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.
A well worn, well used hem: We want our congregation to be a place where we will not only learn about God, but see Him at work in one another's lives. We want to be a community that shares and experiences God's work in our midst and in our hearts - all to the glory of His name.

A hem with purple edging: Purple is the colour for a King. We want our services to be an experience of God's greatness and goodness that will draw those who attend to respond in adoration and dedication. Our services should have a balance between traditional and contemporary worship with an easy-going yet dignified style.

A well-made, well-crafted hem: We want to be a congregation that is learning more and more about God and His call on our lives by studying the teachings of the Bible. We do not want this only to be "head-knowledge" but heart and life knowledge as well. It is our desire to see people equipped to live for God at home, at work, and in the community.

A hem composed of many interwoven threads: We are convinced that God calls us to love one another as we love Him. We will strive to be a congregation where we care for and are interested in one another. We dream of a community where people can find healing, encouragement, and comfort from each other. We do not envisage a huge congregation, but plan to start sister congregations as we grow.
A tartan hem: Tartan is symbolic of our Scottish Presbyterian heritage. We want to stay true to the Reformed roots of our faith, owning afresh the Presbyterian emphasis on Scripture being at the heart of all we do. Tartan also reminds us of family clans, and we as a congregation will strive to strengthen and encourage families, as we believe that healthy families are the cornerstone of our society.

An attractive eye-catching hem: We do not wish to be a "holy huddle" but will try to make a difference in our community. It starts with our services and activities that will be attractive and open to those who attend. We strive to make a positive difference in Pretoria East through the gifts and talents of our members. Ultimately we dream of planting sister congregations as our congregation grows and working together with them.

This is our dream. To be a group of people who share their dedication to Jesus Christ in an attractive, relevant, and meaningful way. To be a good advert for God's love, and to give Him the honour He deserves. Our dream is to be living proof that God is with us. We want to help people reach out to God. We want to be the hem of His garment to the world.