A Welcoming Church on Central Manor Road
Manor Church sits along Central Manor Road on the eastern edge of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in the rolling farmland that gives this corner of Lancaster County its character. The church's motto - "Love God. Love Others." - and its casual invitation to "Join the Mix at Manor!" hint at what newcomers will find inside: a community that prizes warmth over polish and a deep commitment to making room for every person who walks through the doors.
What sets Manor apart from many churches of its size is the centrality of its Disability Ministries. The church has built an entire layer of programming around families affected by disability, and it is one of the first things leadership points to when describing who Manor is. Around that focus, Manor has organized a full congregation with two Sunday morning services, midweek programs for kids and students, life groups, a preschool, and a community park anchored by an all-abilities playground.
Sunday Mornings at Manor
Manor Church gathers for worship on Sunday mornings at 9:00 AM and 10:30 AM at 530 Central Manor Road. Both services are identical in style, and both offer children's programming so that families can worship together without worrying about what is available for their kids. Kids from birth through 3rd grade have programming during the 9:00 AM service, while kids from birth through 6th grade and students in 7th through 12th grade are welcomed during the 10:30 AM service.
The building is fully compliant with the American with Disabilities Act, and the auditorium is equipped with a hearing assist system. Headsets are available at the information desk for anyone who needs one, and sign language interpreters can be arranged with advance notice through the church office. For families whose children need extra support, One-on-One Buddies are available so parents can attend worship while a trained volunteer walks alongside their child in the kids' programs. To request a Buddy, families contact Christie Hunt, the Disability Ministries Director, directly.
For those who cannot attend in person, services are livestreamed at 9:00 and 10:30 AM, and recordings remain available to watch later through the church's sermon archive.
Disability Ministries: A Defining Focus
Manor Church does not treat disability ministry as an add-on. The church frames the work around a sobering statistic: roughly one in five people in the surrounding community live with a disability, yet only a small fraction are involved in any church. The goal at Manor is to identify and break down the barriers that keep individuals and families from participating fully in the life of the church.
Three ongoing ministries make that vision concrete. Journeys is a monthly gathering for single adults affected by disability. The group meets from 6:30 to 8:30 PM one Monday evening each month for fellowship and fun. Thrive is a women's group for those caring for a family member affected by disability. It is designed to nurture relationships with God and with others who understand the weight and isolation that can come with caregiving.
One-on-One Buddies fill the gap between parents who want to attend worship and children who need a little extra help engaging. Buddies serve during one Sunday morning service, one to two times a month. Volunteers do not need a professional background; the church provides training and required background clearances.
Disability awareness is woven into Sunday mornings itself. The church periodically highlights disability issues through sermon illustrations, interviews, and media, and the church partners with outside organizations that provide training, resources, and additional service opportunities for families.
Kids, Toddlers, and Students
Manor's children's ministry runs on the conviction that "kids are loved by God" and that they should hear that often. The Sunday morning program is divided by age. Infants through age 5 enjoy age-appropriate time with crafts, snacks, and friends during either service. Kindergarten through 3rd graders get interactive lessons, kid-friendly worship music they can dance along to, and time to build friendships. The 4th through 6th grade program, sometimes called Remix during the midweek, offers group games, musical worship, and a Bible-based message crafted for preteens.
Midweek programming extends the rhythm into Wednesday. Midweek Kids at Manor gathers children from kindergarten through 3rd grade from 6:30 to 8:00 PM on Wednesday evenings during the school year, with a parallel Remix track for 4th through 6th graders. The fall session typically runs from early September through mid-December, with a spring session following in January. The children's programming uses The Gospel Project curriculum, which walks chronologically through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation and points each story to Jesus.
Toddler Gym is a parents'-and-tots' drop-in that meets Wednesday mornings from 9:00 to 11:00 AM. There is a single circle time at 10:00 AM, but families can come and go as they are able. Snacks are provided, and the space is set up so that caregivers can connect while the youngest children burn off energy.
Student Ministries, led by Beau Walmer, serves 7th through 12th graders. Students meet on Sunday mornings during the 10:30 AM service for time with friends and a message tailored to their stage of life. On Wednesday evenings, Midweek Students at Manor gathers from 6:30 PM (check-in) to 8:00 PM, with the main program running 6:45 to 8:00 PM. Promotion Sunday each August marks the transition from one grade group to the next. Throughout the summer the students also gather for outings - past summers have included a day at Blue Marsh Lake with swimming, boat and jet ski rides, tubing, and water skiing, and an evening of escape rooms at the church.
All volunteers who work with kids and students have the required Pennsylvania state background clearances.
Life Groups and the Women's Life Group
Manor describes Life Groups as the difference between simply attending church and being connected to a caring church family. Groups meet in homes and at the church to study Scripture, pray together, and serve one another and the surrounding community. Anyone interested can browse current groups through the church's Church Center account.
The Women's Life Group gathers on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month from 6:30 to 8:00 PM in the Connections Café at the church. The group is a longstanding space for women to build friendships and grow in faith together.
