St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church
Welcome, thank you so much for visiting St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church of Berrysburg, PA – the historic Hill Church. Founded in 1780, ours is a congregational family with a deep and rich heritage that informs out efforts to reach out to our present-day community – near and far – with the Gospel of Jesus. In my years of service here, I have come to see that we are a congregational family that defies easy description. We have the warmth and intimacy of a small congregation, while also being blessed with an extraordinary body of committed and gifted believers that allows us to do many of the ministries of a large congregation. We hope that you will visit often – here, from the comfort of your computer or smart phone or other electronic device, but also in person. Whether you are seeking a family of believers with which to join in serving God, or just stopping to take in the view, we would love to welcome you in person to “The Hill”! |
Current Schedule
Current Schedule
Come visit us every Sunday!
9:00am - Faith Formation Times for All Ages (In-Person)
10:15am Worship, Including Celebration Time with Miss Laurie
for our Youngest In-Person Worshipers (In-Person & On Zoom)
Come visit us every Sunday!
9:00am - Faith Formation Times for All Ages (In-Person)
10:15am Worship, Including Celebration Time with Miss Laurie
for our Youngest In-Person Worshipers (In-Person & On Zoom)
St. John Zoom Information
Find out how to access our Sunday Zoom Services |
Pastor's Letter - May 2024
Dear Friends in Jesus,
I have several calendar items for you this month… First, as we continue our journey through the 50 Days of Easter, I want to lift up the festival of The Ascension of Our Lord which marks the 40th Day of that journey – Thursday, May 9 this year. This year, we will have the honor of hosting an ecumenical time of worship with our United Church of Christ neighbors, very much akin to our Community Wednesdays in Lent. Worship will begin at 7:00pm, with Pastor Tom and the other pastors sharing the worship leadership. Pastor Ray Holland of Salem UCC in Elizabethville will serve as this year’s preacher. Our special guest organist will be professional organist and instructor Thomas Dressler of Albrightsville, PA, who will present a sort-of “mini-recital” during the course of our worship. Please plan to attend – and please don’t hesitate to take with me about any questions! Then, very soon after Ascension Day, on the Festival Day of Pentecost, May 19 (also known as the 50th and Final Day of our Easter celebration), we will have the honor of celebrating with six of our young members and their families as they make Affirmation of Baptism and are Confirmed during 10:15am worship. These young members, each of whom has completed two years of instruction with me, are: Brayden Bender, Tanner Bixler, Caroline DeSoto, Lillian Rabenold, Landon Troutman, and Axten Zimmerman. Then, just one week later, on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, May 26, we will once again switch to our summer schedule of 1. Sunday Morning Bible Study for Adults at 8:45 A.M., ending by about 9:15, 2. Worship at 9:30 A.M., ending promptly by 10:30 so that everyone can get on to those reunions and other summer Sunday plans and 3. SONDay Celebration with Miss Laurie also at 9:30 A.M. This would often also be our first day of outdoor worship in the beauty of our pavilion; however, this year May 26 is also the Festival of the Holy Trinity, which means we will be joining in the Sacrament of Holy Communion, which in turn means we will be indoors for worship that morning. (In case you’re wondering, our schedule of outdoor worship will get underway on Sunday, June 9.) And finally, simply because it is coming up very quickly, I want to again mention that Wednesday, June 12, is the date of this year’s Annual Strawberry Festival. So, this edition of the St. John’s Epistle once again contains the updated committee listing for all of the different tasks that need to be done in order for the day to be a success. Please be sure to remove the listing and keep it handy (maybe on the refrigerator?), and please be sure to check with your committee chairperson, the overall chairpersons, or with me if you have any questions or concerns about your scheduled work. And, as we speak of our Annual Strawberry Festival, please also make note of an important first evening of Festival preparation coming up later this month – the first pavilion cleaning and preparation night, which will also serve as our spring outside work night on the church property in general, has been set for Tuesday, May 28, beginning at 5:30 P.M. (with lots of “hands” again needed to pull off what had once been two separate evenings of projects). Thank you for reading, and for your partnership in this wonderful congregational family which is St. John! Pastor Tom |
News from Miss Laurie, Young Christians Minister
Hello May! Those April showers have DEFINITELY brought May flowers – oh the beauty of springtime! And since it’s May, we’re also counting off the days until the end of school – can you believe it?
Before we begin our summertime adventures though, jot down these fun activities for May:
Miss Laurie
Before we begin our summertime adventures though, jot down these fun activities for May:
- Wednesday, May 1st – It’s our last Celebration Club of the season and we’re going out with a bang! Join us from 6:30 – 8:00 for a“Pizza Party Celebration”! Bring your appetites!!
- Sunday, May 12th – Join us in SONday Celebration as we celebrate Mother’s Day and make a special craft for Mom!
- Sunday, May 26th – It’s Memorial Day weekend and the kick-off of our Summer Schedule for SONday Celebration! Starting THIS Sunday, SONday Celebration runs concurrently with the Church service from 9:30 – 10:30 each Sunday!!
Miss Laurie
Our Mission
St. John congregation, responding to the call of the Holy Spirit through the Gospel, unites together to preach and teach the Word, administer the sacraments, and carry out God’s mission. With God’s guidance and grace, we strive to boldly proclaim by word and action the reconciling Gospel of Jesus: Working together for justice and peace, and caring for those in need in our community and world. We invite everyone to join us wherever you are on your faith journey. |