For a number of years the congregation of Calvary Evangelical Church in South Akron had considered the possibility of establishing a mission elsewhere in the City. Finally in 1916, a lot was purchased on Perkins Hill just off Copley Road at the corner of Madison Avenue and Orrin Street in rapidly developing West Akron. A house was built to be used as the parsonage but also to serve as a temporary meeting place. Rev. E. D. Pagnard was sent from the Westerville, Ohio church and began operations on September 30, 1917. On October 10th, he organized a group with seventeen charter members and "Madison Avenue" was chosen as the official name of this new congregation. All meetings were held at the parsonage until January 27, 1918 when the basement of the church was completed. Approximately two and one-half years later, October 31, 1920, the entire church structure was completed and dedicated.
          
          The little church thrived and grew. The attendance drew heavily on the growing neighborhood of young families and enjoyed strong adult support as well as a flourishing Sunday School. In 1946, the Evangelicals merged with the United Brethren. On February 16, 1947, the mortgage note was burned and a new church name, "Emanuel Evangelical United Brethren" was adopted. The merger with the United Methodists occurred on April 23, 1968.
          Over the years, however, changing times had eventually taken its toll and with it, neighborhood involvement had decreased substantially. Membership declined but those remaining struggled valiantly along until the summer of 1971 when the congregation regretfully voted to discontinue the church. The last service, with James M. Bloom as pastor, was held July 1, 1971. The property was placed back in the hands of the conference for their eventual disposal to Centenary United Methodist Church. Subsequently, most Emanuel members transferred to other churches. Some joined with Christ church on Mineola. The largest group transfer was to Woodland where about 100 of them joined.
          
          E.        D. Pagnard        1 yr. 5 mos.
          C.        B. Wilming        7 mos.
          R.        F. Doescher        3 yrs.
          W.        L. Nauman        5 yrs.
          E.        E. Haskins        5 yrs.
          S.        S. Davis        2 yrs.
          C.        L. Kern        3 yrs.
          C.        H. Rundt        4 yrs.
          J.        W. Sutherland        7 yrs.
          C.        P. Tozer        5 yrs.
          W.        J. Shawk        6 yrs.
          G.        E. Thomas        6 yrs.
          J.        M. Bloom        6 yrs.
          
          CHURCH SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS:
                  

H.        L.         Schubert                        3 yrs. L.        J. Myers                        3 yrs. C.        M.         Strickland                        6 yrs. A.        A.         Smith                        7 yrs. C.        M.         Trussell                        3 yrs. J.        R.         Wilkerson                        1 yr. H.        G.         Croft                        2 yrs. J.        T. Kimberly                        5 yrs. Paul Kimberly                        2 yrs. Paul Fulmer                                18 yrs. ORIGINAL MEMBERS AT CHURCH FORMATION: H.        G. and Lena Wright H.        E. and Rosa Knight Ralph Knight H.        E. and Ethel Montz E.        S. and Mrs. Gilliland H.        L. and Mrs. Schubert Wilma Schubert R.        E. and Mrs. Foster Elizabeth Foster Rev. E. D. and Hazel Pagnard

Source:        "The Evangelical Church in Ohio" by Roy Leedy, with additional information from Laverne Zarle and Elton Kimberly.