From Wendell Plummer
Immanuel Baptist Church began because 13 people obeyed God’s call to start a church in Cedar Rapids. This is how it happened.
In the mid-1950s, the Southern Baptist Convention adopted a plan to establish churches in all of the United States and no longer be considered a “regional church.” Under the direction of what was then called The Home Mission Board states with few or no Baptist churches were identified as “pioneer states.” At that time Iowa’s population was five percent Baptist or Baptist-preference so it was identified as a pioneer state. States with established Baptist State Conventions were asked to sponsor the establishment of churches in pioneer states and our neighboring state of Missouri agreed to sponsor Iowa. Two men, Dr. Bruce Maples and the Rev. Everett Bryant from the Missouri Baptist Convention were assigned to help with the Iowa work.
Dr. Maples promptly put an advertisement in several state Baptist papers asking pastors to notify him when a church member moved from his church to Iowa. That is how many of the people involved in starting churches in Iowa were enlisted, and that is how I became a part of the group that started Immanuel.
I was living in Des Moines in 1958 and had worked with Dr. Maples as a part of the group which started Crestwood Baptist Church. In the summer of 1959, I mentioned to Dr. Maples that I would be moving to Cedar Rapids. He replied great, I have a group of people who have been thinking of starting a church there, and you can help. I agreed to meet with Dr. Maples and the group and as soon as my furniture was unloaded the meeting was arranged.
We met at the home of Virgil Finkenbinder and I believe 13 people were present. It was explained to us that Missouri Baptists would secure a church sponsor for us. This church would provide financial support and guidance, but our group would do all the physical work. We would have to secure the meeting place, organize a Sunday school, plan a worship service and do our own preaching if no one from Missouri was available. A big challenge for a small group and Mr. Finkenbinder suggested we delay starting until we had more people. After much discussion the suggestion was put aside and we voted to start meeting immediately.
The YMCA (which we shared with a small group of Quakers) was secured as our first meeting place. God blessed from the beginning as 21 people attended our first service. In just a few months we would have our own building, a fulltime pastor and more than 200 people enrolled in Sunday school.
Immanuel started because 13 people believed God wanted them to start a church in Cedar Rapids. They obeyed God’s call on their lives and God blessed their work. This is the way it happened 50 years ago and I was there when it happened.
(Taken from 25th anniversary booklet in 1984)
In the year 1960, our family joined Immanuel Baptist Chapel. Services were held in the downtown YMCA. A small band of enthusiastic believers were joined in the common cause of developing a Southern Baptist Church that would be an evangelistic witness in the community. Under the leadership of a young preacher, Lew Miller and his wife, Joanna, our numbers increased steadily through baptisms and transfer of memberships of people moving into Cedar Rapids to work for Collins Radio Co.
Helen and I have had the joy of serving the Lord at Immanuel, and shared in the struggles and victories one by one as the Lord led our chapel to grow into a church with the help of Bethany Baptist Church, Kansas City, Mo., and many others.
It has been a privilege of ours to have become acquainted with so many fine Christian people who passed through Immanuel, lending their lives, influence, and material support to God's work here and then gone on to other areas of the country to continue their service for Him. We often reflect, with some nostalgia, what great love and comradeship developed, and the sorrow that took place as the times of separation became necessary.
We are thankful for those 13 Christian families who had the foresight and determination to start the work that developed into Immanuel Baptist Church, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Our family has benefited tremendously from its ministry through preaching, teaching and fellowship. Our three sons grew up in Immanuel and became drawn by the Lord to accept His great salvation. No other institution or entity can provide such an important and essential element to lives. The work, love and patience of all the Sunday school teachers, youth workers, and many individual church members helped us as parents to shape their lives over these years.
We praise the Lord for all His goodness to us as a family, and recognize the importance of assembling ourselves regularly with other Christians in our church services for worship, study of God's word, fellowship and to assume a place of service to others.
From Don and Orla Gray:
We came to Cedar Rapids in the mid-1950s shortly after I was discharged from the Army. We had been looking for a church that preached the Gospel. I was raised in the Methodist Church. Orla had been raised in the Church of the Brethren and Evangelical Church. We felt that many churches at that time were more of a social nature, rather than preaching the word. We both had accepted the Lord as our Savior, and needed to hear the meat of the Word.
About that time I needed surgery and was in the hospital. Orla had asked a minister of a local Methodist Church if he could visit me in the hospital. He seemed reluctant to do that, but said he would have one of his assistants visit me. That visit did not take place. Orla, in the meantime, started going to a Southern Baptist Church that was meeting in a small store in downtown Cedar Rapids. She was very impressed with the preacher there, and the people were very concerned and friendly. She asked Lew Miller, the preacher, if he could visit me in the hospital. He did come for a visit the next day. We both were impressed with his visit. We felt immediately this was the church we had been looking for.
