We gather together in christ's name

"Come as you are" to worship and experience the life-giving Spirit and boundless love that Christ freely shares with us. You'll always find the liturgy printed fully in our worship folder, and you'll always be invited to share in the open table of Holy Communion.

What style of worship?
First Immanuel's worship is "blended"-- traditional in form but including many contemporary elements. Our pipe organ leads worship every week, and our Choir sings music ranging from classical to modern, Bach to spirituals. Taize chants are often sung during Communion. The Handbell Choir plays about once monthly, and our children sing or ring whenever they are so moved :-)

What about Holy Communion?
We celebrate the meal of Holy Communion every Sunday, and we welcome every person who is seeking Christ's presence to take part in the meal. We believe the Risen Christ graciously meets us to touch our lives with God's forgiveness and power through this holy meal. We use homemade bread and red wine; grape juice and gluten-free wafers are readily available, just ask the server.

What liturgies?
Throughout the church year we sing a variety of liturgies, always patterned on four liturgical movements: Gathering, Word, Holy Communion, and Sending. 

We enjoy Marty Haugen's Now the Feast and Celebration liturgy, along with settings from the Evangelical Lutheran Worship hymnal. During Epiphany season we often sing a beautiful original liturgy with lyrics written by our "poet laureate" Wanda Black and music composed by our choir director Ralph Nelson. In Advent we enjoy the Santo liturgy by Marty Haugen, inspired by an Argentine folk melody. 
WORSHIP with Holy Communion
EVERY SUNDAY -- 11:00AM
followed by coffee hour
(Summer Worship at 10:00 AM 
June/July/August)

SUNDAY SCHOOL for kids 3 and up
MUSIC -- 9:45AM-10:00AM
CLASS -- 10:00AM-10:45AM
(in Sodergren Hall parish building, school year only)

SUNDAY ADULT CLASS
9:45AM-10:45AM 
(in Sodergren Hall parish building)

special worship services

Lent midweeks: Thursday evenings, soup supper is followed by the beautiful Holden Evening Prayer, sung in a peaceful sanctuary with glowing candlelight.

Christmas Morning Traditional Swedish Julotta Service at 7 am:  A gift from our Swedish heritage, we greet the Christmas dawn with a service almost entirely in Swedish, featuring the Portland Lucia Court and Scandinavian Chorus.  It's the only one in town!
Click to read a worship review from the Mystery Worshiper