Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church stands at 75 East High Street in the heart of Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, where Lutherans have gathered for worship since 1771. The congregation traces its roots back even further, to the 1740s, when Lutherans, German Reformed, and Moravians came together for worship in the nearby Milton Grove area. Today the church is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, specifically the Harrisburg Conference of the Lower Susquehanna Synod, and it carries the rhythms of that long Lutheran heritage into a busy weekly life of worship, education, music, and service.
The congregation's identity is shaped by a simple mission statement: a community of disciples growing in faith and sharing the light of Christ. Members live that out through three habits, which the church describes as gathering in Word and Worship, growing in faith and understanding, and serving neighbors with love. Whether a longtime member or a first-time visitor, anyone walking through the doors on a Saturday evening or Sunday morning will find a congregation that takes its liturgy seriously while keeping its welcome wide open.
Saturday and Sunday Worship
Christ Evangelical Lutheran describes itself plainly as a traditional, liturgical Lutheran church, and the weekly schedule reflects that. Services follow a consistent pattern each week, including readings from Scripture, prayer, music, a sermon, and Holy Communion.
- Saturday: 6:00 p.m., Service of Holy Communion
- Sunday: 9:30 a.m., Service of Holy Communion (livestreamed on YouTube)
All baptized Christians are welcome to receive the Lord's Supper. Those who prefer not to commune may come forward with heads bowed for a blessing, or remain in the pew; both are perfectly acceptable. The Sunday morning service is livestreamed on YouTube so that members who cannot attend in person can still participate.
After Sunday worship, the rhythm continues. Christian Education for all ages meets at 11:00 a.m. from September through May, and during the warmer months between Memorial Day and Labor Day, that hour shifts to Fellowship on the Lawn, a casual gathering outside. On Wednesdays at 8:30 a.m., the congregation prays Morning Prayer together throughout the year, and during Lent, Wednesday Vespers are held at 7:00 p.m.
First-time visitors are told to come as they are. Worshipers range from suits to jeans, and the only item asked of guests is to pick up a bulletin at the door. It walks through every step of the service so no one feels lost. Children are welcomed and encouraged to stay; ushers can provide children's bulletins and activity bags. If a little one becomes inconsolable, a nursery room is available, though no one is asked to stress over fidgeting or whispering. As the church puts it, Jesus said, "Let the children come."
A Heritage of Sacred Music
Music sits at the very center of life at Christ Lutheran. The music ministry leads the congregation in song and helps proclaim the Word through prayer, praise, and proclamation, a tradition the church describes with the Latin phrase Soli Deo gloria, "to God alone be the glory." Director of Music and Organist Kevin Edward Gane oversees the program and contributes regularly to the church's online "From the Music Director" blog, where he explores the theology and history behind Lutheran sacred music. In his writing he has traced the development of the Divine Service from its medieval roots, through Luther's reforms, into the Common Service of 1888, and into the Lutheran hymnals still used today.
The instrument anchoring the music program is Möller Opus 7298, built in 1946 and refurbished in 2005. The organ accompanies congregational singing, liturgical music, and standard organ literature, and its wide color palette is considered a musical gift to both the congregation and the wider Elizabethtown community. Detailed specifications describe a four-manual instrument with extensive Great, Swell, Choir, Antiphonal, and Pedal divisions, dozens of stops, multiple ranks of digital and pipework, and 288 levels of memory.
A wide range of ensembles welcomes singers and ringers of any skill level, and membership in Christ Lutheran is not required to participate.
- Chancel Choir: A non-auditioned mixed-voice ensemble that leads worship with a repertoire spanning traditional and modern compositions. The choir also performs at Music on High events throughout the year.
- Laudate Choir (Youth Choir): Open to students in grades 6 through 12, this group leads worship roughly once a month from September to April and explores Lutheran church music history.
- Joyful Noise: A program for children in kindergarten through 5th grade that combines Bible study with singing, handbells, and instrument exploration, presenting once a month from September to March.
- Gloria Ringers (Senior Handbells): Adult handbell ensemble that rehearses and rings during the prelude once a month.
- Jubilate Ringers (Junior Handbells): Handbell choir for students in grades 6 through 12 that rings during the prelude once a month.
- Cantors: A newer tradition at Christ Lutheran, cantors lead the musical portions of services when the full choir is not present. Anyone with a desire to lead worship but without time to commit to weekly choir is invited to join.
- Instrumentalists: Volunteer musicians who provide special music during the prelude and offertory or accompany hymns. Pianists, organists, guitarists, string players, flutists, and others are all welcome.
