History

On November 5th, 1952, Mr. Lloyd Deline and his wife Myrtle came to Windsor from ministering for the Lord in the Essex area and began meetings in the Hebron Hall located at 3249 Turner Road in the Hall Farms Community of Sandwich South. God began to bless the small congregation until it became necessary for the church to begin looking for property upon which to build a new facility. An acre of land was purchased for $2,000 on the corner of Foster and Woodward Avenue and the congregation began to build.

In 1960, the congregation moved into that new facility and began to hold services. By 1969, the church on Woodward Avenue was debt free and another acre had been purchased for $2,000. Bro. Deline, who had been working full-time for Chrysler, retired four years later. He became ill and Dr. Arnold Dallimore filled the pulpit and later became pastor. Bro. Deline went to be with the Lord in February of 1974.

From the mid 70’s to the early 90’s the church experienced blessings and struggles as the church had four more pastors. There was a time when the church considered dissolving due to a diminishing congregation, but a few faithful individuals continued to persevere and the Lord kept the doors open. For a time between the mid 70’s and the mid 80’s, the church was affiliated with the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec but decided to leave that affiliation under the influence of Pastor Max Lankford, due to the liberal tendencies of the Convention. The church has remained formally unaffiliated since then.

On November 1, 1992, the church celebrated it’s 40th anniversary at the building on Woodward Avenue with 145 people in attendance, many of whom had not been back for many years. Dr. Arnold Dallimore was able to be with us as well as Pastor Cliff Rogers, a long-time friend of Bro. Deline who had been present when the church moved to the building on Woodward Avenue. Also present that day was the first man called into the ministry through Emmanuel, Dr. Grant Gordon.

Over the years, the Lord continued to bless Emmanuel and in January of 1993, discussions were undertaken between the congregations of Windsor Baptist Temple and Emmanuel Baptist Church regarding the merging of the two groups under Emmanuel’s structure. In March, after almost 3 months of prayer and courtship, the two congregations united to form one larger, stronger testimony for the glory of God in south Windsor. The building at 3407 Woodward Avenue was sold to another congregation in the city and the new united group of Emmanuel people moved to its current location at 5445 Walker Road.

In November 2012, Emmanuel Baptist Church celebrated its 60th anniversary under the leadership of Pastor Kevin Scott. With God’s blessing, under his care the church continues to grow in size, faith and unity.

This history was originally compiled by Dr. Jeff Straub in 1993.