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!
8:45am – Sunday Morning Bible Study (In Person)
9:30am - SONday Celebration with Miss Laurie (In-Person)
9:30am - Worship (In-Person & On Zoom)
Come visit us every Sunday!
8:45am – Sunday Morning Bible Study (In Person)
9:30am - SONday Celebration with Miss Laurie (In-Person)
9:30am - Worship (In-Person & On Zoom)
St. John Zoom Information
Find out how to access our Sunday Zoom Services |
From Pastor Tom...
Dear Friends in Jesus,
Ann recently shared with me a story which she came across in her reading, a kind of parable which, according to my brief research, is often attributed to Cherokee or other Native American folklore but the true origins of which have never been determined. In the story, a grandparent is teaching a grandchild about life. “A fight is going on within me,” the grandparent says. “It’s a terrible fight – between two wolves. One is evil – it is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, lies, false pride, and ego. The
other is good – it is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, empathy, generosity, truth, and compassion. The very same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.” The grandchild thinks about this for a bit and then asks, “Which wolf will win?” To which the grandparent replies, “The one you feed.”
Now the story makes no claim to have any connection with the Bible, or with any other system of belief for that matter, but it seemed to me to be worth sharing with you because:
In closing, I know that I am only stating the obvious when I say that our Gracious God has provided you and me with the very best and most nutritious “good wolf” food we could ever want, and in abundance – “good wolf” food which is able to overcome all that is evil. We call it worship, and we are gathering for it in our pavilion in the beauty of God’s Good Creation every Sunday at 9:30am for the rest of the summer. See you there, whether in-person or on Zoom!
Pastor Tom
Ann recently shared with me a story which she came across in her reading, a kind of parable which, according to my brief research, is often attributed to Cherokee or other Native American folklore but the true origins of which have never been determined. In the story, a grandparent is teaching a grandchild about life. “A fight is going on within me,” the grandparent says. “It’s a terrible fight – between two wolves. One is evil – it is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, lies, false pride, and ego. The
other is good – it is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, empathy, generosity, truth, and compassion. The very same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.” The grandchild thinks about this for a bit and then asks, “Which wolf will win?” To which the grandparent replies, “The one you feed.”
Now the story makes no claim to have any connection with the Bible, or with any other system of belief for that matter, but it seemed to me to be worth sharing with you because:
- It rings so very true in my own life and journey of faith.
- It sounds so very much like something the Apostle Paul famously shares from his own life and walk in the faith in Romans 7:15-25. (Please pick up your Bible at this point and give this brief passage a reading – and then consider for a moment that this isn’t just any poor schmuck talking; this is PAUL talking – Paul, the “main man” of our Lutheran Christian faith, the servant of Jesus who wrote more of the books of the New Testament than anyone else!).
- And finally, it is worth sharing because it is important to be reminded of and prepared for the fact that we are at present absolutely awash in a vast amount of ugly and vicious and often false “evil wolf” food, such that it keeps getting harder and harder to search out the “good wolf” food we all need so very badly. And it gushes forth at all levels, from leaders and potential political leaders at the highest levels of our nation and state right on down to the person standing next to us…
- A case in point: As I write these lines the day after another wonderful Annual Strawberry Festival, I’m still shaking my head in disbelief at hearing late yesterday that there was a young-ish woman who showed up at the Festival wearing a shirt featuring what is surely one of the ugliest public slogans of recent times – the two-word phrase which begins with the letter “F” and ends with the word “Biden”. Apparently, she wasn’t on our grounds for long, and not at the pavilion, such that I didn’t have a chance to find out about her attire in time to speak with her and give her the opportunity to either change her shirt or leave our property. (Now please note that this has nothing at all to do with politics or political statements – the problem was entirely with the ugliness of the first word and its display. I saw a number of politically-themed hats yesterday for instance, as I do every year. Nothing whatsoever wrong or inappropriate about that, regardless of whether or not I or anyone else agrees or disagrees.) This, however, crossed a line that I don’t ever recall being crossed before here on The Hill. Our Strawberry Festival is all about providing “good wolf” food in abundance for persons of all ages and this poor, misguided person is a vivid reminder of what we are up against in trying to feed the “good wolf”.
In closing, I know that I am only stating the obvious when I say that our Gracious God has provided you and me with the very best and most nutritious “good wolf” food we could ever want, and in abundance – “good wolf” food which is able to overcome all that is evil. We call it worship, and we are gathering for it in our pavilion in the beauty of God’s Good Creation every Sunday at 9:30am for the rest of the summer. See you there, whether in-person or on Zoom!
Pastor Tom
News from Miss Laurie, Young Christians Minister
Hey everyone! Summer is HERE – and it came in with ferocity! We’ve definitely had a couple of “scorchers”! Heat or no heat, we’re going to keep the faith formation coming! Hopefully, we get a little reprieve during the week of VBS! Keep your prayers coming (and your fingers crossed)!!
Speaking of VBS, I hope you’ve saved the date for “Camp Firelight” – our camping adventure with God! The fun begins on Monday, July 15th and runs through Friday, July 19th. Each evening, from 6:30 – 8:45, we’ll hear some great music, make a craft, have some science fun, play some active games, and eat a cool snack all based around stories that teach us how to TRUST in God! The last night of VBS, we’re going to close things out with a campfire and a movie!! It’s going to be a BLAST, so join us for the fun! Because the first night of VBS is so CRAZY, please pre-register your child/children for the program!! It really helps us plan when we know what numbers to expect, so thanks for your help in getting those registration forms in! I’ve attached a Registration Form for your convenience!! Also, we’re in need of a couple of items for our craft station! We need empty paper towel rolls, and clear, plastic quart containers with lids (the kind you would use for soup). Any donations would be greatly appreciated!! Here are a few other dates to keep in mind for VBS:
It’s going to be a summer of fabulous faith formation! Come and “beat the heat” and be part of the fun!! 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. |