Search Results

Ordered for Growth Together Have you ever wondered what it looks like for a church to grow well, faithfully, and together? At Emmanuel, we are seeing God at work in exciting ways, and we want to celebrate it—and reflect on what comes next. Vision Sunday on the 18th January is a chance to join us as we explore how a growing church responds to the opportunities and challenges God brings. We will look at Acts 6, when the early church, guided by prayer and wisdom, faced the pressures of growth and reordered its life so the mission could flourish. In the morning service, we will celebrate progress, share the current reality, and reflect on the pressures that come with growth. It’s a chance to see how God is shaping a church community that is vibrant, faithful, and mission-focused. In the evening, there will be space for prayer, conversation, and questions. Whether you are a long-time member, a visitor, or simply curious, this is a time to explore together how God might be leading Emmanuel into the next season. This is not about crisis or quick fixes—it’s about a church learning to grow well. Everyone is welcome to come, celebrate, pray, and discern with us as we step into the future God is shaping.

There is something profoundly beautiful about being truly seen. Not just noticed in a crowd or acknowledged with a polite nod, but deeply, truly known. Recently, over fifty of us gathered at The Well , a prayer space here at Emmanuel designed for that very purpose: to pause, breathe, and meet Jesus. I was moved to tears reading the reflections left behind. One person spoke of letting go of past trauma; another felt a heavy burden of anxiety lift; many simply savoured the "oasis of peace" that comes from sitting with the Lord. It reminded me why I love serving Jesus so much. He doesn't just offer us a religion; He offers us Himself, the living water that actually satisfies our deepest thirst. As we move out of that season of quiet reflection, we are diving into a brand-new sermon series that carries this theme even further. Our New Series: The God Who Sees Our series, The God Who Sees: From the Well to the Waters , is a journey through Scripture. We are exploring how the God who met the woman at the well has always been a God who pursues His people, drawing them from the dry wilderness into the refreshing overflow of His Spirit. In my own life, especially as I balance the joys, a busy church, family life with Steph and our three energetic kids, I often have to remind myself that I am not just a "worker" for God. I am a child who is seen by Him. Whether you feel like you are just dipping your toes into faith or you are ready to swim in the deep end, this series is for you. The Journey Ahead Each week, we will explore a different "depth" of faith as we look at those who encountered the Living God: Ankle-Deep: We begin with Hagar in the wilderness. When she felt dismissed and alone, she discovered El Roi , the God who sees. Knee-Deep: We watch Moses at the burning bush. God sees the suffering of His people and calls us into His big purposes. Chest-Deep: We sit with Elijah in his exhaustion. If you are feeling weary, this is a moment for God to strengthen you tenderly. Shoulder-Deep: We cry out with Bartimaeus , finding the courage to be noticed by Jesus even when the world tells us to be quiet. Submerged: We touch the hem of Jesus’ garment with the Bleeding Woman , stepping out of shame and into total healing. Overflow: We climb the tree with Zacchaeus and watch as Jesus’ love spills over into a transformed life and a restored community. A Light to the City Our vision at Emmanuel is to be a light to the city . But we cannot shine if we are dry. We need to be Hungry for more of Him, Humble enough to admit our need, and Hopeful that He is moving in Plymouth. One thing I know for certain: Jesus is life-changing. He sees the hidden hurts, the secret hopes, and the daily struggles. He is inviting us to wade further into the life He has for us. I would love to welcome you to Emmanuel to explore this with us Will you join us as we step into the deeper waters?

