A House of Worship on Bedford and High
First Evangelical Lutheran Church has stood at the corner of South Bedford and East High streets in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, for more than a century. The Italian Renaissance building, with its bell tower visible a block east of the town's central square, has been the congregation's home since its dedication on November 10, 1901. Inside, an Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ regarded as one of the finest in south central Pennsylvania fills the nave with sound every Sunday, and a community of faith that traces its roots to 1765 gathers at the altar for Holy Communion.
The congregation belongs to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and lives by a purpose statement adopted in 2016: "We worship, welcome, witness, teach and serve in the name of Jesus Christ." People of all backgrounds find a place here. Visitors are invited to worship, to receive the meal of Christ's body and blood, and to be "blessed for life as one of God's beloved children."
Two Sunday Services, One Table
Holy Communion is celebrated every Sunday at 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Everything needed for the service, with the exception of hymn numbers, is printed in the bulletin, making it easy to participate even on a first visit. The primary hymnal is Evangelical Lutheran Worship, supplemented by All Creation Sings and With One Voice.
The 8:00 a.m. service is mostly spoken, with two hymns and a streamlined liturgy. It typically draws a smaller group of twenty-five to thirty-five worshippers who prefer a quieter setting. The 10:30 a.m. service is a full sung liturgy. From early September through Holy Trinity Sunday in late May or early June, the Chancel Choir helps lead the congregation in song and offers an anthem tied to the day's readings. Between the two services, from 9:15 to 10:00 a.m., adults gather for faith formation on a range of topics.
All the baptized are invited to receive communion. Those who prefer not to commune are welcome to come forward for a blessing or to remain in the pew. The church communes with wine and wheat wafers, and gluten-free wafers are available upon request. Pastor Leber offers instruction for young children ready to receive communion for the first time.
Children of all ages are welcome in worship. Children's bulletins and activity bags are available at both the High Street and Atrium entrances, and the nursery is open throughout the morning for little ones who need a break. Parents are asked to stay with their children in the nursery, where a speaker lets them follow the service.
Visitors will not be asked to stand or identify themselves during announcements. Members will, however, come up to introduce themselves, and a blue "guest card" can be found in the pew rack for anyone who wants to share contact information. As for dress, the range is wide: some men wear suits and ties, others polo shirts and khakis; some women wear dresses, others t-shirts and slacks. Worship leaders, including the pastor, assisting ministers, acolytes, cantor, and choir, are typically robed.
Music at the Heart of Worship
Music is central to life at First Lutheran, following Martin Luther's own conviction that the gift of song was given so that the word of God might be proclaimed through music. The nave has excellent acoustics, and the Aeolian-Skinner organ is regularly used to lead congregational song.
The Chancel Choir, open to high school students and older, sings at the 10:30 a.m. service weekly from early September through Holy Trinity Sunday in late May or early June. Each Advent, on the second or third Sunday of the season, the choir leads a service of Lessons and Carols, with candlelight, anthems, and Christmas cookies in the Atrium afterwards. New singers are always welcome. Rehearsals are held Thursdays from 7:00 to 8:15 p.m. in the choir room, with fellowship and refreshments to close the evening, running from early September through late May or early June.
More Than Two and a Half Centuries in Carlisle
The congregation dates its foundation to 1765, when Lutherans formed the largest single denomination in the Province of Pennsylvania but were thinly scattered in the frontier area of Cumberland County. The first minister of record, Jacob Goering, was ordained by the Pennsylvania Synod in 1775 and sent to serve Carlisle and surrounding areas. Early services were held in a log church built jointly with a Reformed congregation two blocks south of Carlisle's main square, and worship was conducted in German.
By the early nineteenth century, the church was growing more distinct. Regular parish records began in 1788, and the joint arrangement with the Reformed congregation dissolved. In 1806 the wardens of the German Lutheran Church of the Borough of Carlisle paid $150 for a lot in the northeast quadrant of town, bounded by East Louther Street, North Bedford Street, and the prison wall. The cornerstone of the first church on that site was laid in 1807; Sunday school began in 1816; and the congregation was formally incorporated in 1811.
