The Daily + Fall Updates!
Fall is a great time to recalibrate our lives around Jesus, Community, and Calling.
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).
The following pastoral prayer was offered during the worship gathering at Immanuel Church on Sunday, June 15, 2025. It is a prayer of comfort, assurance, and hope, lifting both individual and global burdens to the God who is near, sufficient, and steadfast. As you read, may it encourage your own heart toward rest in the love of Christ.
Father God, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. You are the refuge and strength of your people, a present help in time of trouble. You are the Shepherd of our souls, the restorer of our peace, the One who carries us when we’re too tired to stand.
This morning we lift our eyes to You, not to escape what is hard, but to remember what is true: that You are faithful in every season. Your mercies are new again today. Your love has no expiration date.
You have not forgotten us. You are not distant. You are not waiting for us to get it together.
We confess that we often forget how near You are. We get busy trying to prove our worth, trying to hold it all together. But Your grace gently reminds us: we are not our performance. We are not our past. We are Yours.
Thank You for welcoming us, not as the ideal version of ourselves, but as we truly are. Jesus, thank You that You came not for the healthy, but for the sick, not for the righteous, but for sinners, not for the strong, but for the weak.
We pray now for those who are barely hanging on. For the discouraged in spirit, for those weighed down by sorrow, for those quietly battling shame or fear, would You meet them with the gentleness only You can give?
Let the weary find rest. Let the anxious find peace. Set the captives free. Let the lonely know they are seen. And let every heart remember: there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
We also pray for our restless world. This world is groaning and searching for peace. Conflicts abound. Unrest abounds. So Lord, we pray that your mercy would abound all the more. That your peace would abound all the more. May the word of the gospel speed ahead and take root in the hearts of many, and may you reign as Lord, to the praise of the glory of your grace.
And so we praise You, not because life is easy, but because You are worthy. Because you are good. You are joy in the wilderness. You are the anchor in the storm. You are the same yesterday, today, and forever.
We love You, Lord, and even more than that, we rest in Your love for us.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
THIS SUNDAY AT IMMANUEL
MORNING SERVICES
FALL KICK-OFF - Join us this Sunday for worship at 9 a.m. or 10:45 a.m. as pastor T.J. Tims kicks off our Fall series. All are welcome! Catch up on previous sermons on our YouTube Channel.
PROMOTION SUNDAY - Starting this Sunday, August 3rd, rising Kindergartners and older promote to their new iKids class on Sundays, with classes for all ages available during both the 9:00 & 10:45 am services! Infant to 2nd grade classes meet in our kids’ building along the Park Avenue side of our campus, while 3rd-4th graders meet in the breezeway basement.
FALL SCHEDULE - ONGOING SUNDAY CLASSES
Studying the Bible Together - led by Dr. Tom Cox - 9 am in Sadler Hallway. In this class, we dive deep into the study of a book of the Bible and discuss how we can come to know God more deeply and live out our walk with Christ more fully. This Fall, we continue our study of Romans during an hour that includes prayer and teaching in an open discussion format.
The Bible’s Big Story - led by David McLemore - 10:45 am in Sadler Hallway. Study the Bible’s storyline centered on Jesus, His grace, and His gospel. All are welcome!
Blood Brother: The Gospel of Christ in the Book of Hebrews - led by Dr. Russell Moore - 9 am in Sadler Chapel (Launches August 17th). This class examines the Book of Hebrews with the goal of fixing our eyes on Jesus as the One who has joined us in our humanity, in our temptation, and our woundedness. The study will trace the theme of blood throughout the book, and show how we can go "outside the camp" with our brother and Lord, knowing that he has pioneered the way ahead of us.
How Jesus Saves Us - led by Dr. Gavin Ortlund - 10:45 am in Sadler Chapel (Launches August 17th). Many Christians fail to appreciate all that Jesus does to bring us safely into heaven. This class will cover everything from Christ's sinless life to his current intercessory work, with a special focus on the ultimate outcome of salvation in heaven.
SHORT-TERM SUNDAY CLASSES (AUGUST 10 - SEPTEMBER 14)
Walking in the Light - led by David McLemore - 9 am - Sadler Hallway. Walking in the light is important to our gospel culture at Immanuel. It is an honest relationship with Jesus and one another so that we’re free to grow. Let’s explore together what it looks like to trust Jesus by stepping into his light with one another so that we can go deeper with him than we’ve ever gone before.
Seeking Hope in the Darkness - led by Spencer Essenpreis - 9 am - Sadler Hallway. In this class, we'll dive into the Psalms together to learn and practice lament, the biblical pattern for finding hope by honestly coming to God with our suffering.
On The Horizon
MEMBERSHIP SEMINAR - If you are interested in learning more about membership at Immanuel, our all-new Membership Seminar is for you! We invite you to join us on Sunday, August 10, 2025, at noon at the Sadler Chapel. Lunch and Childcare are provided. RSVP here!
MARRIAGE FOUNDATIONS SEMINAR - If you are considering marriage, engaged, or are young in your marriage, join us for our next Marriage Foundations Seminar. The seminar will take place on Saturday, August 16, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the café. Lunch will be provided. Register here.
SAVE THE DATE: MEN’S RETREAT & WOMEN’S CONFERENCE - This fall, make space to grow in gospel friendship and renewal. The Men’s Retreat is coming up on October 3–4 at Coldstream Christian Camp. The speaker is our very own Dr. Tom Cox. The women’s Conference is scheduled for November 7–8 at Immanuel Church. The speaker is Nancy Guthrie. More details and registration information will be available soon.
AMEN! Just as encouraging today as it was in June. Thanks Tony!