📅 Tuesdays, Starting 13th Jan 2026 🕙 2:00pm - 4:00pm 📍 Emmanuel Church What's it all about ? What is Kintsugi Hope – A Journey of Healing and Hope Kintsugi Hope is a 10 week wellbeing journey that partners with churches across the UK to offer a safe, welcoming space where people can explore emotional, relational, and spiritual health. The name comes from the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with seams of gold. The idea is simple but powerful — when brokenness is mended with care, the scars become part of a new, more beautiful story. We believe many of us carry inner cracks — anxiety, depression, shame, loneliness, loss — and these often isolate us from others. Kintsugi Hope offers community, compassion and honesty. Through weekly sessions of discussion, videos, prayer, reflection and simple activities, participants can begin to understand and accept themselves, learn tools for resilience, and walk towards hope and healing. Topics we explore include honesty, anxiety, depression, shame, anger, grief or loss, perfectionism, forgiveness, self-acceptance, healthy relationships and resilience. Whether you’ve known deep pain or are simply feeling overwhelmed by life’s pressures, you are welcome here. You don’t need counselling credentials or a tidy past — just a willingness to take shelter in community and to trace the scars God is healing. We hope this could be part of our response as a church: naming suffering, offering connection, building hope. If you — or someone you know — would benefit from a space to be seen and heard, then Kintsugi Hope may be just that place. For more information, speak to Pippa or Kathryn .

The Well at Emmanuel: A space for encounter, restoration and mission Over fifty people recently stepped into The Well, a prayer space inspired by Jesus’ meeting with the Samaritan woman in John 4. It was designed as a place to pause, breathe and meet the One who gives living water. The week finished with four hours of worship that carried us right up to midnight. The room included a simple well, a short film, space for confession and thanksgiving, creative prayer activities and moments of stillness. Everything was shaped to help people meet Jesus and to be sent out again with his hope for our city. People encountered peace. Some found fresh joy. Others experienced healing or a renewed desire to share Jesus with friends and neighbours. Below are some of the reflections written by those who came. The Well will open again next year. Whether you’ve been following Jesus for decades or are simply curious, you are warmly invited to come and see. Trust him for everything because he is faithful. Release of emotions, letting go of past trauma. So much to take away. An oasis of peace, a wonderful hour with Christ. A wonderful time of allowing the Lord to speak to my heart. Would have loved to stay longer. A real feeling of renewing an acquaintance. A chance to let my burdens go. Great feeling of lightness now. Time with him. Went too quickly. Nothing in us is hidden to the Lord. Let your Spirit come. May we have the joy of the woman at the well to share you with others. It is such a blessing to be with Jesus. What a joy to be with the Lord and experience the peace and joy of his presence.  Please saturate me with your Holy Spirit. May I sprinkle your living water on everyone I meet. Challenged to be hungry to do what God wants, to be thirsty for more of him. To spend more time with Jesus like this, not just fitting him into my life as and when. May I be filled deeply with joy and streams of living water and to share more abundantly with those I meet. Thank you for reigniting my passion to bring loved ones to the foot of the cross. I speak the name of Jesus over them all. An hour of peace and communication with the Spirit. I broke out in tongues several times, Alleluia.  I will leave refreshed and inspired. Such a blessing, I could have spent much longer here. One thing that struck me: ‘his worshippers must worship in the Spirit and truth’. I could spend two hours here and still get more out of it.  An hour is not enough time to take in everything here. I will create my own well and go over everything in slow time.  What an amazing time. I could have taken several hours to go through the process. It is amazing. The Lord showed me that I was in a safe place to reveal a deep hurt, and I know he was listening and will address it.  I didn’t expect this hour to have such a profound effect on me. Thank you for this amazing opportunity. The Lord reminded me that my anxieties stem from spiritual thirst. I need to spend time at the well with Jesus more often. I have loved this experience. It is precious.  A wonderful time of peace and reflection. I feel safe and seen. A joy to take time to encounter God. I learned more about our relationship and what I need to do to continue my journey with him. A lovely time to sit and just be with the Lord. I am very thankful.  A valuable hour. I could have used more time. A blessing. I have been challenged to pray for those attending Christmas services that eyes may be opened to see and recognise Jesus as the Samaritan woman did. I felt the presence of Jesus. I was very tearful. I felt forgiven and peaceful.  Time for tears, hopefully seeing Jesus’ love more clearly. What a blessing. I could have stayed all day. A haven of peace. The Lord who loves me just as I am has shown me what I can be.  Good to spend quiet time reflecting on God’s goodness and faithfulness.  The Lord has shown me my deepest anxiety and lifted it from my shoulders onto his. A space for peace and healing, refreshing the soul and sending us out with new humility, hunger and hope in Jesus. Watch out for our next visit to The Well, pencilled in for the end of March 2026

