ABOUT US

Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Chester Parish

Glory to God whose power,

working in us,

can do infinitely more than

we can ask or imagine:

Glory to him from generation

to generation in the Church

and in Christ Jesus

for ever and ever.

(Ephesians 3:20,21)

Emmanuel is a warm and welcoming Episcopal church in the heart of historic downtown Chestertown, Maryland.

ALL ARE WELCOME

A SPIRITUAL HOME IN THE EPISCOPAL TRADITION

We are a parish in the Episcopal Diocese of Easton whose mission is to serve God through worship, stewardship, and outreach. As members of Emmanuel, we follow a faith that is relevant to the world, engaging in study, conversation and dialogue, and putting the words of our mission statement into action.

WORSHIP

Our corporate worship services are the cornerstone of the life of our parish and a time for celebration and renewal. Each week we gather in our worship space to offer prayers, hear God's Word in scripture, and celebrate the sacraments.

STEWARDSHIP

We believe stewardship is more than providing financial support to the parish. We believe stewardship means using our greatest gifts to care for the world God has given us, and to actively embody the promises made at our Baptism for the good of the broader community and in witness to the love of God.

OUTREACH

At Emmanuel, we believe that Jesus showed us through his words and actions what God cares about: love, dignity, justice, peace. Through outreach we try to meet the greatest needs of our larger community by showing the same care in our world to the victims of injustice and oppression, to the poor, hungry, thirsty, the persecuted, and those who mourn.

MEET US

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IN THE BEGINNING ...

There has been an Episcopal Church at the corner of Cross and High Streets since about 1706. The current building dates back to 1767, although there have been some major renovations since then. We love our beautiful building and are proud to be a part of the history of the Episcopal Church. For example, in 1780, a group of clergy and laymen from local parishes met in this church where they proposed and adopted the name "The Protestant Episcopal Church". This name was widely accepted in the colonies and soon became the official name of the former Church of England in America.

NOT JUST DWELLING ON THE PAST ...

While we love our history, Emmanuel is not a museum, but a vibrant and growing congregation of individuals united for a common purpose. Under the leadership of our clergy and vestry, Emmanuel folks serve God through worship, stewardship, and outreach. St. Francis of Assisi might have had us in mind when he said, “Preach the Gospel at all times. Use words if necessary.” Our members are constantly exploring new ways to live into our Baptismal Covenant and make a difference both at Emmanuel and in the wider community.

HEADING INTO THE FUTURE ...

There are those who will tell you that the mainline churches are dying. We don’t believe that. What we believe is that the church is being invited by God to grow and to change. We know that if we continue to listen to the voice of God, then we will be able to live into those changes with excitement and not with fear.