That first church, possibly brick, burned in the night of March 11, 1851. The walls were pulled down entirely, and a new sanctuary was completed by May 1852. The reconstruction coincided with a language controversy: the growing use of English in worship led to a split, and members who still wanted a German-speaking pastor withdrew to form their own congregation. By 1876 the remaining English-speaking body was known as the First Evangelical Lutheran Church of Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
By 1899, First Lutheran was ready to relocate again. The congregation purchased a large lot at the corner of East High and South Bedford streets, one block south of the previous location. After demolishing the old factory buildings on the site, the cornerstone of the new Italian Renaissance church was laid in May 1900, and the building was dedicated on November 10, 1901. A modern classroom and office complex was added at the rear in 1966 and 1967, and a two-story atrium was completed in 2020 to provide gathering space and improved accessibility throughout the building.
In 2015, First Lutheran marked its 250th anniversary with a year of community outreach and celebratory events. The following year, the congregation adopted the purpose statement that still guides its ministry.
Children, Youth, and the Nursery
Children are not just tolerated in worship at First Lutheran; they are welcomed as full participants. Even very young children can begin learning the songs, prayers, and rhythms of the liturgy, and the noise that comes with little ones is met with good humor. Children's bulletins and activity bags are available at both entrances, and the nursery offers a quiet retreat when needed.
The nursery sits on the upper level of the Christian Education wing, accessible through the Atrium. It is outfitted with toys and books and equipped with a speaker so parents can listen to the service while supervising their children.
Younger members of the congregation are encouraged to take on roles in worship as acolytes and assisting ministers, and to volunteer for social ministry projects such as serving at the soup kitchen or staffing the Souper Bowl of Caring tables every February to benefit Project SHARE, Carlisle's food pantry. The youth and family group has walked sections of the Appalachian Trail together and gathered on Palm/Passion Sunday to make palm crosses for the following week's services.
Faith Formation for Every Age
Adult faith formation is offered Sunday mornings from 9:15 to 10:00 a.m., between the two communion services. Topics and leaders change through the year and are publicized in the weekly bulletin and quarterly newsletter.
From September through May, members and friends aged fifty-five and over gather on the second Friday of each month at noon for "lunch and learning." Each potluck is followed by a presentation on a topic drawn from the local community. Recent speakers have included the Cumberland County Historical Society on the Underground Railroad, AARP on avoiding scams and fraud, and the Carlisle Fire Department on home fire safety. The December gathering trades the program for a holiday sweater contest and Christmas trivia.
The congregation also hosts a women's retreat each year. During Lent, Pastor Leber leads a Wednesday-evening study of the Gospel of John at 6:30 p.m., followed by a service of word and prayer at 7:30 p.m., open to all who wish to attend the worship service whether or not they attend the study.
Social Ministry and World Outreach
The congregation's commitment to "serve in the name of Jesus Christ" shows up in a remarkable range of ongoing projects, organized by a Social Ministry and World Outreach committee.
During the four weeks of Advent, members fill boxes with needed items for a designated organization, wrap them, and place them under the nave Christmas tree on Christmas Eve. Recent beneficiaries have included the Carlisle Area Family Life Center, the Cumberland and Perry Counties Domestic Violence Services shelter, and Safe Harbour, a non-profit serving those experiencing homelessness in Cumberland County.
First Lutheran provides ongoing financial support to Lutheran Disaster Response and Lutheran World Relief, particularly following hurricanes, wildfires, and tornadoes, and in the midst of conflicts such as the war in Ukraine. The congregation periodically assembles school kits and personal care kits for distribution. A group of quilters meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. in the lower level of the Christian Education wing, producing more than one hundred quilts a year that are blessed during worship on Ingathering Sunday each October and delivered to the Lutheran World Relief warehouse in Maryland.
On one Sunday every quarter, First Lutheran serves dinner at the Salvation Army soup kitchen, with food donated by congregation members and between fifty and eighty meals served each evening. In the holiday season, members bake and pack cookies for distribution to truckers through the Carlisle Truck Stop Ministry, and the congregation participates in the Salvation Army Angel Tree, donating toys, clothing, and other items for children in need.
