Identity Statement: Spiritual sojourners enthusiastically working to build a better world
A NEW-CHURCH-START ... WITH A HISTORY
Emmanuel UCC was founded in October, 1903 and ministered to the city of York for 101 years from its location at the corner of Sherman and Market Streets. In October, 2004, the congregation sold its property and set about recrafting its vision and ministry.
On November 24, 2004 (the first Sunday in Advent), the congregation was reborn into a progressive, learning new-church-start with strong ties to the core UCC positions of advocacy and social justice.
We welcome you to share in our congregational tradition that is over a century old ... and has the vision and passion of a new-church-start.
Emmanuel United Church of Christ Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Emmanuel different from other churches?
We at Emmanuel strive to stretch theological inquiry in a non-threatening, relaxed way. The atmosphere is non-judgmental, allowing each person to explore his or her personal beliefs freely and without fear. We focus on the journey, not the destination.
What is the style of worship? Is it contemporary or traditional?
The members are involved, and there is much singing. The sermon is based on a scripture chosen for that day. All of the songs, readings and prayers that are included in the service represent the same themes that are found in the scripture. Our services do not focus on one particular set of beliefs but allow for interpretation and independent thought. It is possible for each person attending the services to take a different meaning from the sermon and service content.
I see you have a discussion hour after church. What do you talk about?
The discussion following each service gives everyone the opportunity to talk about what they took from the service. For example, we talk about the scriptural passage for the basis of the sermon and the sermon itself; the relevance of the message to our lives and the world as we believe we know it; clarifying questions to increase understanding; how we can make scripture relevant to our lives today. We also try to apply the lessons of scripture to current events. The over-arching goal is to listen thoughtfully and respectfully to each other’s reactions and insights so that we may learn from each other.
What do people wear? Can I wear jeans?
Many folks wear jeans and other informal attire, e.g. shorts in the summer. Others prefer the more typical attire often associated with church. The facility lends itself to informality; casual and comfortable are the essentials.
How many people attend services?
On average, 14-17, more on special occasions like Christmas Eve and Easter.
Why is the church so small?
In our 100+ year history, Emmanuel has gone through many changes. Originally, Emmanuel had a large church building and years ago was a thriving, inner-city neighborhood church. In 2004, the church building was closed for economic reasons. At that time, some members chose to attend churches closer to their homes. The pastor and a small group of original members were interested in doing a restart at a new location that would be a reflection of the philosophy of the larger United Church of Christ: an open and affirming congregation with a progressive theology, engaged with the social justice issues of the day.
The small size of our congregation works well for the style of worship/discussion which we enjoy. We have created a Living Will which defines for us how we will address financial or numbers issues in the future. The Living Will stipulates that, should we begin to become too large a group to function well in the manner that we have chosen, we will try to spin off another small congregation.
What does being an “open and affirming” congregation mean?
“Open and affirming” means that our doors are open to everyone, no matter their sexual orientation and gender identity, marital status, age, mental and physical ability, as well as racial, ethnic or socio-economic background. We welcome all to participate in the study, ministry, worship, sacraments, responsibilities and blessings of the congregation that together we might each grow toward personal spiritual maturity. No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey – you are welcome here.
Do any openly gay people attend your services?
Yes, and they actively participate in the life of the church.
Do any children attend? What programs do you have for them?
At this time, we do not have a program for children. We are open to the possibility of developing a program if a family or families with children begin to attend.
What kind of activities keep you connected to the local community and the rest of the world?
Emmanuel tithes our weekly offering to Penn Central Conference UCC, which provides support to many programs locally, nationally, and globally. Secondly, our congregation currently supports an orphanage in Maseno, Kenya by raising funds to pay educational fees for the girls who attend secondary school. On a local level, we have worked with the County Parks and other local organizations by planting and tending trees and native plants. We have supported local food banks and senior centers through the Squash Hunger program. We have volunteered with the Margaret Moul home to support their programming and fund raising. We support recycling and creation care in many ways. The Praxis committee has also conducted various public interest programs such as “The Many Faces of Domination”, “Understanding Human Sexuality”, and "Many Paths: An Interfaith Learning Experience" as well as presentations on the environment and the political process in order to help us become better citizens of our community.
Blessings to you all!
Additional resources:
Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism by John Shelby Spong
A New Kind of Christian by Brian D. McLaren
The Center for Progressive Christianity – www.tcpc.org
Living the Questions – www.livingthequestions.com
We encourage anyone to submit any questions about Emmanuel UCC using the e-mail link provided on the home page.
