicated in November, 1910, just before the death of Dr. Holmes, who had composed a hymn for the dedication.

Dr. C.A. Wendell served from September 1911 to 1914. Sunday School in English was introduced in 1912, as well as occasional services in English in 1913.The Dorcas and Martha Societies retired the church debt. The Envelope System was introduced. The Twenty-fifth anniversary was celebrated in 1913. Pastor Wendell resigned in March, 1914.

Dr. Philip Andreen began as pastor in November, 1914. In 1915, the property and house South of the church at1431 Sherman were purchased for use as a Girls' Home at a cost of $5,000, and continued to be used until 1927. Dr. Andreen resigned in September, 1916.

Victor Pearson, a seminary student, was called in February 1917, and began his ministry in August 1917. In February, 1918, Pastor Pearson enlisted for service as an army chaplain. During his military service, The Rev. G.W. Henry served the congregation. Pastor Pearson returned in January, 1919, and continued until October, 1920.

The Rev. Oscar E. Liden began a pastoral ministry of nearly 16 years in January, 1921. Numerous building improvements were made while he was here, including: new heating system, 1920, $2,800; painting, 1920, $1,875; interior woodwork refinished, new carpeting and light fixtures, 1922, $2,544; and church and parsonage basement improvements, 1925, $950.The ministry of Pastor Liden continued until October of 1936. During much of the 1930's, the pastor and congregation had to struggle with the problems of the Great Depression, although the congregation did undertake the improvement of the church exterior with face brick in 1930 at a cost of $9,724. In 1928, the girls' home was converted to use as Sunday School rooms and a parish hall. At the congregation meeting on January 12, 1933, the name of the church was changed to "The Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church," which it remains. The English language began to be used almost exclusively in services and classes. It was part of the Evangelical Lutheran Augustana Synod. Pastor Liden resigned in October 1936.

The Rev. Carl W. Sodergren was called as Pastor in December 1936, and began serving as pastor in May, 1937. Before coming here, he had been Professor of Christianity at Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minnesota as well as a pastor. In 1938 the church's interior was redecorated, and the congregation celebrated its golden anniversary.

The Rev. Earl Gustafson succeeded Pastor Sodergren in 1942. The 55th anniversary was celebrated in 1943 with visits from former pastors Pearson and Wendell, and a new pipe organ and chimes were dedicated. Of the founding members there remained only Josephina Erickson and Mrs. N. G. Peterson. Immanuel had 611 members of whom 165 were children. Pastor Gustafson served until 1945.

In 1945, the Rev. John Helmer Olson was called as pastor. He was known for a column titled "The Spectator" which he wrote for "The Lutheran Companion." In keeping with a post-war boom in church membership and attendance, the Immanuel congregation attained a Confirmed membership of 600 by the end of 1947. The growth in church membership dictated an expansion in building facilities for the congregation's activities. In 1953 a new fellowship, educational and administrative wing was joined to the East end of the sanctuary (after the parsonage was moved to Ridge Avenue near Central Street). Pastor Olson died in August, 1953, and the new addition was dedicated later in the year.

The Rev. N. Eugene Larson was called as pastor in May, 1954, and served until November, 1955.

In June, 1956, The Rev. Constant R. Johnson was called as pastor. A major remodeling of the sanctuary was begun in 1957 and completed in 1958, including the relocation of the choir and organ console to the balcony. The congregation reached a Confirmed membership peak of 700 in 1961. In 1962, as a result of a merger of church bodies, Immanuel became part of the Lutheran Church in America. The womens' circles became the Immanuel Church Women. In 1963, Immanuel celebrated its 75th anniversary. Pastor Johnson resigned in 1963.

The Rev. Noah M. Inbody was called and began serving as pastor in November, 1963. In 1965, the congregation purchased property adjacent to the church on Sherman Avenue, including a house with two apartments and a business office, which would be owned and operated by the church as a rental income property for the next twenty years. As a result of demographic changes, social upheavals related to the war in Vietnam and to civil rights issues, and a widespread rejection of organized religion, Immanuel Church shared with countless other congregations the experience of a decline in church membership and attendance during the second half of the 1960's. The parsonage on North Ridge Avenue was sold in 1969, and a house on Mulford Street in South Evanston was purchased. The Anton and Anna Stark Mission Fund was established in 1970, following a bequest of about $100,000 in the will of Mrs. Stark, with earnings from the fund used to support a variety of mission projects outside the regular budget and benevolences of the congregation.

The Rev. Royce J. Scherf succeeded Pastor Inbody in December, 1971. The 85th anniversary was celebrated in 1973, and the congregation undertook to sponsor three Vietnamese refugees for a period of several years. The "Associates in Ministry" program began in 1974, in which many members have participated as lay associates in the liturgy. The parsonage was sold to the Scherfs, and Immanuel discontinued providing a parsonage, furnishing instead a housing allowance. A remodeling of the narthex and balcony was completed just before Easter of 1979. In 1981, a new tracker pipe organ was built by the August Laukhuff Company of West Germany, and installed and voiced by Kurt Roderer, an Evanston organ builder. The old organ chamber was converted to a sacristy in 1985. Membership and attendance stabilized during this decade, thanks to an influx of new and younger members, and a "baby-boom" within the congregation, starting in 1982. In 1987, the building on the Sherman Avenue property was demolished, and a 27-space paved parking lot was constructed on the South side of the church. The congregation celebrated its centennial in 1988 with a series of events, including a banquet attended by many past members including Pastors Johnson and Inbody, and received a letter of good wishes from former Pastor Pearson. Pastor Scherf retired in 1989. Pastor George Hall served as interim pastor.

In August, 1990, Dr. Frank C. Senn, STS (Society of the Holy Trinity) began his pastorate at Immanuel and has served until the present. He has emphasized both music and liturgy. A music school shared our building for several years. He has written several significant books on worship, liturgy, evangelism, and prayer, including the monumental Christian Liturgy: Catholic and Evangelical (1997). In addition, he has written several Advent and Easter plays performed by the children of the congregation. He has served as Senior of the Society for the Holy Trinity. The church newsletter's name was changed from "The Spectator" to "God's Hands." The church basement was remodeled in 2004. The courtyard was remodeled to allow outdoor assemblies. The steam boilers were replaced with three new hot water boilers. The Youth Group began an annual Indoor Farmers' Market in Fellowship Hall. Recognizing from our own origins the desire of immigrants to worship in their native language, Immanuel began allowing a French-speaking African congregation to use our building on Sundays after our own service. In 2001, Immanuel was recognized as one of 300 "excellent protestant congregations" in a study by Paul Wilkes of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington as having "Lively but traditional liturgical worship; scholarly preaching on Biblical texts; many hands-on social ministry projects; intergenerational social activities." Pastor Senn was granted a sabbatical in 2004 during which he studied worship and culture, and traveled to Australia, where he was the keynote speaker at the Worship Conference of the Lutheran Church of Australia.