ABOUT US

Rooted in the 18th century Wesleyan revival in the Church of England, Immanuel United Methodist Church strives to weave together piety and joy, study and prayer, contemplation and action into a tapestry of worship that is personal, passionate, and lively. Our purpose is to encourage and assist people in becoming devoted followers of Jesus Christ.

Our congregation has been sharing the love of Jesus with the Crisfield community for well over a century. In 1857 a student-led revival swept through Lovey Somers School with such fervor that it attracted residents from miles around. The worshipers quickly outgrew the school, and moved to The Ark, an oyster barge docked at Somers Cove. The community dedicated itself to providing a “proper” house of worship, and construction began on the first building of Immanuel Methodist Episcopal Church on Pine Street in 1870.

The growth of the congregation necessitated larger facilities, and our present church building was constructed on Main Street in 1911. Its steeple and bell tower point to God, our majestic creator; the stained glass windows reflect his glory. The floor of the sanctuary slopes gently to the sides like the deck of a ship, signifying our community's close ties with the Chesapeake Bay.

Our current pastor, the Rev. Dr. William R. Davis, was appointed to Immanuel in 2004. Pastor Davis received ministerial credentials from the General Council of the Assemblies of God in 1991, and ministered in churches in Illinois and Maryland prior to coming to Immanuel. He has earned a B.A. in Bible and Missions from Central Bible College (Springfield MO), an M.A. in Systematic Theology and Church History from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (Deerfield IL), an M.Div. from Wesley Theological Seminary (Washington DC), and a Th.D. from Chesapeake Seminary (Ridgely MD). Pastor Davis and his wife, Susan, were married in 1990. Susan is a Certified Lay Speaker of the United Methodist Church. They have three children: Holly, Anna, and James.

An important pulpit in the community, Immanuel has been graced by a number of distinguished preachers and speakers including William Jennings Bryan. Through the years, our diverse congregation has included watermen, laborers, businessmen, mayors, city councilmen, and professionals in education, medicine, and law. We are thankful for the privilege of worshiping with our community, and for the opportunity we have had to worship with such notables as J. Millard Tawes (a member of our church and governor of Maryland from 1959-67), Dr. Sarah Peyton (pioneering woman physician), folklorist Cpt. Alex Kellam, and President Calvin Coolidge and members of his staff and cabinet--including Secretary of Commerce, Herbert Hoover--who worshiped with us while the presidential yacht was anchored in Tangier Sound in 1924 (the pew in which he sat is marked with a brass plaque).

We welcome people of all races and walks of life to join us in our journey to know God, and enjoy his grace through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.