On May 28, 1918 , the  Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran  Congregation and the Evangelical Lutheran Congregation were joined to form  Immanuel Lutheran Congregation. Just a year before, a synodical merger formed the NorwegianLutheran Church in America bringing together the three largest Norwegian Lutheran  synods and the vast majority of Norwegian Lutheran congregations in America. The older of Immanuel’s parent congregations, Luther Lutheran, was incorporated on May 10, 1870 , making this the “birth date” of the congregation known today as Immanuel Lutheran Church of Forest City, IA.

Immanuel’s proud history has been written by men and women who came to a “land of liberty and opportunity” who were “deeply concerned with the spiritual growth of their children, and the continued growth of their members in the knowledge of the doctrines of the  church.”This passion for knowledge is   evident in the congregation’s strong ties to the founding of Waldorf College in 1903 and its continued  support.

As the congregation grew within Forest City , it also sought opportunities  to reach out globally through 
missions support and sponsorship of  missionaries. In  addition, dozens of men  and women of the congregation attended seminary through support of the Immanuel  congregation.