A Book Recommendation: 'From Genesis to Junia' by Preston Sprinkle In a world that so quickly divides and dismisses, this book offers a refreshing model for how Christians can seek wisdom, disagree well, and keep Jesus at the center. This summer I spent some time reading Preston Sprinkle’s book, From Genesis to Junia: An Honest Search for What the Bible Really Says About Women in Leadership. In it, Preston takes an honest, grace-filled walk through the whole biblical narrativ

A New Sermon Series Exploring the Psalms at Emmanuel Church We all live inside a story. The real question is: do we remember which one? It is so easy for the busyness of life to crowd out what is most true. We drift, we get distracted, and we forget who we are and whose we are. That is why I am so deeply expectant as we step into our new sermon series, "Remember: The Story We Live In." The Psalms are far more than ancient poetry or individual prayers. They are the worship boo

Isn’t it amazing how God answers prayer? But sometimes the answer isn’t what was wanted or expected. This summer I was lucky enough to have a holiday in Austria. Over the last 20 years, I have been to the Kitzbuhel Alps many times and walked up most of the mountains in this area. The highest mountain is the Groser Rettenstein and over the years, I have summitted this mountain several times. As I have ‘advanced in years’, I have realised that climbing mountains isn’t as easy a

I've always believed that everyone deserves the opportunity to hear about Jesus. Growing up alongside my younger brother, who has complex additional needs, and through supporting children at churches and events, I've increasingly found myself thinking about what that looks like in practice. Because sometimes joining in isn't quite as simple as walking through the door. Joining In Looks Different It's very easy to look around a church service, children's group or event and

A testimony from a member of our church community I’ve always had a relationship with God, but it was at best distant and I would typically try to talk to him when I was asking for something or needed an answer. Walking past Emmanuel Church on Christmas Eve in 2025 I felt compelled to just go in and try to re-connect with God, and that evening became so much more than that. Over previous years I had visited other Churches for friends’ weddings and baptisms, but this Church

Held, Upheld, and Loved: Reflections on New Life and Church Family ✨ They say it takes a village to raise a baby, but for us, we have found that it takes a church family. Emmanuel Church is a place where community comes together to reflect God’s unconditional love, holding and caring for one another through every season of change, difficulty, and need. In Paul’s letter to the Romans, we are reminded that "in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to al

As the vibrant hum of activity settles at Emmanuel, our church family is left with hearts overflowing with gratitude for all that God accomplished through this year’s Summer Light Factory. Across five action-packed mornings, our building was filled with laughter, creativity, high-energy games, meaningful questions, storytelling, and energetic worship—complete with the occasional shaving foam pie! Far beyond the crafts and games, the week was marked by what lies at the heart o

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35 Emmanuel is an incredibly loving church. When Tudor and I first arrived just over a year ago, we were given a warm welcome and felt at home right away. And then I was diagnosed with lymphoma (for a second time). We were new to Plymouth so this could have been a lonely and painful time, bu

We are excited to share an update on a significant new missional journey that our Parochial Church Council (PCC) has agreed to embark upon: an intentional 12-month commitment to the community of Laira and St Mary's Church. Why Laira? Many of you will already be familiar with this journey. Over a number of years, we have led and organised services at St Mary’s. Over the past year we have hosted prayer meetings at St Mary's, spoken about this possibility in sermons, and see

Emmanuel Church is passionate about loving and serving our local community in practical ways. One of the ways we do this is by organising community litter picks to help care for the neighbourhood around us. Whether you're a regular at church or simply want to make a positive difference in Plymouth, we'd love you to join us. No experience is needed, and equipment can be provided. It's a great way to meet others, spend time outdoors, and help keep our local area clean and welco

Kintsugi Hope is a journey toward healing, wholeness, and hope which is inspired by the ancient Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold. Throughout the course we will discover that our struggles don’t define us, but rather, they can make us stronger, more resilient, and even more beautiful. Our prayer is that everyone who comes finds safety and support without shame, discovering their true worth and confidence. Through a deep understanding of God’s unconditional lo

This week we are delighted to welcome The Revd Dr Danson Kihwaga to Plymouth. Dr Kihwaga is visiting us as part of our growing partnership with Church Army Africa (CAA), an inspiring organisation whose vision is to transform lives through holistic Christian mission. Our parish is privileged to support CAA's latest venture: The Emmanuel Centre in Nairobi. This exciting new training and conference facility will equip future generations of Christian leaders for mission and servi

What difference can one ordinary life make? Jesus once told his followers, "You are the light of the world... let your light shine before others" (Matthew 5:14-16). It is a simple but profound invitation to bring hope, kindness and truth into the places we live every day. This Summer, we're exploring what that looks like in a new six week sermon series called City Lights. Whether you're a long time Christian, exploring faith for the first time, or simply curious about the Bib

Throughout August, our Sunday evening 6:30pm gathering will take on a slightly different shape. As many of our home groups take a break over the summer, we want to create a space where we can continue to grow together, build community, and deepen our prayer lives. Each evening will begin with a couple of songs of worship before we watch a session from The Prayer Course: Unanswered Prayer together. After each video, we'll spend time discussing what we've heard, asking honest q

At Emmanuel Plymouth, we believe that God’s Kingdom is for everyone. You are welcome. You matter. You belong. We were recently blessed to welcome Venerable Joseph, the Archdeacon and Rector from our sister church, St Monica Thika, Kenya. In a powerful, timely message, Joseph challenged us to examine our hearts and look outward at the community around us. He tackled the human tendency toward "us versus them" mentalities, urging us to dismantle social, political, and economic

If you have been sitting in our current sermon series through the book of Acts, you know that the Holy Spirit is deeply challenging our assumptions about comfort, stability, and what it means to be A Light for the City. Last Sunday, in the evening I looked at Acts 4 and a famous quote by a bishop who noted that "wherever the Apostle Paul went there was a riot; wherever I go, they serve tea." For decades, Western secularism has tried to confine our faith to the private living

Hello friends, On Sunday, I mentioned a brilliant interview that I recently watched, and I wanted to give it a proper plug here for anyone looking for something uplifting and thought-provoking to dive into this week. The interview is on The Diary of a CEO podcast, where host Steven Bartlett sits down with Professor John Lennox. For those who might not know him, John is an Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at Oxford and a wonderful Christian apologist. He has spent his life sh

The Orchard Women’s conference in Birmingham on Saturday 10th October 2026 Join us for a special day for women to be led by other inspirational women of God. It will be a day of worship, teaching, interviews and plenty of space to respond, receive prayer ministry and connect with others from across the UK. This day is designed for all women and teenagers to be empowered by the Holy Spirit and to step boldly and purposefully into every season of life. It is aimed to help us be

At Emmanuel, our heartbeat is to be “a light for the city”—reflecting the hope, love, and life of Jesus into our local community. Whether you have been part of our family for decades or are just looking in from the outside, you will know that a healthy community is one that constantly pauses to listen, dream, and align its heart with God's direction. Right now, Emmanuel is entering an exciting new season filled with fresh potential, significant new horizons, and key moments

If you joined us at Emmanuel this past Sunday, you would have felt a definitive theme blowing through our church family. In the morning, Robin opened up the Scriptures to explore the beautiful, sometimes daunting topic of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In the evening, we took a deep dive into the gift of prophecy—demystifying it, stripping away the sensationalism, and spending some holy, high-grace time simply practising listening to God for one another. One of the great highl