Immanuel Presbyterian Church congregation dates all the way back to 1888, making it one of the oldest in the the city. Built in 1929, the venue is highly regarded as a fabulous example of the stunning French Gothic Revival style that stands proud on Wilshire Boulevard. The church itself serves the local community with year-round fundraising campaigns that support those in need, and also hosts a range of events including the magical Candlelight concert series.
Koreatown is a dense mix of both historic and contemporary buildings, and this historic church is located in the heart of the neighborhood. To get there, you can take the 20, 204 or 754 buses or hop on the subways on B or D line.
Facts, Curiosities and Interesting Things about Immanuel Presbyterian Church
1. Breathtaking architecture that’s made a name for itself
Immanuel Presbyterian Church is one of Koreatown’s most beautiful examples of Gothic architecture. In fact, because of the building’s magnificent exterior, it was listed as a Historic-Cultural Monument in 2003. A gorgeous stained-glass rose window greets visitors above the entry and a 205-foot corner tower looks out over the neighborhood.
2. The church has welcomed a diverse range of communities
When the church was first built, it served mostly wealthy and middle class who were residents of the local community. At its peak in the early 1940s, church membership rose to over 4000 members, but numbers had dwindled by the late 1980s. In an effort to boost membership and cater to the large influx of new residents, the church took it upon themselves to make new diverse communities in the area feel welcome. For example, pastor Frank Alton allowed a Salvadoran group to display a life-size statue of Jesus Christ inside the church despite traditions.
3. Hollywood has come knocking
Immanuel Presbyterian Church has set the scene for many music videos, movies and TV shows. The music video for My Chemical Romance’s “Helena (So Long and Goodnight)” was filmed here in 2005 and movies including The Amazing Spider-Man, Sister Act 2, Legally Blonde 2, and John Wick used the church as a shooting location.
Candlelight concerts at Immanuel Presbyterian Church
This season, a sea of twinkling candles is lighting up this historic Koreatown church to provide the soothing setting for this series of Candlelight concerts. A string quartet will take to the stage inside the venue to perform festive holiday songs as well as timeless compositions by Vivaldi, Piazzolla, Massenet and more. Prepare to experience your favorite hits and iconic works in a brand new light at these enchanting candlelit experiences.
What else can you do at Immanuel Presbyterian Church?
The church offers multiple workshops throughout the week that seek to support and educate the youth, including cooking classes and bible study. They also have several outreach programs that aim to help the local community who’re in need. The church helped open the Chesterbrook Residences for the homeless and have raised thousands of dollars for multiple charities over the years, and volunteers are always welcome.
Enjoying live music performances illuminated by candlelight makes for an experience that’s difficult to beat. This season, Candlelight is lighting up some of the most breathtaking venues in the city to bring these unforgettable experiences to the people of LA. Hear stunning renditions of contemporary songs as well as timeless classical music works inside some of the city’s most magnificent settings.