As we celebrate the good new of Christ’s birth, how can we remember to care for God’s creation? Average carbon emissions for a person in the UK are 22kg per day but average Christmas Day emissions in UK are 513kg per person! ( The Guardian 24 th December 2024- interesting article if you want to read more: The average Briton causes 23 times more CO2 on Christmas Day) Here are a few ideas of how we can reduce the impact of our celebrations on the planet. While some of them may seem like small changes, imagine the difference if our whole congregation committed to a less wasteful, greener Christmas! As a community, we can make a difference. Why not read through these tips,commit to trying a few of them this Christmas and encourage others to do the same! Decorations: A real tree is a greener option than a plastic tree. However, if you have an artificial tree try to use it for as many years as possible. If you need to get a fake tree, consider finding a second hand one rather than new. Could you buy a potted tree and keep it alive to use again next year? Or think about renting a tree which would return to the farm to be replanted ( Christmas Tree Rental Cornwall is a Newquay based tree renter). If buying a cut tree, think about buying from a local farm to reduce the miles the tree travels. The bonus is, these are often much fresher than garden centre trees and so last better. Think about using natural materials for decorations rather than plastics. Use LED Christmas lights as they use less energy. Limit the length of time lights are turned on. Think about plastic free or refillable Christmas Crackers. Presents: Think of creative gift ideas such as hand made, baked goods, gifts of experiences. Look for ethical shops or local producers. Consider reducing gift giving, such as arranging a secret Santa in the family or giving a present to the whole family not one to each individual. Arrange activities together rather than gifts - presence not presents. Think about vintage and second hand presents. Wrapping: Wrapping is a big contributor to Christmas waste. Avoid foil or sparkly gift wrap as it cannot be recycled. Think about reusing gift bags, decorating existing packaging rather than rewrapping, using fabric to wrap gifts. Try paper tape or twine to fasten parcels, instead of plastic cellotape which prevents recycling. Recycle as much as possible. Food: A typical Christmas dinner produces between 5-20kg emissions per person, which is like adding an extra day of emissions per person! Most of this is due to raising and transporting the meat eaten with the meal. Ways to reduce this include: Buy local food where possible. Could you have fewer dishes for Christmas dinner? Could you try a plant based alternative for some of your holiday meals? Plan ahead to use leftover food for meals after Christmas. Happy Christmas!

Plymouth is Growing – and So Are Its Universities! Did you know Plymouth’s student population is set to grow by 22% over the next 15 years? By 2040, more than 25,000 students will be studying at the city’s three universities — Arts University Plymouth, Plymouth Marjon University, and the University of Plymouth. One of the people helping to shape this exciting future is Professor Claire Taylor, Vice- Chancellor of Marjon University. Claire, who became Vice-Chancellor in 2023, leads this faith-based university — originally founded from the Anglican colleges of St Mark and St John — with vision and energy. Under her leadership, Marjon is developing new courses to meet the needs of a changing world and strengthening its research work. The university has a strong reputation for high- quality teaching and for preparing graduates who want to make a difference — especially in tackling social inequality and serving the community. You’re warmly invited to hear Professor Claire Taylor share her story and her vision for the future of education and leadership in today’s fast-changing culture at Community Cafe on Satuday 6th December @ 10:30am!