Volleyball Nights in the Manor Gym
Two weekly pickup volleyball nights have become one of the more visible community touchpoints Manor offers. Monday Night Pick-Up Volleyball runs from 6:00 to 9:30 PM in the Manor Church gym and is geared toward intermediate-level players, with beginner-friendly open nets recommended for 7th graders and up. Thursday Night Pick-Up Volleyball, also 6:00 to 9:30 PM, is for intermediate-to-advanced players 16 and older who have at least a couple of years of experience. Both evenings are organized by Communication Director Alexa Eby.
Daniel's Den Playground and the Manor Community Park
The Manor Church Community Park is home to Daniel's Den Playground, a place of fun designed for children of all abilities. The park also includes a half-mile walking trail and sports fields. A pavilion next to the playground is available for community use at no charge. The church does not take reservations; instead it asks people to use the space they need and to share it with others. The park, playground, and pavilion are open from dawn to dusk.
Manor Church Preschool
Manor Church Preschool operates as a separately licensed early-childhood program on the Manor Church campus, serving families from the broader Lancaster community. Information and enrollment details are available through the preschool's own site.
What Manor Believes
Manor Church belongs to the Brethren in Christ Church, an Anabaptist family of congregations with a presence across the United States and around the world. Manor's doctrinal summary reflects the broader Brethren in Christ statement of faith and is anchored in three commitments: unity in essential beliefs, liberty in non-essential beliefs, and love in all beliefs.
The church teaches that there is one true, holy, eternal God existing in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - each fully God. It affirms that the Bible, composed of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, is the inspired, authoritative, and reliable Word of God, written by human authors under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It confesses that Jesus Christ is both fully human and fully divine, that He lived a sinless life, died on the cross as the sacrifice for sin, rose again on the third day, ascended into heaven, and will return personally and visibly to bring history to its consummation.
Salvation, in Manor's summary, is the free gift of grace, received by faith in Christ and not earned through human effort. The Holy Spirit indwells every believer and works over time to shape a life of growing holiness. The church also teaches that people are created to live forever and that, after death, each person will be raised to stand before the judgment seat of Christ, with eternal destiny determined by faith or its rejection. The local congregation is described as a community devoted to worship, prayer, the teaching of Scripture, communion, baptism, fellowship, service, and outreach.
For the full Brethren in Christ statement of faith, the church points visitors to bicus.org.
The Staff Team
John Pletcher serves as Lead Pastor. He is the primary preaching voice on Sunday mornings and frequently teaches the multi-week series that move through books of the Bible such as the recent walk through Luke titled "Belong." Bryan Gerlach is Executive Pastor and also preaches and teaches. Dan Sigmon serves as Care Pastor, walking alongside people in the congregation through life's joys and difficulties.
Gabi Bonifant Green directs Worship Arts. Kim McLaughlin leads the Kids Ministry and organizes Midweek Kids at Manor. Beau Walmer leads Student Ministries. Christie Hunt directs Disability Ministries. Jourdan Martin is Technical Director, and Alexa Eby serves as Communication Director, organizing community-building activities like the volleyball nights.
Generosity, Baptism, and Serving
Manor frames giving as part of a larger call to live generously. Tithes and offerings support local outreach, regional and global missionaries, ministry inside and outside the church's walls, and the care of community members in need. Gifts can be made online, set up as recurring gifts through the Church Center app, or mailed directly to the church.
Baptism is treated as the public, outward step that follows a personal decision to follow Christ. Pastors meet one-on-one with anyone exploring baptism to answer questions and help prepare a brief testimony that is shared with the congregation. The baptism itself takes place in front of the church community, often at an outdoor celebration that includes a picnic, music, and food.
Serving happens on three planes at Manor. Serve at Manor matches members and attenders with volunteer roles inside the church. Serve the Community connects people with local non-profits, churches, and groups making a difference in Lancaster County. Serve the World links the congregation with missionaries and missions efforts both in the United States and abroad, with the recognition that global impact often starts in a person's own backyard.
Plan Your Visit
Manor Church extends a standing invitation to anyone considering a visit. Sunday services are at 9:00 and 10:30 AM at 530 Central Manor Road, Lancaster, PA 17603. Children are welcome and have programming for every age from birth through high school. The building is wheelchair accessible and equipped with a hearing assist system.
Anyone who would like to learn more before arriving can fill out the church's online Connect form, watch recent services through the sermon archive, or sign up for a New Attenders Orientation, which meets on the first Sunday of each month at 9:00 AM in the Connections Café. The next-steps process then offers a three-week gathering that explores Manor's vision and values, including faith in Christ, baptism, communion, church membership, giving, serving, and group life.
The Church Center app keeps the whole congregation - and any newcomer - connected to events, registrations, sermon notes, and giving from a phone. The Daniel's Den Playground and the rest of the Manor Church Community Park are open from dawn to dusk every day for anyone in the neighborhood who wants to enjoy them.