Our Church's History
In 1866, three brothers, William, Christian and Gottlieb Kettler, made their home in this place which today bears their name. It did not take long until other people settled here also. Naturally, these people felt a need for a house of worship.
In 1881, William Kettler gave a piece of his land for the purpose of erecting a church for the community and in early 1882, after extensive fundraising and petitions circulated throughout the community, the cornerstone of Evangelical Lutheran Immanuel Church of Kettlersville was laid. Construction was finished in late 1882 and Revered A. Merkle preached services in German on Sunday afternoons.
In 1925, a new cornerstone was laid for the current church building and in 1926, the new church was dedicated. In 1934, the church became affiliated with the Evangelical and Reformed Church and later the Immanuel United Church of Christ because of the merger of the Evangelical and Reformed denominations with that of the Congregational Christian Church. In January of 2018, the congregation voted to leave the UCC and became Immanuel Church of Kettlersville, Ohio.
Capital improvements have helped to keep the building young, including replacing the existing fuel oil heating system with a new geothermal unit with air conditioning, replacing the existing downstairs windows with energy-efficient windows, and repairing the masonry on the bell tower. Most recently, Immanuel has worked to improve the security of the building to keep congregants safe during their time of worship. Also, plans are in the process to make repairs on the aging roof.