Epler's Church, UCC stands at 1151 West Leesport Road in Leesport, Pennsylvania, a congregation founded in 1737 and known for the range of life it holds under one roof: traditional Sunday worship, a first-Friday supper and worship that draws people in from the neighborhood, classrooms for every age, a preschool program, mission work that reaches into the community, and three active cemetery areas whose oldest stones hold Revolutionary War veterans. Nearly three centuries on, the church still worships every Sunday in its own building, and its office answers at 610-926-1006 and office@eplerschurch.org.
Sunday Worship at 10:30
Sunday worship begins at 10:30, with Sunday school for all ages at 9:15 during the school year. The services are described as traditional but relaxed. Holy Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of the month, and on the last Sunday of the month worship includes a Healing Service, when people are welcome to come to the front to receive healing oil and a special blessing from the pastor.
The church's worship year reaches well beyond Sunday morning. A Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship Service is held in the evening, the Backpacks receive a Blessing before school begins, and a Blessing of the Animals is held outdoors in late summer. For more than 15 years, Epler's has joined other churches for a Community Easter Dawn Worship Service at Blue Marsh Lake in the Dry Brooks area, watching the sun rise over the lake.
Music anchors the worship service. The adult choir numbers about 20 voices, sings weekly, and takes the summer off under the direction of Brian Gibson. One of the choir's favorites, "River in Judea," has been recorded and shared with the congregation.
Food and Faith on the First Friday
On the first Friday of every month, Epler's adds a supper and a different kind of worship called Food and Faith. The free meal and fellowship begin at 6:00 p.m., with worship at 7:00 p.m. This service is informal and centers on current events, focusing on how faith allows people to find hope in a conflicted world. Music rotates with the service, from piano to organ to saxophone and harp, and Holy Communion is part of every gathering.
Food and Faith was shaped with particular people in mind: those who do not want a highly liturgical or traditional service but still want an opportunity to worship and receive Communion. Dress is casual, membership is not required, and children are welcome and may benefit from the more informal format.
Sunday School for Every Age, Labor Day Through Memorial Day
Christian education runs from Labor Day through Memorial Day, when the weekly program pauses and the Sunday worship time moves to 9:30 for the summer. Visitors and members are equally welcome in whatever class fits their needs, and the classes are organized by age:
- Nursery class for children up through kindergarten.
- Youth class for grades 1 through 6, where a Bible story is taught through cooking, Bible skills and games, science, mission, digital media and technology, and crafts.
- 7UP class for seventh grade and up, meeting in the pastor's office to discuss theological as well as social topics.
- Adult discussion group, meeting in the church office alongside the other classes and led by different members of the church.
The adult class has worked through books such as "Love Wins" by Rob Bell, a video series comparing religions, and general Bible studies. The teen class helps in the nursery class. Teachers are volunteers who believe in continuing education through story, craft and music, and all volunteers have background checks on file with the church and follow its Safe Church Policy.
Each summer, Epler's works with Bern Lutheran Church to host a joint Vacation Bible School program held at Bern Lutheran, a week-long evening program where children and volunteers from both churches come together to serve the community.
Three Burial Grounds and a Walkable Labyrinth
Epler's has provided burial services since the congregation was founded in 1737. The oldest part of the cemetery, now inactive, holds the remains of more than 1,200 people, including veterans from the Revolutionary War period. Three active areas make up the cemetery today.
- Traditional area: laid out in 4 by 8 foot lots grouped in eights, with access rights of way between the groups for equipment. Concrete vaults are required for full-body burials and non-biodegradable urns for cremation burials. Memorial headstones are optional and limited to 2 by 4 feet for a single lot or 2 by 8 feet for a double lot. Plantings are discouraged, though flowers are generally allowed when the family maintains them so mowing is not interfered with.
- Cremation area: a newer section behind the labyrinth with 4 by 4 foot lots that allow two cremation burials per lot. Flat markers are the only markers permitted so the grounds can be mowed.
- Greenwood Glen: a wooded area behind the church prepared for "green" or "natural" burials, which use non-toxic and biodegradable caskets, shrouds and urns to minimize environmental impact. Traditional headstones are not allowed here; loved ones may use flat rocks engraved with the person's name and information. A hand-drawn cart used for green burials was designed and built by a member of the congregation.
The church describes its Green Burial Council certification as giving the cemetery "hybrid" status, meaning it can handle almost any type of burial allowed by law. Burial lots are available in each of the active areas, and the sanctuary can be scheduled for funerals and memorial services, with the pastor conducting both in-church and graveside services for members and non-members alike. Cemetery questions are answered at 610-301-6820.