A Chili Cook-Off each February raises money for Project SHARE, Carlisle's food pantry, through both ticket sales and votes cast with dollars for the favorite pot. Each October, the congregation partners with the American Red Cross to host a blood drive in Festal Hall.
Sister Parish in El Salvador and Missionaries in Tanzania
First Lutheran has long maintained a sister-parish relationship with Divine Redeemer Lutheran Church in San Miguel, El Salvador, along with its two mission congregations, Good Samaritan in El Volcan and New Jerusalem in El Progresso. Through regular financial contributions, First Lutheran fully subsidizes the vocational training and community feeding ministry of Divine Redeemer's bakery, which trains young people and provides food for the surrounding community. Pastor Belinda Fernandez of Divine Redeemer shares updates with First Lutheran by email.
For decades, First Lutheran has also supported medical missionaries abroad. The congregation currently supports Dr. Stephen and Jodi Swanson, who serve in Arusha, Tanzania. Recent updates have celebrated the opening of Tanzania's first pediatric clinic, the Arusha Pediatric and Maternal Care Centre. A spring "Share Hope. Save Lives." campaign at First Lutheran raised $12,500 toward the work, presented to Jodi Swanson during a visit to Carlisle in early June.
Fine Arts at First
For several decades, First Lutheran has opened its nave to the wider community through the Fine Arts at First concert series. Concerts are free and open to the public, a free-will offering is taken at each performance, and refreshments are served in the Martin Luther Room afterwards. Past performers have included the Dickinson College Orchestra and Choir, the Muhlenberg College Chamber Choir, the Hershey Handbell Ensemble, and the internationally known early-music ensemble The Baltimore Consort. The Hanover Symphony Orchestra Brass Quintet opened the 2026-27 season, with a concert benefiting the Central PA Food Bank.
Pastors, Cantor, and Staff
The Rev. Lisa M. Leber has served as pastor of First Lutheran since August 2013. A native of central Pennsylvania, she is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College, the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William and Mary, and the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg. Before her call to Carlisle, she served as associate pastor of St. James Lutheran Church in Gettysburg and in specialized ministry at two Lutheran social ministry organizations. She serves on the board of the Seminary Ridge Historic Preservation Foundation and has chaired the board of the Lutheran Camping Corporation.
The Rev. Richard G. Lorenz joined the staff in March 2015 as pastoral assistant, after retiring as senior pastor of Trindle Spring Lutheran Church in Mechanicsburg. He assists with preaching, pastoral care, and worship leadership.
Dr. Stanley M. Wicks began serving as part-time cantor in January 2025. A graduate of Houghton College, Westminster Choir College, and Arizona State University, where he earned a Doctor of Musical Arts in choral music, he directed the music ministry at First United Methodist Church of San Diego for more than twenty years before transitioning out of retirement to lead the music program at First Lutheran. He can be reached at musician@firstlutherancarlisle.org.
Robin Orner serves as office manager and has worked in the church office since April 2004. Hope Miller serves as financial secretary, a role she has held since January 2019. Both can be reached through the main church number.
Finding First Lutheran
First Lutheran is located at 21 South Bedford Street, Carlisle, Pennsylvania 17013. The main entrance is on East High Street; visitors using GPS should enter "100 East High Street" to be directed to the correct side of the building. The main parking lot is entered from East High Street, and an overflow lot is accessible from Liberty Avenue, which runs behind the church parallel to High Street. Street parking is also available on High and Bedford streets.
The building is open to the community in other ways as well. Several A.A. and other community support groups meet at the church each week, and First Lutheran serves as the polling site for Carlisle Precinct 2. Non-profit organizations interested in using the building for a one-time or recurring event can call the church office at (717) 249-3310.
Sunday services are held at 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., with adult faith formation at 9:15 a.m. A recording of the previous Sunday's gospel and sermon is posted at the sermons page each week. The main phone number is (717) 249-3310, and the church can be reached by email at pastor@firstlutherancarlisle.org.