Welcome to Emmanuel Presbyterian Church
We're a warm Bible-based family church in Pretoria East, South Africa. We have an emphasis on clear, practical teaching and we worship in a warm contemporary style that brings together the old and the new.
Our Mission Statement is:
We are committed:
to be a family of God's People
learning to follow Jesus every day
and making a difference in our neighbourhood.
KEY INFORMATION
Due to the impact of the Corona Virus and the introduction of an online service, we have reduced our services and activities.
15th December 2024
Hi there You’re warmly invited to join our worship service as we explore the third part of our series on Luke’s Advent. We’re looking at the Angel’s message to Mary and we’ll consider, Mary, her Promised Son and how God works. Join us at https://youtu.be/lP3oSXOJvlo GodBless and Love, Theo
8th December 2024
Hi there! You are warmly invited to join us for the second Sunday of Advent. Today we look at Zechariah, father of John the Baptist. You are warmly invited to join us. https://youtu.be/lZL1QwZpb5A God bless and Love, Theo
2nd December 2024
Hi Everyone We had a BEAUTIFUL carol service last Sunday night. We recorded it and here it is. ENJOY! https://youtu.be/D75vHdhDEBs GodBless and Love, Theo
1st December 2024
Hi there! You are warmly invited to join us for the start of Advent. We will be going through Luke 1:1-2:52 from start to finish over the next two weeks. Today we learn about Luke, who he wrote to and why he wrote. It is also Communion and you are warmly invited […]
24th November 2024
Hi there! You are warmly invited to join in our worship service. It includes our delayed Remembrance Service and the message prepares us for Advent in the sense that it shows us the amazing Messiah the Baby Jesus will become and reminds us that we can reach out to Him! Join us […]
17th November 2024
Hi there! You are warmly invited to our service of worship. At this point in “silly season” we’re taking a look at a very valuable lesson from David: The Value of Restraint. Join us for a service of worship and an important practical lesson from God’s Word. https://youtu.be/9a4bqSUXrMA GodBless and Love, Theo
9th November 2024
Hi There. Do you remember the “Bullet Time” concept pioneered in the Matrix Movie? “Suffering Time” can get all distorted and disorienting. Join us as we reflect on Ps.13 and how it helps us when we are being bullied by suffering. You can find the service here: https://youtu.be/Pxw-JQwQDJY Blessings and Love, Theo
3rd November 2024
Hi there. You’re warmly invited to our Online Communion Service. Today we’re looking at a relatively unknown but BEAUTIFUL picture of God’s Grace in the Old Testament. Join us at https://youtu.be/lc96FphzOkQ GodBless and Love, Theo
27th October 2024
Hi There! You are warmly invited to our worship service. We are back to our “Stronger Together series” and this week we look at the important role of PeaceMakers. Come along and see how Abigail did it – and she was not alone…. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4H-dOcA8Ls God bless and Love, Theo
20th October 2024
Hi there. Welcome to Emmanuel Presby’s You Tube Channel. You are warmly invited to join us for our service of worship. The theme for our service today is “GRATITUDE” and we’ll be looking at the transformed life of Zacchaeus. We’ll also be worshipping God with a special Day of Giving Offering which […]
12th October 2024
Hi there. Welcome to Emmanuel Presby’s You Tube Channel. You are warmly invited to join us for our service of worship. October is the UPCSA “Month of Mission” and this year our theme is “Stronger Together.” Today is the second Sunday of our Theme and we’re looking at Unity in the Church […]
6th October 2024
Hi there. Welcome to Emmanuel Presby’s You Tube Channel. You are warmly invited to join us for our service of worship. October is the UPCSA “Month of Mission” and this year our theme is “Stronger Together.” Today we reflect on the fact that we can only find unity in our connection with […]
29th September 2024
Hi there After recording the Online Service on Saturday, I just felt that there was more to be said at the conclusion of the CrossFit series and so I preached a different message in the face to face service on Sunday Morning and we recorded the message. Click the link you want […]
21st September 2024
Hi there! You are warmly invited to join us for our service of worship. We’re considering the importance of having comrades in the work of Christ. We are not meant to do His work alone! https://youtu.be/xbUELbCxAtY GodBless and Love, Theo
15th September 2024
Hi there! You are warmly invited to join us for our church service where we explore Perseverance as one of the aspects of being “Cross-Fit”. How do we keep going when faith is hard? Join us at https://youtu.be/XRRxioAYgFo to learn more. God bless and Love, Theo
8th September 2024
Hi there. We’ve finished the Holy Habits, but we have a few more Cross-Fit themes to pick up. It is possible to be tripped-up, disqualified or cut-in-on in our Faith Marathon. Let’s see how Paul ran his Marathon Relay and what we can learn from that. https://youtu.be/QhdcE2WVmZw You’re warmly invited to join […]
1st September 2024
Hi There! You’re warmly invited to join us in a very special service of worship. Not only is it a Communion Service and the final Holy Habit of Witnessing but we’re also having a Mission Focus on the work Craig is doing with “Shoes for Souls.” Join us at https://youtu.be/HAQfYsgQwtk for this […]
24th August 2024
Hi there! You’re warmly invited to our service of worship where we explore the fourth Holy Habit: Being Spirit-Led. We’ll be looking at the lessons we can learn from Peter and Cornelius in Acts 10. Hope you will join us at: https://youtu.be/Sg8v4yMi-VI GodBless and Love, Theo
17th August 2024
Hi there! We warmly invite you to join us for our Online Service as we explore Holy Habit 3 in our Cross Fit series. This is the Holy Habit of Community or Fellowship. Join us as we see how God uses Fellowship in our lives. We pray the service and the message […]
10th August 2024
Hi. You’re warmly invited to our Worship Service. We’ll be looking at the Holy Habit of Prayer. This habit is deepest and most profound part of being a disciple. I pray it will be a great blessing to you. https://youtu.be/vFWCtvRB7aw GodBless and Love, Theo
You can find more sermons HERE.
