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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”! |
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Current Schedule
Come visit us every Sunday!
9:00am – In person: Adult Sunday Study, SONday Celebration with Miss Laurie,
Confirmation Class, Youth Faith Formation with Matt and Olivia
10:15am - Worship (In-Person & On Zoom)
9:00am – In person: Adult Sunday Study, SONday Celebration with Miss Laurie,
Confirmation Class, Youth Faith Formation with Matt and Olivia
10:15am - Worship (In-Person & On Zoom)
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St. John Zoom Information
Find out how to access our Sunday Zoom Services |
Message from Pastor Katrina
“Let me tell you something wonderful, a mystery I’ll probably never fully understand. We’re not all going to die--but we are all going to be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:51 (from The Message)
In my humble opinion, we have entered into the two most complex and emotional months of the entire church year. We’ll cover a great deal of ground…the four weeks of Advent as we prepare to receive a mystery, the reverence and celebration of welcoming that mystery become real flesh on Christmas Eve, and then the early steps in a new church year that is so familiar and yet always offered up as new chances in the Epiphany season. Throw in two parts of an annual meeting, and boy howdy. It’s a huge amount of faith ground to cover in two short months!
It’s also a complicated emotional season. Lent and Easter seem more direct. We set a course to Jerusalem, to the foot of a cross, to the entrance to a tomb, to the emptiness that we shout into one singular word “Alleluia!” But the journey to Bethlehem, when the nights are getting longer, not shorter? When we’re prone to retreating further inside, not out? Well, that’s a mixed bag of all kinds of things: hopefulness, excitement, anxiousness, sorrow, pain, pining, energy, exhaustion. Getting to Bethlehem can feel like a labor of love, and we can feel anxious and impatient to get to our intended destination.
Maybe that’s why we hold fiercely to nostalgia and tradition these next few months. Mysteries are, by their very nature, moments that are as yet revealed. A time when any and every possibility could come to pass. That’s great news if you’re someone looking for a refresh, a new chance, a reset. But if you like things the way they are, if you’ve spent time developing yourself and getting your world in order…well, again, these next few months are complex and emotional.
This beloved community is collectively living a mystery, too. God is doing a new thing in your midst, preparing you and calling up someone new as pastor. Getting there is absolutely a labor of love. As the Call Committee begins their work in earnest these next two months, it’s also a time of high emotions…hopefulness, excitement, anxiousness, sorrow, pain, pining, energy, exhaustion. Impatient to get to our intended destination will absolutely be an energy rumbling through our midst.
Let me tell you something, though. While the way may seem laborious, the time may seem to drag on, the sense of feeling out-of-control may be weighty and the outcomes impossible to predict right now…the architect of the mystery is Jesus. The core of our reality is Jesus. The foundation of this beloved faith community is Jesus.
And while I’ll never fully understand it, I have seen enough anxious communities become hopeful ones, the journeys towards God’s next revelations move from grief and confusion to clarity and call. Some ways of things change, some patterns get pruned, and some ministries have a chance to end. And we are all changed. And if God in Jesus is indeed the architect, then it will always, always, always be for the good.
As someone who hasn’t yet experience this upcoming season with you yet, I’m anxious to live in the mystery, the tradition, the proclamation and the process with you. May we labor in love together for God’s new things among us!
Happiest of seasons to you, God’s beloved community,
Pastor Katrina
In my humble opinion, we have entered into the two most complex and emotional months of the entire church year. We’ll cover a great deal of ground…the four weeks of Advent as we prepare to receive a mystery, the reverence and celebration of welcoming that mystery become real flesh on Christmas Eve, and then the early steps in a new church year that is so familiar and yet always offered up as new chances in the Epiphany season. Throw in two parts of an annual meeting, and boy howdy. It’s a huge amount of faith ground to cover in two short months!
It’s also a complicated emotional season. Lent and Easter seem more direct. We set a course to Jerusalem, to the foot of a cross, to the entrance to a tomb, to the emptiness that we shout into one singular word “Alleluia!” But the journey to Bethlehem, when the nights are getting longer, not shorter? When we’re prone to retreating further inside, not out? Well, that’s a mixed bag of all kinds of things: hopefulness, excitement, anxiousness, sorrow, pain, pining, energy, exhaustion. Getting to Bethlehem can feel like a labor of love, and we can feel anxious and impatient to get to our intended destination.
