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 long-term impact of the Corona Virus and the introduction of an online service, we have reduced our services and activities.
Online Services
17th February 2026
Hi Everyone Here’s a short 2 minute Shrove Tuesday Devotion. Click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY7CBq20xwM Blessings and Love, Theo ps: You can read more about Lent Traditions at https://emmanuel.org.za/events/202602… Transcript
15th February 2026
Hi There! You’re warmly invited to our Transfiguration Sunday Service. We’re going to examine an unusual passage: Ps 99. Come and watch the gospel story unfold – Even in a Psalm! You can watch here: https://youtu.be/HgTCzg2HIQk Blessings and Love, Theo
8th February 2026
Hi Everyone I try not to say this too often, but I really believe that this is one of the most important messages I’ve preached in a long while. No rocket science, just simple basic truth. How do we cope with the slog and the daily grind? Let’s learn from a teenage […]
1st February 2026
Hi there You are warmly invited to our Communion Service. We’re looking at Psalm 73 as a “Source of Sanity” in the midst of the chaos and brokenness in our world. Join us at https://youtu.be/F5TQQ0Uhw6I Blessings and Love, Theo
24th January 2026
Hi! You are warmly invited to join us for a special message recorded during Advent. It speaks of how Jesus came with gentleness and the Spirit to relentlessly restore our brokenness. https://youtu.be/EOxxyWopDrU GodBless and Love, Theo
18th January 2026
Hi There You are warmly invited to our Communion and Covenant Renewal Service. You can click here to join us: https://youtu.be/04fwg_QCrYI God bless and Love, Theo
11th January 2026
Hi There You are warmly invited to join us in our service of worship where we consider how God’s “Divine Interruptions” can be world-changing. You can click on the link here: https://youtu.be/hMMQ46ci07Q Blessings and Love, Theo
4th January 2026
Hi There! You are warmly invited to join us for our first service for the New Year. We’ll be exploring the first six chapters of Joshua for guidance for facing a new year. You can join us at https://youtu.be/Lt_4SFkIh-Y Blessings and Love, Theo
31st December 2025
Hi There Every year end, I post an end of year devotion where I go through my “Looking back” and “Looking forward” steps as a tool to help you in the New Year. I have done the same this year… https://youtu.be/QG7yHX6GvmU I pray it will be helpful and a blessing, God Bless, […]
28th December 2025
Hi there You are warmly invited to our last service of the year. We’re looking at “Forgetting and Remembering.” Please join us at https://youtu.be/_mzogUfCAjg GodBless and Love, Theo
25th December 2025
Hi there! We wish you a blessed and meaningful CHRISTMAS! You’re warmly invited to our Christmas service. https://youtu.be/UKtpSslvIVQ Blessings and Love, Theo
20th December 2025
Hi There! Here’s the next in our series of Advent Prophecies from Isaiah. Today we explore the beautiful Isaiah 40 and discover three voices and two horizons. Click https://youtu.be/p95Zrd2MBaA Blessings and Love, Theo
14th December 2025
Hi There! Here’s the next in our series of Advent Prophecies from Isaiah. Today we look at the Double-Prophecy of Israel’s deliverance from Assyria in Hezekiah’s time and the Coming of the Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace… Click https://youtu.be/H2qsaZ2TwiM to join us in Worship and Communion. Blessings […]
7th December 2025
Hi there You are warmly invited to join us for our service of worship. We are starting an advent series based on Isaiah’s Advent Prophecies. Join us for our service recorded last week at Emmanuel on Isaiah 7 – God with us. Use this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6AtxsY_hjo God bless and Love, Theo
30th November 2025
Hi There! What do Christmas and the Old Testament Feast of Tabernacles have in common? Join us for our service of worship to find out. https://youtu.be/r4DlYAW5qnU GodBless and Love, Theo
23rd November 2025
Hi there! Wow! We’ve reached the end of our Season of Thanksgiving and it’s a very special service. Join us to discover the Big Trouble, the Great Purpose, the Great Trust and the Big Offering of Psalm 116. You can click here to be part of this very special service: https://youtu.be/UjWSYxGLLqY Blessings […]
16th November 2025
Hi there! You are warmly invited to our Online Service. We’re continuing our series in our Season of Thanksgiving and today we are looking at David’s A to Z of Praise. Click to https://youtu.be/eu8RB0WJIRY worship God with us. GodBless and Love, Theo
9th November 2025
Hi there! You are warmly invited to our Online Service. We’re continuing our series in our Season of Thanksgiving and today we are looking at how we can ENCOUNTER God by looking at David’s encounter with God through Nature and Scripture. Click https://youtu.be/i3rBR3CayWs to worship God with us. God Bless and Love, […]
2nd November 2025
Hi there! We’re at week four in our Season of Thanksgiving. Our world can be an exhausting and bruising place. We looked at David’s Morning devotions last week. Today we look at his Evening Devotions where we find restoration, forgiveness and hope. You are warmly invited to join us at our Communion […]
26th October 2025
Hi there! We’re at week three in our Season of Thanksgiving. Our world can be a tough and challenging place – David’s Morning devotions give us some solid ground to stand on…. You are warmly invited to join us for our church service where we explore this important psalm. https://youtu.be/iYI_aXFN4OU At our […]
You can find more sermons HERE.
Events: Upcoming and Past
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 […]
18th May 2023
Welcome to our special Our Ascension Day Service, Thursday 18 May 2023. Welcome to Emmanuel and Grace Presbyterian Church’s You Tube Channel. You can find out more about us at www.emmanuel.org.za https://youtu.be/cXg3tZYeOcc.
9th April 2023
Hi there! We’ve been on a journey. Jesus PRAYED in Gethsemane, He PAID on the Cross and now we will see how He PREVAILED. He is the long-awaited Messiah, the Word made Flesh, and by Resurrection power shown to be the Victorious Son of God. Join us in a special service of […]
7th April 2023
Hi there! Here is our Good Friday Service. Jesus was bruised and battered for us. He’s the Hero who Prayed, Paid and Prevailed. Join us for this special service… https://youtu.be/ebVlx-SHd9I. God bless and Love, Theo
6th April 2023
Hi there! And so the Holy Easter Weekend begins. Jesus offers Himself for us. Tonight in our Tenebrae service we look at Jesus the Hero who prays and intercedes for us. https://youtu.be/yGSQj86Qg9g. God bless and Love, Theo
22nd February 2023
Hi there. Here’s our Ash Wednesday service. It’s a little longer than the usual devotion because I talk about the revival that is taking place at Asbury University USA and try to place it all in context. I believe you will find it meaningful and helpful. https://youtu.be/S5pg42GgacA. God bless and Love, Theo
21st February 2023
Our Shrove Tuesday Lent Message. https://youtu.be/CuxJXLPgptc.
31st December 2022
This is a check-in for the old to new year… https://youtu.be/OyskdpnFCWY.
24th December 2022
We recorded our Carol Service on 4 Dec and it is shared here for Christmas Eve…. Enjoy!
13th October 2022
Dear Church Family You are warmly invited! This Sunday will be our Day of Giving. I have done a weekly check-in about that, https://youtu.be/FtWLjjAoYsE but I need to talk about the BURGER BASH🍔 and the BELATED FAREWELL we will be having for the Barkers at 11h00 on Sunday Morning after the 8h30 […]
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
