Evangel Church

The story of Evangel Church represents a rich history, which goes back to the year 1911, and the first family of Wilhelmina Simmat. She, her husband, children and a 16-year-old boy, named Carl Loenser, emigrated from Germany to the United States. When they came here from Germany they settled in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Just three years later in 1914,... Mrs. Simmat began small group meetings in her own home. As the group grew the Simmat home became too small and they moved to a storefront building on Newpoint Road, Elizabeth, where the meetings were held.She encouraged Carl Loenser to go to Bible school. He began attending Bethany Bible College in Newark, and upon being ordained, Rev. Loenser became the first Pastor of the growing church. Once again growth warranted a change in location, and in 1917 the congregation moved to another store building at 634 Elizabeth Avenue where services were still conducted in the German language. The church continued to grow and now because of the significant growth, Pastor Loenser looked to purchase a building. In 1924, on Palm Sunday, the first Ebenezer Church building on East Jersey Street, in Elizabeth was dedicated to the Lord. The name Ebenezer had been chosen because of the Scripture in 1 Samuel 7:12, then Samuel took a stone ... and named it Ebenezer, Thus far has the Lord helped us. Services were now conducted in English. On June 11, 1956, authorization was given by the Church Board to purchase land on Broad Street in Elizabeth. At this time the name of the church was changed to Evangel Church. On November 5, 1961, the new church building at North Broad Street in Elizabeth was dedicated to the glory of God. In the Fall of 1980 ground was broken for the present edifice in Scotch Plains. The new building was dedicated to the Lord in December of 1981, a beautiful, large Colonial building with a sanctuary seating 950. It had a number of Sunday School rooms, office area, and a gym for various fellowship and recreational activities. To accommodate the growing congregation, an ...Read More