Emmanuel Episcopal Church has served Athens, Georgia, since 1843, worshipping at its Prince Avenue and Pope Street campus and forming a parish across generations, backgrounds, and stages of faith. The church is known for two Sunday Eucharists, extensive formation, Anglican choral music, and active support for neighbors facing hunger, homelessness, illness, grief, and financial hardship.
More Than a Century at Prince Avenue
Emmanuel traces its work in Athens to 1843 and has occupied the Pope Street and Prince Avenue campus for roughly the last 120 years. The parish reflects its setting in a university town: some members are third generation Emmanuelites, others have joined within the past year, some grew up Episcopalian, and others are new to the faith. The result is an eclectic congregation with room for people to bring different beliefs, talents, and expectations.
A tangible piece of that history is a stained glass window first installed in 1873 at the earlier church on the corner of Lumpkin and Clayton Streets. The Guild of St. Francis, founded by Peggy Banner Allen in 1974, added another long standing layer of lay service. Together, these details show a congregation that has repeatedly renewed public worship and community work while remaining anchored in Athens.
Jesus at the Center, with Scripture and Tradition
Emmanuel follows Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and confesses God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. It upholds the Bible and worships with the Book of Common Prayer. The Celebration of the Eucharist is the central act of worship, and Holy Communion may be received by all baptized Christians, not only members of the Episcopal Church.
The Episcopal Church is part of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the word Episcopal refers to government by bishops. Its historic episcopate continues the work of the apostles by guarding the faith, unity, and discipline of the Church. Both men and women, including people who are married, are eligible for ordination as deacons, priests, and bishops.
Emmanuel describes its approach to truth through four strands of authority:
- Scripture: the Bible is the basis for liturgy and worship.
- Tradition: the church looks to tradition for guidance.
- Reason: questions and logic are part of the search for truth.
- Experience: faith is tested in the world.
The mission of Emmanuel is to make disciples of Jesus through liturgies, a welcoming community, engaging formation, effective ministries, and responsible stewardship.
Two Sunday Eucharists and a Healing Service
Sunday worship takes place at 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Both are celebrations of Holy Eucharist, Rite II, in the main sanctuary. The 10:30 a.m. liturgy is livestreamed, allowing people who cannot gather in person to join the Sunday worship pattern.
Midweek worship is held on Wednesdays at 12:15 p.m. in the chapel and is called Eucharist with Healing Prayers. The Sunday and Wednesday services place the sacramental life of the church at the center of the week, while formation, music, family programs, and service extend throughout the other days.
A Welcoming First Visit on Prince Avenue
Emmanuel's welcome is explicit: all are invited into the full life and worship of the community regardless of race, sexuality, gender identity, or physical or mental ability. The parish includes people of all ages, religious backgrounds, political ideologies, abilities, and socioeconomic positions. Children are welcome in the services, and the nursery provides free care so parents can worship or take part in other parish activities.
There is a large parking lot behind the church off Barber Street and a smaller lot off Pope Street. Greeters open the Prince Avenue doors before the 10:30 service, and the Welcome Table in the narthex offers an easy place to learn about the parish. A pew card may be completed if a visitor wants the church to stay in touch. An informal Sunday coffee hour is typically held at 9:30 a.m.
Young Lambs Nursery is located on the third floor of the main church building. Its caregivers are experienced, trained in health and safety, and graduates of the Safeguarding God's Children course taught by the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta.
- From September through April, the nursery serves infants through age 3 from 9:15 a.m. to noon.
- From May through August, the nursery serves infants through age 6 from 10:15 a.m. to noon.
Catechesis, Choristers, and Family Life
Children and Youth and Families Ministry centers on the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program for ages three through fifth grade. It follows a Montessori based approach to spiritual formation that emphasizes wonder and contemplation, and it is taught by trained volunteers. The annual curriculum runs from August through May with Sunday morning classes in the upstairs Atria. Children may begin at any point during the year and do not have to wait until August to participate.
Children's Chapel
Children from four years old through second grade may join Children's Chapel during part of the 10:30 service. They follow the cross at the Sequence Hymn and return at the Peace. The time uses the liturgy with Episcopal Church resources and includes a hands-on activity and snack, giving children space to worship, learn, talk, and enjoy one another's company.