Music on High: A Free Concert Series
Christ Lutheran hosts Music on High, the Raymond and Theresa Fetter Music Series, named in honor of the Rev. Dr. Raymond Fetter, who served as pastor from 1947 until his retirement in 1986, and his wife Theresa, who served with him as organist and music director. The series shares the congregation's deep pool of musical talent and its beautiful sanctuary with the wider Central Pennsylvania community. All concerts are free and open to the public, with a free-will offering supporting future programming. Select concerts include a reception following the performance.
Past seasons have featured an extraordinary range of artists: Calliope Brass ("Popcorn and Playbills"), guitarist Maria Wilson, an Advent Lessons and Carols service, a Christmas organ concert featuring the Christ Lutheran organ, the annual Festival of Music showcasing youth musicians, the Celtic band Midnight on the Water, pianist Kevin Edward Gane in a recital of Rachmaninoff, Brahms, and Schubert, and "Mozart in Blue," which paired Mozart's Mass in G Major with Will Todd's Jazz Missa Brevis. The Festival of Music in particular gives young ringers and singers the chance to perform for the broader community.
Faith Formation for All Ages
Christian Education is treated as a lifelong pursuit at Christ Lutheran. Sunday School for all ages is offered every Sunday. The youngest children (nursery and parent classes) meet on the first floor of the Christian Education wing, children in Pre-K through grade 4 meet upstairs in the Christian Education wing, grades 5 through 12 gather at the Lodge Lower Level, and adults meet in the Lodge Upper Level. Anyone new is invited to ask for directions; someone will walk them to the right room.
The congregation's signature midweek program is called BaSiX, which stands for "Brothers and Sisters in Christ." It is a unique family-style evening that combines fellowship and education. From 6:30 to 7:10 p.m., children participate in Joyful Noise children's choir and Bible study in the choir room, while from 6:45 to 8:00 p.m. adults gather for Bible study in the Lodge. Youth handbells rehearse from 7:15 to 8:00 p.m. The result is a single evening that allows parents and children to study, sing, and ring side by side.
Additional Bible study options include a Wednesday morning group that meets at 10:00 a.m. in the Croman/Moyer room of the Parish Life Center during the fall and winter. Anyone curious about Lutheran beliefs or considering church membership can also sign up for Lutheranism 101 by contacting the church office. Vacation Bible School is part of the yearly rhythm as well, and the Christ Lutheran Church Library is open for borrowing and reference.
For young people in grades 6 through 12, the Lutheran Youth Organization (LYO) is the congregation's home for faith formation. The LYO supports youth through activities, service projects, retreats, and participation in worship. Past activities have included car washes, parent-and-youth kickoff meetings, and retreats at Gretna Glen with neighboring Lutheran congregations.
Stephen Ministry and Pastoral Care
Christ Lutheran participates in Stephen Ministry, a one-to-one lay caring ministry that uses the Stephen Series system. Stephen Ministers are trained lay caregivers who provide high-quality, confidential, Christ-centered care to people experiencing difficult seasons in life. The program equips members to walk alongside others within the congregation and beyond, complementing the pastoral work of the church staff.
Serving Neighbors in Elizabethtown and Beyond
Service is one of the three habits Christ Lutheran names in its mission, and several ongoing initiatives keep that habit alive week by week.
Loaves and Fishes Cafe is the congregation's longest-running community meal. Each Thursday from 5:00 to 5:30 p.m., volunteers serve a free meal in the church fellowship hall, located on the lower level of the church. Everyone in the community is welcome, no questions asked.
Panera Food Pick Up sends volunteers to local Panera Bread locations through the chain's Day End Dough-Nation program. Unsold baked goods are picked up weekly and delivered to the local food pantry to address food insecurity in the area.
Wittel Farm Growing Project partners with the Lutheran Camping Corporation's Wittel Farm property right in Elizabethtown. Volunteers use the farmland to grow fresh produce that is donated to regional food assistance programs.
CROP Hunger Walk brings members together each fall to walk from the Lodge to nearby Masonic Village, raising funds for Church World Service's nationwide efforts to fight hunger and poverty in the United States and around the world.
Red Cross Blood Drives are held quarterly in collaboration with the American Red Cross. Appointments can be made by calling 1-800-RED CROSS or through RedCrossBlood.org.
Through the Share the Love of Christ campaign, the congregation has been raising funds to replace the HVAC systems in its historic church buildings. Generous giving over four years brought the total to approximately $650,000 of a $770,000 goal, with the remaining $120,000 supporting the congregation's commitment to pay off the loan early.