A NEW-CHURCH-START ... WITH A HISTORY
Emmanuel UCC was founded in October, 1903 and ministered to the city of York for 101 years from its location at the corner of Sherman and Market Streets. In October, 2004, the congregation sold its property and set about recrafting its vision and ministry.
On November 24, 2004 (the first Sunday in Advent), the congregation was reborn into a progressive, learning new-church-start with strong ties to the core UCC positions of advocacy and social justice.
We welcome you to share in our congregational tradition that is over a century old ... and has the vision and passion of a new-church-start.
Emmanuel United Church of Christ Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Emmanuel different from other churches?
We at Emmanuel strive to stretch theological inquiry in a non-threatening, relaxed way. The atmosphere is non-judgmental, allowing each person to explore his or her personal beliefs freely and without fear. We focus on the journey, not the destination.
What is the style of worship? Is it contemporary or traditional?
The members are involved, and there is much singing. The sermon is based on a scripture chosen for that day. All of the songs, readings and prayers that are included in the service represent the same themes that are found in the scripture. Our services do not focus on one particular set of beliefs but allow for interpretation and independent thought. It is possible for each person attending the services to take a different meaning from the sermon and service content.
I see you have a discussion hour after church. What do you talk about?
The discussion following each service gives everyone the opportunity to talk about what they took from the service. For example, we talk about the scriptural passage for the basis of the sermon and the sermon itself; the relevance of the message to our lives and the world as we believe we know it; clarifying questions to increase understanding; how we can make scripture relevant to our lives today. We also try to apply the lessons of scripture to current events. The over-arching goal is to listen thoughtfully and respectfully to each other’s reactions and insights so that we may learn from each other.
What do people wear? Can I wear jeans?
Many folks wear jeans and other informal attire, e.g. shorts in the summer. Others prefer the more typical attire often associated with church. The facility lends itself to informality; casual and comfortable are the essentials.
How many people attend services?
On average, 14-17, more on special occasions like Christmas Eve and Easter.
Why is the church so small?
In our 100+ year history, Emmanuel has gone through many changes. Originally, Emmanuel had a large church building and years ago was a thriving, inner-city neighborhood church. In 2004, the church building was closed for economic reasons. At that time, some members chose to attend churches closer to their homes. The pastor and a small group of original members were interested in doing a restart at a new location that would be a reflection of the philosophy of the larger United Church of Christ: an open and affirming congregation with a progressive theology, engaged with the social justice issues of the day.
The small size of our congregation works well for the style of worship/discussion which we enjoy. We have created a Living Will which defines for us how we will address financial or numbers issues in the future. The Living Will stipulates that, should we begin to become too large a group to function well in the manner that we have chosen, we will try to spin off another small congregation.
What does being an “open and affirming” congregation mean?
“Open and affirming” means that our doors are open to everyone, no matter their sexual orientation and gender identity, marital status, age, mental and physical ability, as well as racial, ethnic or socio-economic background. We welcome all to participate in the study, ministry, worship, sacraments, responsibilities and blessings of the congregation that together we might each grow toward personal spiritual maturity. No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey – you are welcome here.
Do any openly gay people attend your services?
Yes, and they actively participate in the life of the church.
Do any children attend? What programs do you have for them?
At this time, we do not have a program for children. We are open to the possibility of developing a program if a family or families with children begin to attend.
What kind of activities keep you connected to the local community and the rest of the world?
Emmanuel tithes our weekly offering to Penn Central Conference UCC, which provides support to many programs locally, nationally, and globally. Secondly, our congregation currently supports an orphanage in Maseno, Kenya by raising funds to pay educational fees for the girls who attend secondary school. On a local level, we have worked with the County Parks and other local organizations by planting and tending trees and native plants. We have supported local food banks and senior centers through the Squash Hunger program. We have volunteered with the Margaret Moul home to support their programming and fund raising. We support recycling and creation care in many ways. The Praxis committee has also conducted various public interest programs such as “The Many Faces of Domination”, “Understanding Human Sexuality”, and "Many Paths: An Interfaith Learning Experience" as well as presentations on the environment and the political process in order to help us become better citizens of our community.
Blessings to you all!
Additional resources:
Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism by John Shelby Spong
A New Kind of Christian by Brian D. McLaren
The Center for Progressive Christianity – www.tcpc.org
Living the Questions – www.livingthequestions.com
We encourage anyone to submit any questions about Emmanuel UCC using the e-mail link provided on the home page.
