A College Avenue Congregation in Annville
Annville United Methodist Church sits at 1 North College Avenue, just a short walk from Lebanon Valley College in the center of Annville, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1912 and meeting in this corner of Lebanon County for more than a century, the congregation is known for being a multi-generational family church with a steady rhythm of worship, Christian education, and hands-on service to the wider community.
A quiet invitation frames the rest of the church's ministry: "If you are struggling, it's ok to ask for help. You are not alone. We are here for you." That openness shapes everything from the way Sunday morning visitors are greeted to the partnerships the congregation maintains with agencies across the region.
Sunday Worship in the Sanctuary
Worship takes place in the sanctuary at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings. The service blends Methodist traditions, with acolytes serving, an altar guild changing pulpit and altar paraments each season, and a head usher who oversees the flow of the hour. Communion is offered on the first Sunday of every month, with intinction (dipping the bread into the cup), pre-assembled commercially sealed cups, and a gluten-free option always available.
Those who cannot attend in person can join online when it suits their schedule. Services are posted to the church's YouTube channel, allowing members and friends to catch up on a recent sermon or to revisit one from earlier in the year.
The dress code is intentionally casual. "You will see three-piece suits and you will see jeans and t-shirts. Come dressed in a way that is comfortable for you." After worship, the narthex fills with the smell of fresh coffee, alongside tea, water, and snacks ready for anyone who wants to linger.
What a First-Time Visitor Finds
Parking is available directly behind the church in the alley, along College Avenue, and in the lot adjacent to the church marked for use. Handicapped parking and accessibility are at the back of the building, where a lift and the office entrance welcome those who need them. Visitors who prefer the traditional entry can also use the red doors on College Avenue.
The building itself is set up for a range of needs. Hearing assistance units are available on request. Greeters are ready to direct first-time worshipers who want to use one. The sanctuary is home to stained-glass windows, including one depicting Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, which the congregation points to as a reminder of its commitment to pray for one another.
Sunday School for Every Generation
Christian education at Annville UMC is treated as a family affair. Children's and youth Sunday school classes meet at 10 a.m., following the worship service, and provide a place for the youngest members of the congregation to learn alongside their peers.
Adults have two longstanding Sunday morning classes to choose from. The Singles and Doubles Class meets in the parlor after worship and studies the Bible or book studies, often with a DVD, applying the insights to daily life. Leadership of the sessions is shared, and the class is described as open and welcoming for adults of all ages and all levels of spiritual experience across the theological spectrum. Downstairs, the Modern Disciples Class reads books by authors such as Adam Hamilton and Max Lucado, then works through how each lesson connects to personal Bible study and lived experience.
For study during the week, members use resources such as The Upper Room daily devotional and additional teaching content on YouTube.
A Pastor with a Calling to Discipleship
The congregation is currently served by Pastor Yohan Oh. Born in South Korea and raised in a home where his father pastored a Korean Methodist Church, he learned Christian faith by his parents' example before receiving his own call to ministry in his twenties. He was ordained as an Elder Pastor at the Seoul Annual Conference of the Korean Methodist Church in 2011 and later earned a Master of Theology from the Graduate School of Mokwon University and a Master of Arts in Christian Education at Dallas Baptist University.
Pastor Yohan joined the Eastern Pennsylvania Annual Conference in 2023, serving two United Methodist congregations before beginning his work at Annville UMC in 2024. His pastoral vision centers on making disciples who walk faithfully with Jesus. He and his wife, Geun Young Bok, have been married for sixteen years and have three children: Esther, Daniel, and David. He spends his free time singing with the acoustic guitar and piano, cooking, and being with his family.
A Stance of Grace Across Differences
Inside the United Methodist Church, the wider denomination has faced years of public division. Annville UMC has spoken directly to that moment by reaffirming who it is and how it follows Christ. The congregation follows Jesus as Savior and Lord and, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, seeks to show grace and love to one another regardless of opinions, beliefs, perspectives, or prejudices. Members are encouraged to see disagreement as something they can hold while still sharing life together, honoring the legacy of those who came before while leaving a legacy of God's love and grace to those who come after.
That posture of openness is woven through the rest of the church's life, from the casual welcome on Sunday morning to the way members pray for one another online through the church's prayer request form.
Reaching Out Through Partnerships
Annville UMC maintains an active network of partnerships with agencies and ministries in Lebanon County and beyond. Locally, the congregation walks alongside the Lebanon Rescue Mission, the Lebanon County Christian Ministries, and the Annville-Cleona School District, and it keeps ties with Cornwall Manor. Globally, it supports the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) and UMCOR Relief Supplies, and it has a particular connection with Living Unlimited Inc., which provides music therapy for people with disabilities in the region.
Within those partnerships, members find practical ways to put faith to work, while still keeping the rhythm of weekly worship and study as the center of the church's life.
Serving at the Church on Sunday Morning
Opportunities to serve are woven right into the weekly schedule. On Sunday mornings and at special services, with training available, members can greet people at the door, read scripture, provide special music, dance, or reading, serve as head usher, prepare or clean up the coffee and snack station, run the sound board and video recording, help in the nursery, lead a children's Sunday school class with all materials provided, prepare and clean up communion, serve on the altar guild, or serve as the sexton who unlocks the building by 8 a.m. and closes it at 11 a.m.
Giving and Staying Connected
Financial support comes primarily through online bill pay set up through members' own banks, a method that lets the church receive the full donation without paying processing fees. The church office is open Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon, and staff can be reached by phone at (717) 867-2104 or by email at aumc1912@gmail.com for questions about giving, prayer requests, or any other matter.
Beyond Sunday morning, Annville UMC keeps in touch through its monthly newsletter, a calendar of events shared with the community, a Facebook page, and a steady stream of worship and teaching on YouTube. Together, those rhythms make space for a small-town congregation to keep living out its calling as a family church for every generation on College Avenue.