What Lutherans Here Believe
Christ Lutheran subscribes to the three ecumenical creeds: the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed. These are full texts of each creed.
The congregation summarizes its teaching in seven statements. It believes and confesses faith in the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and trusts in Jesus Christ as both fully God and fully human. It teaches that all human beings are sinners and that sinners are redeemed by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, with God alone justifying human beings by grace through faith, a faith God creates through the message of the Gospel. The Bible is held to be God's revealed Word, spoken in Law and Gospel, and the final authority for faith and life. The Lutheran Confessions are accepted as reliable guides for interpreting Scripture, and the congregation shares unity and fellowship with others among whom the Gospel is preached and the sacraments are administered in accordance with the Gospel. Through the priesthood of all believers, the Holy Spirit makes every Christian a priest for service to others in Jesus' name, putting spiritual gifts to work in the congregation and the world. Finally, the church is described as the assembly of believers called and gathered by God around Word and Sacrament, with the mission and ministry of the church carried out within and through individual congregations working together locally and globally.
Christ Lutheran is a member of the Lower Susquehanna Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Buildings, Campus, and the Farm
The Main Campus occupies a stretch of East High Street in the center of Elizabethtown. The church building itself stands at 75 East High Street, with the office and Parish Life Center next door at 125 East High Street. A free parking lot is adjacent to the church, and the steeple makes the building easy to spot from anywhere downtown. The Christian Education wing, the Lodge, and the fellowship hall (where Thursday community meals are served) round out the in-town facilities.
Just outside of town at 522 Cassell Road, the congregation owns Cassell Farm, a multi-acre property with a covered pavilion, a stone fireplace, and a full kitchen. The farm is available for rental from mid-April through mid-November and is also home to the annual St. Francis Day Blessing of the Animals each fall. Both the Main Campus and Cassell Farm can be reserved through online or printable request forms, and a public Property Availability Calendar is published online.
Pastors, Staff, and Leadership
The Rev. A.J. Domines serves as Senior Pastor. He earned a bachelor's degree in Religious Studies from Penn State in 1996 and a Master of Divinity from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg in 2000. He was ordained to the Holy Office of Word and Sacrament on May 27, 2000, at Christ Lutheran Church in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, and served parishes in Hunker and Scranton before becoming Assistant Pastor of Christ Evangelical Lutheran in 2006. In May 2011, the congregation called him to serve as Senior Pastor. He is married to Celia, and they have three children: Lydia, Priscilla, and Albert.
Pastor Frederick Keller serves as Pastor Emeritus. A graduate of Muhlenberg College and the Lutheran Theological Seminary of Philadelphia, he was ordained on June 30, 1965. After serving four Lutheran churches across Pennsylvania and retiring from Grace Lutheran in Franklin in 2004, he began as visitation pastor for Christ Lutheran Elizabethtown in 2011. He retired fully in February 2025 and was named Pastor Emeritus. He and his wife Mary Lou live at Luther Acres in Lititz.
Celia Domines serves as Director of Christian Education. A graduate of Eastern Lebanon County High School, Lebanon Valley College, and Gettysburg Seminary, she previously served as Youth Director at St. James Lutheran Church in Gettysburg and Director of Christian Education at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Greensburg, before spending ten years at home with her three children.
Kevin Edward Gane is the Director of Music and Organist. A collaborative artist frequently sought after across the Mid-Atlantic region, he is also an educator and theatre artist who teaches privately and through Lebanon Valley College and serves as music director for Palmyra Area High School.
Melissa Rohrer serves as Youth Facilitator. The staff is rounded out by Camille Pinkerton (Parish Administrator), Edward Clark (Facilities Manager), Jeremy Stiffler (Facilities Assistant), and Emily Szymanski (Administrative Assistant). The Church Council is led by President Justin Smith, Vice President Greg Rohrer, and Secretary Cammy Anderson.
Visiting Christ Lutheran
The congregation's welcome to first-time visitors is straightforward: come as you are, follow the bulletin, and don't worry about getting anything wrong. The Saturday service offers a quieter entry point for those who prefer a smaller gathering, while the Sunday morning service, with its livestream on YouTube, draws the largest crowd. A nursery is available, children's bulletins and activity bags can be requested from any usher, and free parking is available in the lot adjacent to the church. Office hours run Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to noon, and the office can be reached at (717) 367-2786 or office@christlutheran-etown.com. For those not quite ready to attend worship, the Thursday community meal and the free Music on High concerts offer other ways to experience the building and meet the people of Christ Lutheran.