Maybe that’s why we hold fiercely to nostalgia and tradition these next few months. Mysteries are, by their very nature, moments that are as yet revealed. A time when any and every possibility could come to pass. That’s great news if you’re someone looking for a refresh, a new chance, a reset. But if you like things the way they are, if you’ve spent time developing yourself and getting your world in order…well, again, these next few months are complex and emotional.
This beloved community is collectively living a mystery, too. God is doing a new thing in your midst, preparing you and calling up someone new as pastor. Getting there is absolutely a labor of love. As the Call Committee begins their work in earnest these next two months, it’s also a time of high emotions…hopefulness, excitement, anxiousness, sorrow, pain, pining, energy, exhaustion. Impatient to get to our intended destination will absolutely be an energy rumbling through our midst.
Let me tell you something, though. While the way may seem laborious, the time may seem to drag on, the sense of feeling out-of-control may be weighty and the outcomes impossible to predict right now…the architect of the mystery is Jesus. The core of our reality is Jesus. The foundation of this beloved faith community is Jesus.
And while I’ll never fully understand it, I have seen enough anxious communities become hopeful ones, the journeys towards God’s next revelations move from grief and confusion to clarity and call. Some ways of things change, some patterns get pruned, and some ministries have a chance to end. And we are all changed. And if God in Jesus is indeed the architect, then it will always, always, always be for the good.
As someone who hasn’t yet experience this upcoming season with you yet, I’m anxious to live in the mystery, the tradition, the proclamation and the process with you. May we labor in love together for God’s new things among us!
Happiest of seasons to you, God’s beloved community,
Pastor Katrina
News from Miss Laurie, Young Christians Minister
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas……and it’d DEFINITEY starting to feel like it, too! There will be lots of faith formation going on here at St. John’s in the month of December, so grab your calendars and pencil in these dates:
Just another FYI – Reagan and I will be heading to Georgia to visit my cousins on Christmas Day and will be returning on Monday the 29th! Because of our travels, there will be NO SONday Celebration or Celebration Time on Sunday the 28th! Please mark that on your calendar as well!
As you can see, we’re gearing up to get everyone in the Christmas spirit! And we’d love you to join us for some or ALL of our planned activities!
Then, looking ahead to January and 2026:
Finally, friends, before you get caught up in all the craziness of the season, take time to remember that “JESUS is the REASON for the season!” Sending my warmest Christmas wishes your way!
May God richly bless you through the holidays and throughout the coming year!!
Miss Laurie
- Wednesday, December 3rd – It’s a “Jingle for Jesus” Christmas Party in Celebration Club! Join us from 6:30 – 8:00 for the fun!
- Sunday, December 7th – It’s week TWO of preparing for Jesus in SONday Celebration and we’ll be decorating our Christmas tree in the Celebration Space! Come and help us “deck our halls”!!
- Sunday, December 21st – It’s a “Happy Birthday Jesus Pajama Party” in SONday Celebration! Put on your favorite pj’s and join us for the fun (which will continue through Celebration Time)!!
- Sunday, December 21st – Join us at 4:00 for our annual Advent Activity! This year, we’ll be reading and acting out the Nativity Story! There will be music, entertainment, and COOKIES and hot chocolate after the program! Come and celebrate the season with your church family! Calling ALL youth – We’d love you all to be part of the Advent Program!! See Miss Laurie, Matt or Olivia Williard to see how you can help!!
- Wednesday, December 24th – Join us at 4:00 for our Christmas Eve “Celebration” Service featuring contemporary versions of classic Christmas carols and a Sunny Sermon! There will also be the traditional Candlelight Service later that evening at 8:00.
Just another FYI – Reagan and I will be heading to Georgia to visit my cousins on Christmas Day and will be returning on Monday the 29th! Because of our travels, there will be NO SONday Celebration or Celebration Time on Sunday the 28th! Please mark that on your calendar as well!
As you can see, we’re gearing up to get everyone in the Christmas spirit! And we’d love you to join us for some or ALL of our planned activities!
Then, looking ahead to January and 2026:
- Wednesday, January 7th - Join us from 6:30 – 8:00 for our first Celebration Club of the New Year! Our theme for the evening will be “My Resolution is Jesus”! Come and be part of the fun!
- Sunday, January 18th – It’s our annual “Snowman Sunday” in SONday Celebration!
Finally, friends, before you get caught up in all the craziness of the season, take time to remember that “JESUS is the REASON for the season!” Sending my warmest Christmas wishes your way!
May God richly bless you through the holidays and throughout the coming year!!
Miss Laurie
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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. |
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