Emmanuel Choristers
The Emmanuel Choristers form a graded children's choir program for ages five through 13, inspired by The Royal School of Church Music. Aimee Marcoux and Dr. Benji Stegner co-teach the program, which rehearses on Wednesdays from 6:00 to 6:45 p.m. in the music suite. The Choristers sing for worship services and special events including Easter and the Christmas Pageant.
Family Events and Service
Family life at Emmanuel includes social events and service projects designed for family fun, with the whole parish invited. Blessings of backpacks and animals, Chili and Pumpkins, Advent wreath making, the Community Angel Tree, the Christmas Pageant, the Great Pancake Supper, the Great Easter Egg Hunt, family flower arranging, and The Week of Wonder Vacation Bible School are among the traditions associated with the church. Service partnerships include Family Promise, Athens Area Humane Society, Athens Community Council on Aging, the Salvation Army, and Episcopal Relief and Development.
Adult Formation Built Around Scripture and Prayer
Adult formation classes meet on Sundays from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. in the chapel or library. These classes provide regular opportunities to explore biblical themes, ask questions, read, and consider how faith relates to life in the world.
Emmanuel's Natural Spirituality program began in 1991 and provides a context for inner work through dreams and synchronicity. Rooted in Jungian concepts of the unconscious within a Christian framework, the Journey Group helps participants explore the symbolic language of dreams. Natural Spirituality meets in the library at noon on Sundays and at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesdays. Everyone is welcome, a light lunch is served, and participation is possible in person or through Zoom.
Weekly lectionary Bible Study meets at 10:00 a.m. on Mondays in the LL Coventry Room. The group examines the Scripture passages for the upcoming Sunday service, shares responsibility for facilitation, and welcomes people to drop in whenever they are able.
Living Well in the Midst of Grief meets in the library at 3:00 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays. The group recognizes that grief follows deaths as well as losses of health, independence, employment, home, or family, and it offers a setting for processing those experiences within the life of faith.
Centering Prayer meets in the chapel on Wednesdays from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. It presents ancient Christian wisdom as a discipline for receiving contemplative prayer and cultivating a relationship with God. Wednesday evenings also include a community dinner from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. in the Common Room, followed by programming for all ages at 6:00 p.m.
Music Across the Anglican Tradition
Under Director of Music Dr. Benji Stegner, the Parish Choir forms the foundation of Emmanuel's music program and sings for the 10:30 a.m. liturgy each Sunday. The choir also sings for special liturgies such as Advent Lessons and Carols, Christmas Eve, Holy Week, and Easter, sometimes with guest instrumentalists. Its repertoire is grounded in the Anglican choral tradition and ranges from sixteenth century composers such as Palestrina and Tallis to twenty first century composers such as John Rutter and Mack Wilberg, along with familiar Episcopal hymns.
Parish Choir rehearsals are held on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. in the Nave and again at 9:30 a.m. on Sundays. Membership is open to adults and older teens with previous musical experience who can commit to regular rehearsals and services. The children's Emmanuel Choristers add another musical expression to worship and the church's family life.
Meals, Shelter, and a Financial Safety Net
Emmanuel's Mission and Extended Ministries Committee works with the clergy and Vestry to make grants that advance the mission of the parish and the Episcopal Church. Its seven person committee supports nonprofit organizations serving people affected by poverty, hunger, homelessness, illness, abuse, and oppression, with particular emphasis on the local community.
Family Promise of Athens provides housing support, shelter, and stabilization services for families with children experiencing homelessness. Emmanuel is a long time financial partner, while parishioners volunteer regularly by providing meals, transportation, onsite supervision, moving assistance, and other practical support.
Emmanuel also provides financial support and volunteer cooking teams for Our Daily Bread Community Kitchen, administered by Action Ministries Athens. The kitchen serves breakfast and lunch throughout the week. Its scale reflects the importance Emmanuel places on meeting a basic need through regular food service.
Bigger Vision Athens began in 1998 as an overflow winter shelter and now provides year round shelter. Emmanuel's cooking team meets one Sunday afternoon each month to prepare an evening meal, deliver it, and help with serving and cleanup. This is one example of Emmanuel's recurring rhythm of worship, food preparation, transportation, and direct service.