1st December 2024
We had an awesome Carol Service. We recorded it and here it is. ENJOY! https://youtu.be/D75vHdhDEBs GodBless and Love, Theo GodBless and Love, Theo
27th November 2024
Hi there! 🤗 Here’s an important reminder of ThanksGiving. Or you can catch the youtube video HERE GodBless and Love, Theo GodBless and Love, Theo
14th October 2024
This Sunday is our Day of Giving. In the Old Testament, the “Thanks Offering” was the second of five offerings listed at the start of Leviticus. It was an offering where people gave back to God in recognition of the much He had given them. At our service this Sunday, we will […]
14th February 2024
Hi there. You are very warmly invited to our Ash Wednesday Service. It is an edited and annotated version of the live service we had this morning and we think you will find it very special. Click here: https://youtu.be/DrI04a70DEg GodBless and Much Love, Theo
13th February 2024
Hi there! Here is a short 11 minute Shrove Tuesday Sermon including a lovely song about Christ’s Preparation for the Cross. Please join us for this special devotion. https://youtu.be/aN7GEfe2U1A God bless and Love, Theo
12th February 2024
Hi everyone Easter is Early this year. That means Lent is too… Lent is a significant way to prepare our hearts for Easter and to allow God’s great love story touch our hearts again. It’s very appropriate that Ash Wednesday coincides with Valentine’s Day: In view of God’s great love for us, […]
31st December 2023
Hi there! Here is our year end/beginning reflection. I hope it is helpful! https://youtu.be/DJpHD6D-0N4?si=-etGXNsRcKZpFMx5 Brenda, Caleb and I wish you a very happy new year on behalf of your Emmanuel Church Family. GodBless and Love, Theo PS: The two songs in the video are: Casting Crowns: God of all my Days • Casting Crowns – God of All My Days (… […]
1st December 2023
It’s Dezzember! Dear Theo Our Christmas programme is in the picture attached. We’re going to be unveiling and reclaiming the richness of the message of Christmas. Please make every effort to plug in as I believe you’ll find it meaningful. If you are away, you don’t have to miss out – you […]
16th August 2023
Hi there. I haven’t done a mid-week check-in for ages! But this week I was prompted to. I hope you will find this relevant and helpful and if it is, please share it. Blessings and Love, Theo
30th July 2023
Hi There! You are warmly invited to join us for our Vision Sunday and an overview of the Growth Theme in Peter’s Second Letter. Join us as we “Go for Growth!” https://youtu.be/roc1qhrmjrE GodBless and Love, Theo
20th July 2023
Dear Church Family SAVE THE DATE! VISION AND ACM SUNDAY. On Sunday 30th we will be having a special service where we will present our vision, receive financials, elect board members and nominate auditors. We’ll finish with Vitamin O and Soup and Rolls. If you are willing to make a pot of […]
You can find more events HERE.
Our Vision
We have a dream for our Congregation!
The name Emmanuel means God is with us. This is not just a philosophical concept. The One who carried this name actually walked amongst human beings bringing hope and love and healing with hands, feet and a body of flesh and blood. He truly was (and still is!) God with us.
There is a story of a woman who was very ill, but too afraid to approach Jesus directly. She reached out to touch the hem of His robe as He passed by, because she was convinced that this was enough to bring her into contact with His loving healing goodness. She was right. And she found more healing and love than she could have hoped for.
When Jesus ascended into heaven, He promised that He would live in those who followed Him. But how can people get to see Him and come to know Him? It is up to us who know Him to be examples of His love and to help people get to know Him.
We have a dream of a community - a welcoming family that will help people to come into contact with our God who loves us, is with us, and in us. We dream to be the hem of Jesus’ robe to the world.
Our Doctrinal Position
(This is our own summary of Scriptural Doctrine with regard to the Church)
We believe in the Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- that Jesus was (and is) fully human and fully God
- that a personal life-changing relationship with God through Christ is the only way to salvation
- that the Holy Spirit equips us for the work God has prepared for us to do.
We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are:
- inspired by God
- reliable in revealing God’s plan and purpose to us
- the key to growth in our relationship with God
We believe that the Church is called to:
- proclaim Christ as Lord and Saviour
- to reach out to the world in a balanced (physical, spiritual, mental, and social) way in God’s love
- to teach the Word of God in a practical and meaningful way
We believe that worship
- must be sincere and truthful
- can take any form, whether “Contemporary” or “Traditional” or other
- must reveal the love and majesty of God
- must be orderly
We believe that:
- bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit is more important than the gifts of the Spirit and that the gifts must be exercised in an orderly manner.
- the Holy Spirit moves in love and unity
- guidance from the Holy Spirit is confirmed by Scripture, Christian counsel, and practical common sense.
We believe that:
- the Church needs to continue Christ’s ministry of reconciliation in all walks of life
- this imperfect world will come to an end when Jesus comes
- God calls all the members of His Church to participate in His work.
- The divisions of culture, gender, and class have been overcome by Christ
- the Church should be ready for Christ’s return
