The Reverend Cornelius D. Eaddy, Pastor

Cornelius Eaddy joined Emanuel in September 1997 as Pastor, with special responsibilities to men's ministry and to developing a second and alternative worship service for Emanuel.

Pastor Eaddy quickly became an integral part of the fabric of the Emanuel community as well as of the surrounding neighborhood. Taking as his theme "from vision unto victory," he commented in a 1998 issue of the Emanuel newsletter:

As I look at Southwark Plaza, a neighbhorhood where I grew up, I am ever reminded of the words of Ezekiel's vision: "Can these bones ever live again? Speak to the winds..."

The vision was used to illustrate how those who knew God and his power still had, for some reason or another, fallen out of touch with Him. In the vision Ezekiel is commanded by God to "speak to the wind." The wind is symbolic of the Holy Spirit. As I looked at Southwark, I too wondered "Can these bones live again?" God has answered the question through the lives of the people and the ministry of Emanuel Lutheran Church. Emanuel has continued to be a source of life and hope in what seems to some to be a valley of dry bones. We have continued to "speak to the wind" through prayer. "There was a noise...and the bones came together bone to bone."

Emanuel has and will continue to be a voice of hope in the community. I am overjoyed that God has placed me here at Emanuel to help restore God's place and God's people to their rightful condition and place.

Pastor Eaddy was called to full-time service at Emanuel at the congregational meeting of Sunday, January 7, 2002 and installed as pastor Sunday, January 19, 2002.

[Selected Sermons]

I consider it a privilege to serve at Emanuel, trying to fill Phil Krey's big shoes the best I can. The thing is we all have some "best" things to contribute to Emanuel's ministry, and we had "best" recognize these gifts in each other.

First, we have a renewing community, Southwark/Riverview, taking a new shape with lots of new people moving in around us.

Second, we have a beautiful building in the center of it all -- which again has survived the deconstruction around it --and the people who gather in it.

Third, we have Rev. Eaddy (and his family) who amidst his challenges of work, education and family is faithfully serving the congregation.

Fourth, Emanuel has a partnership with Lutheran Children & Family Service (LCFS) for ministry in the community, so that we can discover how we are gifts to each other.

Fifth, we have partner churches and organizations in the area working together to strengthen the community through a collaboration called "Common Mission."

A few words about Common Mission, LCFS, and me:

Common Mission partners are Phillips Temple Methodist Church, St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church, United Communities of SE Philadelphia, and the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. We are meeting to plan children and youth ministries with other partners this summer.

LCFS operates A Safe Place To Be, an after-school program at Emanuel. LCFS also works with the Riverview development to develop social services for the residents. Bethel House by May will house LCFS staff and programs. It is being renovated by a contractor who should finish by mid-April. Bethel House will also house a Technology Center which has been funded to help local youth learn computer skills.

I am the Executive Director of LCFS, and I have had a personal interest in Emanuel ever since I found out that my grandfather came to Emanuel when he first came to the United States in 1905. Up until November, Emanuel still had an Erat on its membership list.

I believe that God is leading Emanuel into something new, new ways of reaching people and getting them to see and know the love of God as we know it in Christ Jesus. As we enter the season of Lent, I encourage you along with us to walk with Jesus on the way to the cross to discover your destiny. As a congregation I pray that God will be with us as we meet the poor and needy, the sick and the sinful, inside but also outside our church building, and that God will use us to be healers, even as we experience God's own healing and forgiveness through the sacraments and through each other.

Bill

Welcome to the Web Page for Emanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church. Recently we celebrated 150 years of serving the Philadelphia area as a congregation. We are thankful to God for the grace to restore our building and our congregation even as the New Southwark is planned and built around us. I am the former mentoring pastor and now pastoral associate of Emanuel and serve with a wonderful Council and Staff who are dedicated to the Gospel and to service with all in need. To that end we have partnered with Lutheran Church and Family Services of Eastern Pennsylvania and its many programs. In these Web pages you can read about the Community Life Center and the renovation of Bethel House that is in progress.

I have served a number of urban congregations in my more than twenty years of ministry (in Baltimore, Chicago, and Philadelphia). I love my work with the people of Emanuel and the surrounding communities. I also serve on the faculty of the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Mt. Airy and am currently serving as President. Let me welcome you to come and worship with us every Sunday at 8:30 or 11:00. God is with us at Emanuel as we prepare ourselves, our ministry, and our historic building for the next Millenium.

In Christ's service,
Philip D. Krey

NOTE: On October 27, 1999, Dr. Krey was elected President of the Lutheran Theological Seminary of Pennsylvania. DETAILS

Pastor's Message, January 1998