For family historians, 2,620 headstone images and names are available through BillionGraves, much of it entered through an Eagle Scout project completed in 2018 by Mitchell Moyer, along with 1,590 headstone photos and records at Find a Grave. On the grounds, a Unicursal Labyrinth offers a place for meditative walking and is available from dawn to dusk, open to the public.
Meals, Cleanup Crews and Adopted Families
The mission team stays active throughout the year, helping with disaster cleanup, Habitat for Humanity projects, the Potato Project, and meals at Hope Rescue Mission. The congregation also takes part in the local food pantry and hosts free Community Meals at least three times a year, and volunteers spend Christmas caroling to homebound members. The church frames this work as a way of serving others rather than only itself, and as a chance for fellowship and relationship building along the way.
Around the holidays, the church works with the local school district to adopt a family in need and purchase Christmas gifts from a wish list the family puts together. It also collects donations for the annual CROP Walk with other local churches, with the proceeds going to Church World Services.
A Care Core committee hosts its own schedule of events: an End of Life Seminar, AED and CPR training, and a blood drive. It also oversees the church's Prayer chain and the Prayer Shawl Ministry Team.
For families with children, the church sponsors a one-day Christmas Camp each year, with crafts, stories, a mission project, and a free day for parents to prepare for the holidays. The camp is free and open to the public.
The Zwingli Guild
The Zwingli Guild is a group of people who help with fundraisers and donations to the church for special projects. Each year the group leads various activities and fundraisers and purchases the gifts for Father's Day, Mother's Day, and the Blessing of the Backpacks.
Little Lamb Nursery School and a Hall for Gatherings
Little Lamb Nursery School, the church's LLNS preschool program, provides age-appropriate social development, including skills in listening, cooperation, problem solving and sharing, along with readiness skills in reading, writing and math through hands-on learning activities. A typical class includes music and motion, art, free play, and circle and story time.
The church also rents its hall for parties and events. The social room is in the basement and is wheelchair accessible with a chair lift, though there is no elevator. The space holds approximately 75 people comfortably, with a maximum of 100. The kitchen is available for an extra fee, and chairs and tables are provided for the renting party.
Pastor Gary, Brian Gibson and a Consistory of Twelve
Rev. Gary Rarick has been Epler's pastor since November 4, 2013. Before arriving, he served as a student pastor, a chaplain intern, and senior pastor of a church in upstate New York. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Pennsylvania State University's Hazleton Campus and a Master of Divinity from Lancaster Theological Seminary in 2011. Pastor Gary sings in the choir and eats lunch with the church's Quilters.
Brian Gibson has served as Minister of Music since 2011, after holding the same position at Zion's UCC in downtown Reading. He has served congregations in many denominations for more than 50 years and is an operatic bass-baritone who has appeared at the Metropolitan Opera, Carnegie Hall, and the Sydney Opera House.
The congregation is governed by a Consistory of up to 12 people, made up of elders and deacons, who support the work of the church. Alongside the pastor and the music director, an office team handles administration and bookkeeping, while volunteers teach classes, sing in the choir, cook and serve meals, and care for the church buildings and grounds.
A Faith Built on Your Own Questions
Epler's describes its congregation as a diverse group of people with many different beliefs and opinions. Members are not told what to think, but they are given tools for building their own faith, and it is okay not to all believe the same thing. The church describes itself as a family that loves and cares about each other, focused on building relationships with one another and with God based on the principles and teachings of Jesus Christ.
The church's understanding of baptism follows the United Church of Christ: baptism is an outward and visible sign of the grace of God, and baptism with water and the Holy Spirit marks a child's acceptance into the care of Christ's church, the sign and seal of participation in God's forgiveness, and the beginning of growth in full Christian faith and discipleship. Membership is recommended but not required for a child to be baptized, and baptisms are performed mainly during worship so the congregation can make the promises to help raise the child in the faith.
Pastor Gary also performs weddings for members and non-members, at the church or at other locations throughout Berks County, including same-gender weddings in the sanctuary or elsewhere. The process is multi-step and includes premarital counseling and planning, with each ceremony designed with the couple.
Newsletters, Online Presence and Giving
A monthly newsletter, The Eplerian, keeps people informed about upcoming events and celebrates what has happened in recent months. The congregation also shares news and videos through Facebook and YouTube, and donations can be made through the church's online giving service.
From its founding in 1737 to the present, Epler's Church, UCC has kept a steady rhythm: worship at 10:30, classes at 9:15, a supper and worship on the first Friday, and a long list of ways to serve. At 1151 West Leesport Road, the congregation continues to share the love of Christ through worship, fellowship and mission.