Worship
Contemplative Preaching
Pastor Steven Meriwether is the regular Sunday morning preacher at Immanuel. His sermons weave together scripture and the contemporary context, as well as history and literature, areas in which he reads widely. Pastor Steven has a gift for pastoral care and loving anecdotes about members past and present are often part of the message of the day. Associate Pastor Stephanie Wyatt preaches every six to eight weeks. Pastor Stephanie has a particular love of Old Testament/Hebrew Bible texts and likes to make connections between the natural world, the liturgical seasons of the church, and God’s calling to us in the present moment.
Intentionally Intergenerational
Congregants at Immanuel come in all shapes, sizes, and ages. Children are invited to be part of worship beginning in 1st grade and receive their first study Bible and worship activity bags at that time (nursery care is provided upstairs for the youngest among us). Children participate often in worship preparation and leadership by offering prayers or reading scripture. Pastor Stephanie offers children’s sermons periodically. A worship cart with activities, paper, and crayons is available outside the sanctuary entrance on the chapel side. Children’s worship bulletins are also provided for children alongside the Orders of Worship on tables outside the chapel side entrance and at the Belle Meade Blvd entrance to the sanctuary.
Liturgical Baptists
Worship is formal with a warm spirit of fellowship. We follow the liturgical calendar, shaping our time together according to the historical seasons of the Christian year, including Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Ash Wednesday, Lent, Holy Week, Easter, Pentecost, and Ordinary Time. On the first Sunday of October, we observe World Communion Sunday and on the first Sunday of November we remember those we have lost in the past year through the observance of All Saints Day. During Advent/Christmas and Holy Week/Easter the choir and ministers process and hand-crafted banners provide visual signposts for the themes of that Sunday. The ministers wear robes and stoles that reflect the color of the current liturgical season. The parament on the pulpit likewise reminds worshippers of the current liturgical season.
Monthly Communion
We observe the Lord's Supper on the first Sunday of most months. The method of delivering communion alternates between passing the elements throughout the sanctuary on silver trays and inviting worshippers to come to the front of the sanctuary to receive the elements. During COVID-19, worshippers are invited to come forward to receive the communion elements from pastoral staff, who will wear both masks and gloves. We are observing all recommended protocols from our healthcare professionals. If you do not feel comfortable taking communion in this way, you are welcome bring and partake of your own elements (we recommend a grape and a cracker).
Sensory Experience
Worship at Immanuel is thoughtfully planned and each element is coordinated with care. The use of visuals such as flowers, banners and other decorations are placed in the sanctuary to complement and enhance worship according to the liturgical year. Visual elements help congregants reflect on the themes of each season.
During Advent a large wreath placed in front of the pulpit and designated congregants light the candles of hope, peace, joy and love each succeeding Sunday.Appropriate banners are featured in the chancel. For Christmas Eve, white flowers and the Christ candle are added to the wreath.
During Lent, bare, curly willow branches are placed in the sanctuary. By Easter Sunday, the branches have leafed out so that we are reminded of the resurrection. For Easter Sunday a sunburst of flowers is placed behind the brass cross. Outside, the church family flowers a large cross.