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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 - Adult Bible Study (On Zoom)
9:00am - Youth Group Bible Time & Confirmation Class (In Person)
9:00am - SONDay Celebration with Miss Laurie (In-Person)
10:15am - Worship (In-Person & On Zoom)
9:00am - Adult Bible Study (On Zoom)
9:00am - Youth Group Bible Time & Confirmation Class (In Person)
9:00am - SONDay Celebration with Miss Laurie (In-Person)
10:15am - Worship (In-Person & On Zoom)
Pastor's Letter - December/January
Dear Friends in Jesus,
As we come up on 21 months of living with a global pandemic, “weariness” maybe doesn’t even begin to capture what most if not all of us are feeling. It sometimes feels as if we are simply mired, with nothing changing or at least with nothing getting better. Here, as is the case so many times, our feelings can fool us.
As I look back a year at what we were doing as a congregational family in the way of COVID precautions, I am really happy to report that we are in no way at the same place we were last year at this time! Last year at this time, with a winter surge just beginning to build and with vaccines still a brand-new thing, Congregational Council unanimously and with very little debate decided that it would be best to switch back to Zoom-only activities, including Christmas Eve worship – a change that ended up lasting all the way until the end of February.
This year, there is no question of doing that, and assuming that the pandemic doesn’t take some radical new and much more dire turn, there will continue to be no question of doing that. That means for instance that we will once again enjoy an in-person late afternoon/evening Advent/Christmas Celebration event on December 12 (think gingerbread houses!) as well as a return to in-person Christmas Eve worship, at the very least at our familiar 4:00pm and 8:00pm, which will look and sound very familiar and which will be available in hybrid fashion, both in-person and on Zoom.
It's true that some of the details will change a bit in light of the fact that, while we aren’t where we were a year ago, we also still aren’t at the place we look toward as a “new normal”. Subject to continued review by Congregational Council, masks may well be required indoors for a while for folks who aren’t fully vaccinated, depending on just how quickly our area finally starts to move away from being at the highest level of virus transmission. And our Christmas decorations will be scaled back from previous years – we will still wait until another year, for instance, for the return of the beloved poinsettias. But the Christmas Eve carols and candles, the nativity scene and the tree, the sharing in the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus in Holy Communion will be experienced as before 2020. Please be sure to stay tuned to my update emails and Sunday announcements for further updates and details.
Looking ahead to 2022, I am anticipating that our Winter Midweek Bible Study will get underway on Wednesday, January 12, from 6:30 to 8:00 P.M., but I am still working out the details, including (with our neighboring congregations) what the coming of the Season of Lent will mean for Wednesdays in general and Bible Study in particular. Here again, please stay tuned for details as we get closer to time, but feel free to sign up with me at any time.
I will close with the words, slightly updated, which I shared here a year ago… As the past almost 21 months have held tumult and change such as most of us have never before experienced, I have been finding deep hope and assurance in the steady turning of the Church Year, reminding me and you that the followers of Jesus have experienced challenges like ours and many, many much more trying times over the past almost-2,000 years. But, led by the Holy Spirit, the worship calendar has continued to turn and our ancestors in the faith have endured, as shall we. As we again enter into this holy time of the Church Year, reminded once again of just how very much God loves you and me and all that God has made, I want to thank you, my sisters and brothers in this wonderful congregational family, for another year of productive and faithful – even if much changed and adapted – ministry together. Ann and I wish and pray for each of you a most blessed Advent and Christmas celebration and many joyous new beginnings in the year 2022 to come!
Pastor Tom
As we come up on 21 months of living with a global pandemic, “weariness” maybe doesn’t even begin to capture what most if not all of us are feeling. It sometimes feels as if we are simply mired, with nothing changing or at least with nothing getting better. Here, as is the case so many times, our feelings can fool us.
As I look back a year at what we were doing as a congregational family in the way of COVID precautions, I am really happy to report that we are in no way at the same place we were last year at this time! Last year at this time, with a winter surge just beginning to build and with vaccines still a brand-new thing, Congregational Council unanimously and with very little debate decided that it would be best to switch back to Zoom-only activities, including Christmas Eve worship – a change that ended up lasting all the way until the end of February.
This year, there is no question of doing that, and assuming that the pandemic doesn’t take some radical new and much more dire turn, there will continue to be no question of doing that. That means for instance that we will once again enjoy an in-person late afternoon/evening Advent/Christmas Celebration event on December 12 (think gingerbread houses!) as well as a return to in-person Christmas Eve worship, at the very least at our familiar 4:00pm and 8:00pm, which will look and sound very familiar and which will be available in hybrid fashion, both in-person and on Zoom.
It's true that some of the details will change a bit in light of the fact that, while we aren’t where we were a year ago, we also still aren’t at the place we look toward as a “new normal”. Subject to continued review by Congregational Council, masks may well be required indoors for a while for folks who aren’t fully vaccinated, depending on just how quickly our area finally starts to move away from being at the highest level of virus transmission. And our Christmas decorations will be scaled back from previous years – we will still wait until another year, for instance, for the return of the beloved poinsettias. But the Christmas Eve carols and candles, the nativity scene and the tree, the sharing in the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus in Holy Communion will be experienced as before 2020. Please be sure to stay tuned to my update emails and Sunday announcements for further updates and details.
Looking ahead to 2022, I am anticipating that our Winter Midweek Bible Study will get underway on Wednesday, January 12, from 6:30 to 8:00 P.M., but I am still working out the details, including (with our neighboring congregations) what the coming of the Season of Lent will mean for Wednesdays in general and Bible Study in particular. Here again, please stay tuned for details as we get closer to time, but feel free to sign up with me at any time.
I will close with the words, slightly updated, which I shared here a year ago… As the past almost 21 months have held tumult and change such as most of us have never before experienced, I have been finding deep hope and assurance in the steady turning of the Church Year, reminding me and you that the followers of Jesus have experienced challenges like ours and many, many much more trying times over the past almost-2,000 years. But, led by the Holy Spirit, the worship calendar has continued to turn and our ancestors in the faith have endured, as shall we. As we again enter into this holy time of the Church Year, reminded once again of just how very much God loves you and me and all that God has made, I want to thank you, my sisters and brothers in this wonderful congregational family, for another year of productive and faithful – even if much changed and adapted – ministry together. Ann and I wish and pray for each of you a most blessed Advent and Christmas celebration and many joyous new beginnings in the year 2022 to come!
Pastor Tom
News from Miss Laurie, Young Christians Minister
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Happy December everyone! Only 24 “sleeps” before the BIG day! We have a lot of fun activities leading up to the birth of our Lord and Savior, so
grab your calendars and jot down these important dates:
And finally, all through the month of December, we’ll be doing a “Reverse Advent Calendar” where each day you’ll be prompted to make a specific food donation (ie December 1 – box of cereal; December 2 – peanut butter, etc.). Collect your items through the month and then bring in your filled boxes for the “Happy Birthday Jesus” party on the 26 th ! The donations will then be taken to the Food Bank! What a great way to help your children realize that the season is about GIVING!! Thanks to Courtney and Grayson Foreman for putting this program together!! Pick up a “Reverse Calendar” in SONday Celebration!! We’re offering lots of opportunities to prepare your hearts for Jesus and put you in the Christmas spirit! We hope you’ll share these experiences with us - we’d love to see you at the celebrations!! Wishing you ALL a very merry Christmas!!! May the joy of this season continue to fill your hearts and bless you through the new 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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