Emmaus Lutheran Church received title to their original property at 1492 West 2nd Avenue in November, 1913 and built their first church on this property. Emmaus was officially organized on March 12, 1915.
In 1944 Emmaus purchased a nearby lot for parking and in 1961 the Dorthea Nielsen property was added (Church House). According to church records there was talk of relocating from 2nd Avenue as far back as 1937, and, at one time, the church purchased a lot on the corner of West Fifth and Polk. Plans were drawn to build a church there, but these plans were discarded when it was decided to build a new parish hall and expand the present church.
These improvements were dedicated November 18, 1951. Building this addition stimulated the growth of the congregation, but it remained limited because of the industrialization of the area.
The possibility of the sale of the remodeled church plus the sale of the ‘Church House’ (Dorothea Property), gave the congregation the courage to ask the Home Mission Board of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church to help them to relocate. “Home Mission Status for the purpose of seeking a new location” was granted on January 13, 1958.
On February 2, 1959, ten city lots (two and one-half acres) were purchased from the city of Eugene at the corner of West 18th Avenue and Polk Street. Church construction was begun in May of 1961. Original plans called for the sanctuary to be the parish hall in the future, when a new main sanctuary was to be built.
The altar was brought from the old church, as were the pulpit, the communion rail, the baptismal font and the organ.
In January of 1977, the members of Emmaus voted unanimously to undertake the construction of a new fellowship hall and multi-purpose room, at a cost of $84,000. Mortgage from Aid Association for Lutherans was paid in full July 30, 1999.
In 1996 a Growth Study Task Force was commissioned by the Church Council to study the current and future needs of the Emmaus congregation. A congregation survey concluded that “the facilities of Emmaus are marginally adequate to meet the needs of this congregation.” In 1997 a Facilities Review Task Force studied all the components of the Emmaus facility and recommended expansion and improvement of the existing sanctuary and classrooms.
On September 15, 2002 the newly remodeled facility was dedicated.
