Emmanuel Harrah is a mission church campus supported by Emmanuel Episcopal Church of Shawnee. We began holding weekly services at the Black Raven Pub in Harrah on Easter of 2023, and moved to our current location in April 2025.

What’s an Episcopal Church service like? The Episcopal Church worships in the “liturgical style,” which means all Episcopal churches follow a relatively common order of service. Being with a community of believers inspires us, nurtures us, encourages us, and comforts us. Scripture and the Eucharist (Holy Communion) are the foundations of our worship.

As Episcopalians, we are followers of Jesus Christ, our Lord, and we believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe every human is made in God’s image. Therefore, we strive to love our neighbors as ourselves respecting the dignity of every person.

Christmas is not about physical space. The story of Jesus’ birth gives 1/2 of one sentence to the fact that there was not enough room in the expected places. It is full of amazement, wonder, joy, and rejoicing. Those are matters of heart. So, if I am going to be territorial this Christmas, there is not enough room.

I was searching for a tradition with more theological depth. I was desperate to find a church home that was more open minded. We hoped for a fellowship where our baby girl could grow up not feeling like a second-class citizen simply because she was born female. We were genuine seekers.

Over the past five years Father Tom Newman has had an idea that wouldn't go away. He has consistently mentioned to me how quickly Choctaw and Harrah are growing, how the towns are so close to each other that they seem like one city, and that neither has an Episcopal Church.