After my discharge from the hospital, we both began attending Immanuel Baptist Church and soon joined their fellowship. Since both of us had not been baptized as the Scripture demands, we were given the choice of being baptized at the YMCA or waiting a few months when the new church would be finished! We decided to wait until we were in the new church to be baptized along with a few others. We soon became very active in the church.
Immanuel began to grow quite rapidly. They had an active visitation program. We really felt we were where the Lord wanted us to be. We still know to this day we are where the Lord wants us to serve.
From Dan and Jean Castleberry:
Although we are among the oldest and earliest members of this congregation, we are not charter members. Also, we have lived in other cities and away from the church on two occasions. Therefore, our history is broken by those periods of absence. The most notable gap is from 1983-1989. This history will focus on the years from 1960-1975. It will also include some precious recollections from other periods as they come to mind.How did we come to be here?
Even as we were seeking God's will for our first job from school, He had already put His plan for Immanuel Baptist Church into action. In the week of Oct. 31, 1959, Jean and I drove from Lafayette, Ind., to Cedar Rapids in the first snow of the 1959-1960 season for our interview at Collins Radio. On that journey we talked about where God would have us be. What church was there in this place that could become our spiritual center? There was no record of a 'like faith and order' Baptist church in the Cedar Rapids area. Even though we had become casual, uncommitted churchgoers during our time in the Air Force and at Purdue, God had plans for this young family.
What God was doing before we came
He had a plan and we were on the road of discovery to it and become a part of it. In that very month 13 excited people were preparing for the November organization as a mission church work of Bethany Baptist Church, Kansas City, Mo., to be named Immanuel Baptist Church. Those 13 were confident of God's call and purpose in their proceedings which began as a spiritual quest in the dining room of Virgil and Effie May Finkenbinder’s home on Fourth Avenue SE months earlier. Some were called out from other Cedar Rapids Baptist congregations to establish a Southern Baptist church in this area. God had brought them together with others He was bringing to the area for His purposes. I remember talking later with members discussing why we were in this place since none had ever heard of it. Many thought Iowa was the potato state (that is Idaho). Some knew it was because Immanuel would need us. Under the watch care of the Bethany Mission Committee and God's protection it all came together in November 1959. Bethany's Pastor Eliff was dedicated to ensuring a spiritually sound work here and maintained personal contact and presence with the people of this mission. He cultivated the spiritual and doctrinal development of this young body of believers and its fiery young pastor-to-be, Lew Miller.
Our entry
We moved to Marion in another snowstorm on Jan. 10, 1960. We knew nothing of Immanuel and began attending Marion Baptist Church. (We did not see the streets of Cedar Rapids or Marion until May of that year.) While at work the employees would discuss churches their families attended. My fellow workers found out we were Baptists...even Southern Baptist ...whatever that is, but we did not find such a church in the area. Homer Smith, a fellow engineer from Rolla, Mo., asked if we were going to go to Immanuel. He and his family had recently been contacted by a visitation team from Immanuel, but were not yet attending. In late spring of 1960, Jean and I were accepted into the membership. (Over the years we have joined and re-joined Immanuel three times.)
