Emmanuel Presbyterian Church:
A Blessed
Beginning
by Rebecca Fewell
It started a decade ago with some
land, a vision, and a trust in
Emmanuel (God with us). In a
conversation between Dr. William
Bryant and property owner, Mr. Robert
Stamps, Mr. Stamps offered to sell
approximately 15 acres of prime
property near the intersection of
Highways 100 and 96, to the Presbytery
of Middle Tennessee for the purpose of
establishing a future Presbyterian
Church. 
In 2001, the Presbytery's New
Church Development Committee
named an
Administrative
Commission
to establish a
church. The
Commission
called Rev.
Carol A. Tate,
a 2000
graduate of
Vanderbilt
Divinity
School, to be
the organizing
pastor for Emmanuel Presbyterian
Church (EPC). One family, followed
shortly thereafter by a few more, began
meeting in homes. Within a year, a
trailer was acquired and placed on the
site, a sign was erected, and the
congregation began to grow. In just four
years, these committed believers had
built a lovely church, an outdoor
pavilion and a playground, debt free!
How did this miracle happen?
Any good real estate agent will say the three things most likely to sell a house are "location, location, location". Tate, reflecting on the role of location some years ago, said it well. "We are at the crossroads of two heavily-traveled highways, … they are steadily coming toward us from all directions… . I think of the words of the invitation to the celebration of the Eucharist: people will come from north and south, from east and from west to sit at table … in God's place breaking out the Kingdom in two trailers in a hayfield." EPC is blessed by location.
Emmanuel Presbyterian Church (building)
When asked about his or her church, a good minister will immediately describe the communicants. From the beginning, EPC has been a shared ministry. Blessed with ordinary people who were visionaries, building experts, musicians, educators, cooks and communicators, all became multi-task experts. While the construction of the church was a major focus, programs of service have always been paramount. Children put goats in the front yard of the church and successfully collected contributions to the Heifer Project. The Church sponsored a community service to benefit the people in Darfur, and have responded to other disasters near and far. After moving into their new church and realizing the blessings of a church home, a first major action was to take the lead role in building a home for others by committing to sponsor a Habitat for Humanity house. EPC mandates missions in the community and the larger world.
Ask any member to reflect on EPC's success and invariably you will hear, Carol, Carol, Carol. As a minister of the Word and Sacrament, Carol takes every aspect seriously. An accomplished church musician prior to going into the ordained ministry, she brought high standards in worship, in preaching, teaching, administering the sacraments, and in pastoral care. She has led members to assume active roles as liturgists, lectors, acolytes, musicians and teachers. Carol welcomes persons who bring different faith experiences. While some at EPC are life-long Presbyterians, many others are not. Newcomers have found here a cadre of committed believers who invited them to join this faith community. One additional strength Carol brought to EPC was friendship with many in the Nashville community who wanted to support her and EPC. They gave generously to the campaign to build the church campus. With the ordination and installation of its first session on May 14, 2006, a new church, begun just 5 years earlier, has joined others in the Synod of Living Waters. EPC has been blessed in so many ways; it responds by joyfully spreading the good news of the gospel to those around them.
Emmanual Presbyterian Church is a new church developement of the Presbytery of Middle Tennessee. Carol Tate was installed as the pastor in April.
Posted: 11-Jun-2006 9:05 PM