As we get ready for advent, how can we reduce the impact we have on the planet? Advent is the time to prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ and Colossians 1:15-17 tells us The Son is the firstborn over creation and all things were created through him. So how could we celebrate this season in a way that cares for creation? Ideas for a greener advent: Advent calendars have become increasingly commercial and plastic. Consider either a traditional paper advent calendar, or a reusable fabric or wooden advent calendar. Reducing Christmas cards :are there places where you could display one card to a group ( for example work, Church or schools), or think about e mail cards. Money saved could be donated to charity.  Think about setting up a reverse advent calendar at work where people can bring in items for charity for example, food for food bank, hygiene items for the hygiene hub, small gifts for the homeless ( socks hats and gloves are very much appreciated at Shekinah). Think about using natural materials such as fabric, wool or wood  for Christmas decorations especially if you are replacing older plastic items.   For more ideas you might want to read a book such as:  Dreaming of a Green Christmas: Sustainability and creation care for busy people by Olivia Warburton. ( Available online from BRF ministries). Or look for ideas on the A Rocha Eco Church website.

A prayer space at Emmanuel What is ‘The Well’? A prayer space at Emmanuel from Monday 17 to Friday 21 November from 6am to 10pm, for personal encounter with Jesus and transformation by the Holy Spirit.  Why ‘The Well’? 12 people recently met to pray at Emmanuel and received a vision of the well in John 4, where the Samaritan woman encounters Jesus and is transformed. She then invites everyone to come and see him. How can I take part? By spending an hour alone with God at The Well, engaging with a creative interactive prayer journey based on John 4:1-40.  How can I book a timeslot? 70 timeslots of 1 hour in The Well are bookable  here . Please book now to secure a timeslot. Can I bring a guest to my timeslot?  Yes, but bear in mind that The Well is designed for individual prayer and response with privacy. Can I pray at night too? The hours from 10pm to 6am are also bookable, as commitments to spend time in prayer at night at home when The Well at Emmanuel is closed. Resources will be available via the Church app.  How can our wider community take part? From 11am to 1pm each day, The Well will be open for public use. Bear in mind there is no guarantee of privacy or silence during these hours. I don’t have an hour to spare. How can I join in?  By praying wherever and whenever you can, using the resources that will be on the app, and/or by visiting The Well at Emmanuel any time between 11am and 1pm for shared use, without needing to book. How will ‘The Well’ end? On Friday 21st, from 8pm to midnight, ‘The Well’ will end with 4 hours of prayer and worship together, Worship @ TheWell. If I have time, how can I prepare for my timeslot? Preparation isn't essential or expected. If you have time, you may want to read John 4:1-40, asking the Lord to speak, and help you hear his voice. You can book a slot here.

Excellent. Then why not join us as we travel around the local care homes, bringing joy and celebration to our cherished residents. Click the care home to register your interest... Where ? Date ? Time ? Greenacres Thurs 4th Dec 2.00pm Seymour Court Fri 5th Dec 11.00am Chatsworth House Fri 12th Dec 2.00pm Hartley Park Wed 17th Dec 11.00am Thorn Park Wed 17th Dec 2.00pm Charlton House Fri 18th Dec 1.30pm QR codes available at the back of church for speedy registration. Just ask Linda Wheeler if you want more information.