The Ark is another local partnership, pooling resources to provide emergency financial assistance, financial education, and asset building programs for residents at risk of eviction or losing utilities. Internationally, Emmanuel supports Episcopal Relief and Development's response to hunger, poverty, disaster, and disease around the world. Locally, its Christmas Giving partnership with Athens Clarke County schools and the Athens Community Council on Aging gathers and distributes gifts for children and older adults.
Pastoral Care and Thrift House
Pastoral care at Emmanuel is organized through teams of lay people working with a Vestry liaison and with referrals from the Rector, other clergy, and members of the community. The ministries are designed to offer practical care, companionship, and spiritual support:
- Agape Meals provides meals through a parish network when illness, surgery, death, or the arrival of a baby makes ordinary meals difficult.
- Caregiver Support and Health offers a setting for those dealing with health, mental health, loneliness, and the demands of caring for another person.
- Lay Eucharistic Visitors bring Communion to people who cannot attend services.
- Prayer Shawl Ministry provides knitted and crocheted shawls for those who are ill, grieving, or in despair.
- Stephen Ministry offers a trained listening presence, prayer, support, and encouragement.
- Intercessory Prayers provides a confidential prayer ministry for the parish.
Emmanuel Thrift House, next door to the church at 540 Prince Avenue, sells only donated goods and reinvests its profits in the community through grants to local charities. It is open Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Donated clothing, shoes, accessories, housewares, artwork, books, toys, games, sporting equipment, baby items, small furniture, and seasonal decorations are among the goods accepted.
Baptism, Marriage, and Funerals
Baptism is open to all people regardless of age or background. It is the sacrament in which people receive grace and are claimed as children of God, and baptism happens only once. Membership begins with baptism, while those baptized in another Christian community may have that baptism accepted and transfer their membership or request registration. The first step is a conversation with one of Emmanuel's clergy.
Confirmation is the expression of a deepening commitment to Christ through prayer and the laying on of hands by a bishop. Adults and youth may be confirmed if they have been baptized but not confirmed. Confirmation services are generally held once a year and often include a period of study and reflection. Confirmation is not required for membership, although those confirmed at Emmanuel are automatically registered as members.
Emmanuel performs marriages authorized by the Episcopal Church, including ceremonies for same sex couples. At least one partner must be a baptized Christian, two witnesses must attest the ceremony, and the marriage must conform to state law and church canons. It is customary for one partner to be a member in good standing or a close relative, though clergy consider exceptions. Premarital counseling involves several meetings with the priest who will solemnize the marriage. The Wedding Guild helps with planning, the parish organist arranges the music, and secular music is not permitted.
Funerals are available for members and nonmembers. Emmanuel's clergy work with families and funeral homes to schedule services, accommodate music and floral requests, and review the Episcopal funeral liturgy. Services may be held in the sanctuary or chapel, with the parish hall available for receptions. Emmanuel does not charge for use of the church, though families pay the organist and any other musicians they choose, and funerals or burials are not held on Sundays. The columbarium in the inner courtyard provides a granite and stone setting with a small fountain for quiet reflection and can accommodate one or two urns in each niche.
Membership, Giving, and Shared Service
No formal membership is required to worship at Emmanuel, attend classes, or participate in activities. The church welcomes people who are new to the faith, members of other Christian traditions, and anyone seeking a spiritual home. The theological and pastoral work of the parish is carried out through its clergy, lay leaders, and active membership.
Emmanuel frames stewardship as a shared pilgrimage. Time, talents, and treasure are treated as gifts of gratitude that make God's love visible in the community. Pledges are not contracts: circumstances can change, and donors may increase or decrease their commitments. Through online giving, gifts can be scheduled weekly, every two weeks, twice a month, or quarterly by credit card, debit card, or checking account.
Sunday worship also depends on many lay volunteers. Vergers assist with the order of public worship, acolytes prepare the table and carry the Gospel book, lay Eucharistic Ministers assist with Communion, lectors read the Scriptures, ushers welcome people and collect offerings, greeters receive visitors, and guild members care for the altar, flowers, and wedding services. Together, these roles allow worship, hospitality, and care to be shared throughout the parish.
At Emmanuel, worship, formation, music, neighborhood service, family life, and care remain closely joined in a church that has served Athens since 1843.