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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 room, turning the explosive power of the resurrection into a polite, safe, cultural monument. The tragedy of the modern West is that our post-Christian culture has been exposed to just enough institutional Christianity to lose its power. We inoculated an entire generation against the real thing. But the vaccine is wearing off. A New Hunger Across the UK Last week, a brilliant new documentary was released called Awakening in the UK. If you haven't watched it yet, it is an absolute must-see. The film tracks a profound spiritual movement bubbling under the surface of our long-labeled "post-Christian" nation: a sudden, intense openness to the Gospel, a surge in radical prayer movements, and a deep Hunger for the presence of the Holy Spirit. YouTube The documentary highlights stories of churches rediscovering total dependence on God, and crucially, young adults and youth encountering Jesus for the very first time. The secular fortresses are cracking, and people are searching for reality. Let’s stop playing it safe. Let's stop protecting our comfort. Let's watch the resurrected King transform our city.

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 showing that brilliant science and deep faith in Jesus do not just coexist, they actually beautifully complement each other. It is an absolutely fascinating conversation. They dive into some big, heavyweight questions that I know many of us wrestle with. How do we hold onto hope in a rapidly changing world? What does the rise of Artificial Intelligence mean for our identity and our future? What I loved most was how John reframes the conversation around AI. He reminds us that while technology can mimic human tasks, it can never replicate human consciousness or the unique soul God gave us. In a world trying to use technology to solve big human problems, John beautifully points out that Jesus solved our deepest need over 2,000 years ago on the cross. His life-changing work is where our true hope rests. Whether you are fully tracking with us in your faith journey, or if you are simply exploring the big questions of life, this interview is full of grace, intellect, and hope. As we try to be a hungry, hopeful, and holy people here at Emmanuel, listening to wisdom like this helps us grow as disciples so we can be a true light to our city. You can watch the full episode on YouTube, or listen to the audio on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. If you give it a watch or a listen, do let me know your thoughts. I would love to hear what resonated with you! With every blessing, Peter

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 become women sustained by the truth of God’s Word, to be unswayed by the values of the culture around us, and to know that we are women who are imperfect but completely loved. The youth stream will give space to inspire and encourage girls aged 11–18 to see their worth, know how deeply God loves them and discover that God has a purpose for their life. The dream is to empower the next generation by declaring truth over their lives and allowing space for encounter with the Holy Spirit! As well as passionate worship, powerful teaching and prayer, there will be afternoon breakout sessions. These will range from dance and creative music workshops, to seminars on how to survive school as Christians, to chilled pamper and prayer space and so much more. Interested? We are hoping this year to take a minibus up to this event, so if you would like to be a part of this special day do chat with Steph or Pippa. To discover more: The Orchard Women's Conference 2026 — The Orchard

trauma aware, thriving spaces PARTNERS The Trauma Informed Plymouth Network is supported by Plymouth City Council through the Changing Futures Program Building a Trauma-informed society Trauma affects how people think, feel, and connect with others, often in ways we can’t see. A trauma-informed approach shifts the focus from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What have you been through?” By fostering safety, trust, and compassion, trauma-informed practices help reduce harm, strengthen relationships, and create spaces where people can heal and thrive. Conference Resources Day 1 Recordings Session 1 Session 2 Session 3 Session 4 Session 5 Session 6 Day 2 Recordings Session 1 Session 2 Session 3 Day 1 Slideshows Building a Trauma-Sensitive Culture Trauma and Nutrition Day 2 Slideshows Restoring the Caregiver Session 7 Resources To help with your development of understanding trauma we have complied a list of helpful resources Reading A list of recommended reading from the Trauma Informed Network Plymouth Courses Additional courses provided by the Trauma Informed Network Plymouth Insight Helpful guidance and resources from Join the Dots Signposting for Support office@emmanuelplymouth.co.uk Email: Visit: 1 Compton Ave, Plymouth PL3 5BZ Google maps

Emmanuel Church, Plymouth. A light for the city. Join us for worship and community. SUMMER LIGHT FACTORY book on! Gatherings Visit Us What's on Vacancies A light for the City We are committed to being a visible and transformative presence in Plymouth, shining the hope of Christ into our community. Through worship, transformed lives, and compassionate outreach, we share His love and bring renewal to our city. vision our gatherings Join us on Sundays and Throughout the Week for various gatherings. We would love to meet you. Click below for more information about when and where we gather. more info ALPHA Join us on Tuesdays starting the 15th September at 7pm for Alpha. A Place to Ask Questions, Be Skeptical, Explore more about faith. There will be food, conversation and most importantly space to be honest ask Life's Hard and real questions. more info From "Serving Tea" to Spiritual Awakening: Why the Inoculation is Fading 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 Peter Shaw 21 hours ago 1 min read What Makes Us Human? A Podcast Recommendation 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 Peter Shaw Jun 11 2 min read The Orchard Women’s Conference 2026 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 Pippa Brown Jun 10 1 min read more posts Scan the QR code to download the Church App, for more info on events, what's happening and how to get involved

Meet THE TEAM We are run by a dedicated team passionate about helping people grow in their faith and build strong community connections. The team includes vicars, ministry leaders, operational staff and volunteers who work together to serve the church family and wider community. Committed to biblical teaching, worship, discipleship, and outreach, they aim to reflect the love of Christ in all they do. Peter Shaw Team Rector / Vicar Holly Martin Children's & Youth Minister Kathryn McGuinness Pastoral Lead Tim Dakin Preaching / Chair of Mission Committee Pippa Brown Preaching / Leading / LLM John Phillips Chair of Finance & Treasurer Darryl Cree Vicar of St. Paul's Sally Dakin Clergy Lead at St Marys / Preaching / Leading Robin Brown Team Vicar / Alpha Lead Ryan Thornton Worship, Children's & Communications Intern Linda Wheeler Church Warden / Care Home Ministry Lead Tim Lyddon Preaching / Leading / LLM Pam Edwards Church Warden / Preaching / Leading / LLM Chris Benson Operations Support Bev Cree Parish Deacon at St Paul's and Emmanuel