We’ve been loving a new worship song at Emmanuel recently – “Jesus Name Above All Names”  by KXC. If you haven’t heard it yet, you can listen here: 🎧   Watch on YouTube Where it comes from The song draws from one of the most powerful passages in Scripture – Philippians 2:9–11 , where Paul writes that God exalted Jesus and gave him “the name above every name,” and that every knee should bow  and every tongue confess  that Jesus Christ is Lord. It’s a song that doesn’t shy away from declaring who Jesus is. The lyrics celebrate him as the “miracle making, city wall shaking, prodigal chasing, Lazarus raising”  God. It’s bold, faith-filled and full of life. Why we love it One of the things I love about this song is that it’s not just great for Sunday worship – it’s brilliant to have playing at home. We’ve noticed that when we’ve got worship music on in the background, our kids start picking up the tunes (and sometimes the theology gets… interesting). For example, our youngest was once asked by a teacher to “do it again” and apparently started singing “Do it again, Lord!”  A bit out of context, but at least worship is sinking in somewhere! It’s a simple way to fill your home with truth and joy. The songs we play shape the atmosphere – and little hearts often soak up more than we realise. Singing over one another After the service last Sunday, someone mentioned they wanted to sing this song over  a family member who’s going through a hard time. I loved that. What a beautiful thought – to speak (or sing) the name of Jesus over the people we love. That’s really what this song invites us to do: to remember that the name of Jesus still carries power, hope and peace today. Why not try it this week? Pop the song on while you’re making dinner or driving to work. Let it lift your eyes and remind you who’s really in charge. You might even find yourself (or your kids) humming it through the day. “Jesus, You’re the name above all names, Over my fear, over the storm – Jesus is Lord.” Let’s keep making our homes places where His name is sung, even in the ordinary moments. With love and hope,  Peter

October 2025 Last week there was a breaking-the-ground ceremony for the new Church Army Centre in Nairobi, which Emmanuel are helping to fund. The bishop of Nairobi, the Rt. Rev. Jonathan Kabiru, wielded a pickaxe on the first trench for the foundations. It is expected that the project will be completed by this time next year. Meanwhile we hope to visit and see its progress and then be on site for the opening ceremony. Church Army Africa (CAA) have decided to call the new building, the Emmanuel Centre. It will provide conference and training facilities for those in the ministry of evangelism, and for those working in community development in the newly emerging informal settlements – which are coming up just behind the high-rise buildings in the photo. Alongside this project in Nairobi, Emmanuel has established a parish link with St Monica’s Church in Thika.  A number of Emmanuel members will be visiting both Nairobi and Thika in February 2026. We’ll visit the CAA building project and explore possible links with the CAA Primary School. We’ll also visit St Monica’s and share fellowship with the congregation, and explore how our children’s and youthwork can connect with theirs. Alongside this we’ll visit some slum contexts and learn about the challenges Christians face as they minister and reach out to people in these settings. The aim of the visit is to make friends with Christians in other parts of the world, to learn about other people’s contexts and to be encouraged in our own mission engagement in Plymouth. Rt Rev Tim Dakin Chair of Mission Committee

At Emmanuel Church, Plymouth, we believe Jesus is the light of the world, and our calling is to be a light for the city. A huge part of that calling is investing in our children and young people. The Talking Jesus  research shows that most people come to faith before the age of 18. That’s my story too. I came to faith in my teens through outstanding youth work, and it changed the direction of my whole life. That’s why these roles are so important to me personally, and to our church family. We’re now recruiting for two new part-time positions to strengthen our ministry with children and young people: ✨ Schools Worker (17.5 hrs p/w)  – to build on our partnerships with local schools, leading assemblies, supporting Christian groups, and helping children discover pathways into faith. ✨ Youth Worker (20 hrs p/w)  – to lead our youth ministry, disciple young people, and create opportunities for them to grow as confident followers of Jesus. These roles could remain separate, or, if the right candidate comes forward, they could be combined into one larger role. At Emmanuel, we believe ministry flourishes when the right people are in the right place. Building a strong team matters to us, and we’re committed to helping people thrive in the gifts God has given them. As part of my own commitment to children’s and youth ministry, I help lead a youth Bible study and take weekly assemblies at Compton Primary – and it’s a real joy to grow that ministry. We are not asking someone to work alone, but to join a team where children’s and youth work is at the heart of what we do together. With the right team members, we believe God is opening even more doors to reach children and young people across Plymouth. 👉 Could this be you, or someone you know? If you love Jesus, have a heart for children and young people, and want to be part of a church that seeks to be hungry, hopeful, and holy as a forward-looking church family – we’d love to hear from you. To View The Role Description and Application Form Click Here Applications Close 30th October 2025, Interviews Start 6th November 2025. Salary: £27k - £31k FTE