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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 (Summer) Schedule
Come visit us every Sunday!
8:45am - Adult Bible Study (On Zoom) 9:30am - Worship (In-Person & On Zoom) 9:30am - SONDay Celebration with Miss Laurie (In-Person) |
Prayer for a Pandemic: by Cameron Bellm
May we who are merely inconvenienced Remember those whose lives are at stake. May we who have no risk factors Remember those most vulnerable. May we who have the luxury of working from home Remember those who must choose between preserving their health or making their rent. May we who have the flexibility to care for our children when their schools close Remember those who have no options. May we who have to cancel our trips Remember those that have no safe place to go. May we who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the economic market Remember those who have no margin at all. May we who settle in for a quarantine at home Remember those who have no home. As fear grips our country, let us choose love. During this time when we cannot physically wrap our arms around each other, Let us yet find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbors. Amen. |
Pastor's Letter - July/August
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Dear Friends in Jesus,
By the time you are reading these lines, we will be in the thick of summer. With so many of us now fully vaccinated and so many COVID-related restrictions being eased or lifted, and after the strangeness of last summer, I’m guessing that is going to mean increased travel, especially on the weekends, for many of us – maybe more traveling than we’ve done for many years. Heading north to a family cottage, taking the camper to a favorite campground, even heading across the country – the change of pace and scenery are the stuff of wonderful summer memories! But as you enjoy that change of pace and scenery, one thing that shouldn’t and doesn’t have to change is the weekly rhythm of worship with fellow Christians. This summer more than ever before, being too far away to make it back here to your congregational family home for worship doesn’t mean that you have to miss being fed in worship. For one thing, even in the most remote places, we are never more than a reasonable drive from a Sunday in-person gathering of fellow Christians. And many state parks, national parks, and private campgrounds offer Sunday worship opportunities – Ann and I spent several summers in our younger years involved in this work. Please let me know if I can ever be of help in locating a Lutheran Christian congregational family near where you are headed (or you can use the congregational locator tool on elca.org). And if there isn’t a Lutheran Christian gathering nearby, no problem! It can be a great and invigorating experience to be in worship with Christians from another branch of the One Christian Family. Please let me know about the experiences you have – and bring along a bulletin if you think of it. AND, now that our Sunday morning congregational family worship is available on Zoom as well as in person, as long as you have access to a device that is connected to the internet in some fashion, you can stay right where you are – jammies and all, if you wish – and be present in worship here at St. John across the miles, even across the country (or world). Whatever you do, please don’t miss out, and may your travels be safe ones, and your homecomings joyful ones! Pastor Tom |
Coming to Worship on Sunday, June 27, at 9:30 AM in our Beautiful Pavilion – the Lykens Valley Bluegrass Band/Ice Cream and Strawberries to Follow |
News from Miss Laurie, Young Christians Minister
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Happy super summer, everyone! I hope everyone is enjoying all the summer-time fun! Here are a few activities you’ll want to work into your busy schedules:
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July 19th – 23rd – “Knights of North Castle” VBS
Pre-registration will be required as we will have to limit the number of attendees based on the CDC recommendations at that time. Masks will also be required. I’ll keep you posted on the details as we firm up our plans! Join us as we “armor up” and remain strong with God by sharing God’s love in the world! (In the event that we are not able to have an in person VBS, I have another Zoom program lined up as a backup! So, SAVE THAT DATE!!) |
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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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