We met in the auditorium of the old YMCA on First Avenue and Fifth Street. Sunday school was conducted in the hallways and a few small rooms. Everything had to be set up and returned to original condition each Sunday. Immanuel used the YMCA swimming pool for its baptistery. On an especially joyful evening Immanuel conducted its first baptism. There were children and adults baptized that evening. Our daughter Vickie was the first baptism that evening. As families arrived, they took their place in the ministries of Immanuel and the Lord multiplied. Home Bible studies led by Pastor Miller were important to the growth in numbers and in the spiritual foundation of the church. We and other prolific young couples helped build the Sunday school (especially the nursery). We came with three children and added one in that October. There were members living in most nearby towns. Several drove 15 to 20 miles one-way to join the worship. We had to leave the YMCA because of growth - that gave cause to seek God's plan for a permanent home. We rented a store on Sixth Street SE just off First Avenue. In the short time there God gave us the means and plan for new construction and the move to 1900 F Ave NW. God blessed the work with many conversions from the local area and many new families like ours by transplantation, mostly from the southern states. The notable photograph of the land dedication service is a source of great recollections for us. Bethany Church of Kansas City continued to mentor and develop the work at Immanuel. They were a vital part of the construction and preparation for Immanuel becoming an autonomous church and a member of the Missouri Baptist Convention. Pastor Eliff of Bethany and our Pastor Miller preached and taught directly on the Biblical basis that distinguished Baptists. In addition to the evangelical emphasis which still remains, we came to know what Hebrews is teaching when it speaks about moving on beyond the elementary and necessary teachings of the Scriptures. This phase prepared Immanuel for the growth through the 1960s and early 1970s. Certain Immanuel characteristics had been established even before God blessed us with the new facilities here on F Avenue NW. These were fellowship as believers in Christ, scriptural foundation for congregational development and evangelism through in-reach and out-reach. Fellowship was developed through frequent gatherings for worship, study and fun. Healthy and strong bonds resulted from the loveable characters God sent our way. Individual respect from the biblical perspective and the ability to laugh at our own peculiarities were delightfully blended. The church's version of Halloween, Valentine Day and a few other festive opportunities revealed precious details about us. They also taught the value of humility. The Christmas parties became centerpieces for group enjoyment and fellowship. From the ridiculous to the sublime might begin to describe the affairs. A recurring celebration of The Twelve Days of Christmas brought many tears of laughter and helped digest the large meals we shared. Wind and rain could not stop the Memorial Day breakfasts at Noelridge Park. Some of these traditions continue today. The strongest mechanism for individual development was Church Training. We studied and discussed what the Bible has to say about our walk in life and its demands. We addressed doctrine and denominational differences and the necessity to make some choices required by the Word. We examined the issues of Christianity and necessities for spiritual health. With the addition of Bible book studies more challenging subjects such as soul competency, accountability of the believer and God's judgments related to a person's walk in Christ were made known. In such gatherings many discovered why they were here and how to express themselves for God's kingdom. Evangelism was central to all activities. Revivals were usually two weeks in duration in the early years. The congregation loved the fellowship and focus of those meetings. VBS acquainted children and their families with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Praise and thanks be to God for the many workers who made Jesus alive to the young hearts. Singing was an important and significant means of both evangelizing and teaching. Joanna Miller's skill and talents on the piano and later the organ were significant to this part of Immanuel's early ministry. Immanuel has always been blessed with significant and dedicated talent in the musical ministry. Cantatas and special music were blessings to home bodies and visitors alike. Children and youth choirs helped shape the growing and grownups alike. Youth choirs traveled to the inner-city churches in St. Louis and mountain mission works in Colorado presenting the Gospel in musical productions. The old-style GA organization was strong and many of our church family girls learned about being godly women and mothers from that teaching source. It was noted for the extensive memorization and essay work necessary to become a "Queen."
Many forms of blessing
The love of the church family for the ministries was demonstrated by the responses to the children and youth programs and support of them. Youth Camp and Youth Choir sponsorship was breathtaking. Some of us were privileged to be leaders in the development of young lives in that time. No greater joy is found than to have some of them later as adults come back and express their love for what Immanuel did with them in those years. It is especially precious when they praise God for the whole thing... It really happens. We were blessed by significant examples of teachers and preacher. Though mostly unknown today, men like R. G. Lee, Curtis Vaughn and Dr. Pratt, many other trustworthy teachers were frequent visitors; some for "revivals and renewals," some for whole book studies, and some for special celebrations. Guest preachers included my dad. As an early church starter he loved Immanuel very specially. He said he knew why God took us to Iowa after all. Originally he had expressed his concern, but now he knew we were the continuation of the pioneer work that he had begun in Ohio and Indiana years before.
Our Lord had even bigger plans
We were being prepared for leadership roles in the development of the emerging Iowa Southern Baptist state ministry. Many who came throughout the 1960s were eager to halt and correct the liberal direction our own Southern Baptist Convention was then following. Sound doctrine and accountability to it was needed for the newly formed entity, Iowa Southern Baptist Association of Missouri. Immanuel was a leading voice for restoration of the historic Baptist doctrinal baseline. That passion was passed into the Iowa Baptist Convention of current times. Through Immanuel God provided people with vision and accountability for early and continuing leadership in the Iowa work. In the "Association" of Missouri Baptists, then in the State Fellowship under Baptist Home Missions and now in the Baptist State Convention Immanuel has been used of God to prepare for many to come to Christ and learn to walk in His pleasure.
Closing comments We thank God for the blessing to have been part of Immanuel in so many ways. There are too many to name and could be confused for personal pride. We raised five children (and several dogs) in this place. We know it is God's will that we are here and have been returned these several times. (He sent us to Kansas and Connecticut to help begin two other churches and know the special blessings associated with that work of God.) We are still here and confess our love and appreciation for this place, the ministries He has allowed us to have and ask that God continue to use Jean and me for His glory.
Happy 50th Immanuel!
BE FAITHFUL to HIM WHO ESTABLISHED US
