At 321 West Chestnut Street, on the corner of West Chestnut and Mulberry in downtown Lancaster City, St. John’s Episcopal Church of Lancaster is known for two distinct Sunday Eucharists: a contemplative, spoken service at 8:00 a.m. and a service with music and children at 10:15 a.m. Its identity also lives out through a food pantry open twice a week, education for children and adults, music, care, and a public commitment to being Open and Affirming. The church summarizes its mission as Grow in God, Witness in love, Act in service.
Two Sunday Eucharists, Two Ways to Worship
The 8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rite II, is shaped for early risers and includes a sermon. Spoken and contemplative, it uses the Book of Common Prayer with Scripture, prayers, Eucharist, and timeless prayers that connect worshippers to the church’s roots and those who came before. It offers a quieter way to pause and connect with God in the middle of a busy week.
The 10:15 a.m. Holy Eucharist with Music is the later celebration. It includes a sermon, vibrant music, sacred Scripture, the breaking of bread, anthems sung to the glory of God, acolytes, processions, and congregational singing. Children are actively welcomed into the service, and a nursery is available. The Chancel Choir serves this Sunday Eucharist during the ordinary year.
Participating in worship together is described as the foundation of the church’s relationship with God and one another in Christian community. People of every age are invited to Holy Communion, receiving either a blessing or the sacrament of bread and wine. Both Sunday services center prayer, song, Scripture, and Eucharist while offering distinct ways to participate.
Healing at Noon and Prayer in Mary Chapel
Wednesday at noon brings a Holy Eucharist with Healing Prayers. Grounded in the Book of Common Prayer and other resources, the service includes healing prayers, anointing with holy oil, and the sharing of the sacrament. It is intentionally brief enough to fit within a lunch break while giving those gathered time to bring people and situations before God.
Thursday Morning Prayer begins at 9:00 a.m. in Mary Chapel. David Rutledge leads the 30-minute service, which combines prayer, silence, and Scripture readings. The quiet gathering complements St. John’s larger Sunday Eucharists and offers another regular rhythm for prayer in the middle of the week.
Those unable to attend in person can join the 10:15 service through St. John’s YouTube channel. Audio and video recordings are also available there, and the congregation uses Facebook as another online worship outlet.
A First Visit on Chestnut Street
There is no formal dress code at St. John’s. Some people wear suits and ties, others wear dresses, and others arrive in jeans and T-shirts. The central expectation is simply to come ready to worship. All are welcome at the Communion table.
A small parking lot off Mulberry Street serves people with mobility needs and families with small children. Many worshippers also park on Mulberry or West Chestnut. The garage at 220 North Water Street is a short walk away and is free until 11:00 a.m. on Sundays. Parking vouchers are available in the back of the church for those leaving later.
Two ADA accessible entrances serve the building. A ramp beside the front steps on West Chestnut Street leads to the main accessible entrance. A second entrance stands beyond the courtyard and labyrinth near the Mulberry Street lot, with an elevator directly inside. The Mulberry lot also provides the closest parking for the pantry and other activities in the lower level.
The church office is open Tuesday through Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Monday is reserved as a day closed for administrative work.
Children Belong at the Table
Children of all ages are included in worship at St. John’s. Ushers offer busy bags containing coloring pages and books for younger children who may need something to hold during a service. Families may choose that option or use the nursery during the 10:15 Eucharist. Nursery caregivers provide experienced care in a clean environment, and a discreet television lets families follow the service.
Church School meets from 9:15 to 10:00 a.m. in the Christian Education wing on the lower level of the Parish Hall. Elementary students explore Jesus and biblical stories through lively discussion and personal anecdotes. Middle students engage with challenging texts, ask what they reveal about God and themselves, and consider social justice and Christian responsibility. Teachers receive training and background checks, and the church follows SafeChurch practices.
Family life extends beyond the classroom through picnics, game days, baseball outings, caroling, an intergenerational Christmas pageant, seasonal gatherings, and service projects. The youth program connects faith with daily life, develops self-awareness and adult responsibility, and culminates in a service-oriented pilgrimage that is typically to a foreign country. Young people also participate in retreats and other activities offered through the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania.
Formation for Adults and Music for All
Adult Formation takes place between Sunday services and at other times during the year. Offerings have ranged across Bible studies, book studies, and social justice concerns. Wednesday Bible Study meets every Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall for open discussion of Scripture and personal theology; no preparation is required.
Education for Ministry offers two formation paths. EfM Classic is a four-year program for lay people that moves through the Old Testament, New Testament, Christian history, and ethics and spirituality through study, worship, prayer, and reflection. EfM Wide Angle provides a one-year overview of those subjects. Vacation Bible School is also offered for children throughout the diocese and local community.
Music reflects a mixture of traditions. The Chancel Choir sings at the 10:15 service and ranges from traditional repertoire to gospel. The Handbell Choir rings throughout the year and on Christmas Eve, rehearsing on Thursday evenings. Chara, the church’s folk ensemble made up of parishioners, sings during the year at Sunday and special services. Minister of Music Mark Herr leads these musical ministries.
The Food Pantry, Breakfast, and Blessings Box
The Food Pantry opens in the lower level every Tuesday and Thursday from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Its distribution area is a 22 by 11 foot passage connecting the courtyard with the worship spaces, auditorium, Parish Hall, and offices. Recipients receive a substantial prepacked bag of nonperishable groceries. Donated extras may include fresh fruit, local vegetables, bread, eggs, meat, sweets, shampoo, soap, toilet paper, and diapers while supplies remain.
The collecting person’s name and the number of children, adults, and seniors in the household are recorded for required Central PA Food Bank reporting. Monetary donations and nonperishable foods are accepted throughout the year, with canned meat, tuna, vegetables, fruit, cereal, pasta, soup, rice, peanut butter, toiletries, and other staples among the useful contributions. Entering through the Mulberry Street lot leads directly into the courtyard and pantry area.
On the third and fifth Saturdays of each month, volunteers prepare and serve a hot community breakfast for as many as 200 people. The preparation and serving window runs from 7:30 to 11:00 a.m. The annual Makers Market also brings together handmade goods, baked treats, and other items crafted by members and local neighbors, with proceeds supporting the Food Pantry and community outreach.
Outside Becker House, the Blessings Box holds food that requires little or no preparation along with necessary toiletries. A St. John’s team replenishes it daily, and neighbors also contribute items. The box is intended to help people experiencing food insecurity until they can find their next meal.
Needles, Shoes, School Supplies, and Civic Service
Martha’s Ministry gathers in the Parish Hall on Tuesday afternoons for knitting and crochet. The group specializes in prayer shawls and smaller pocket shawls and supports the Fence of Love with hats, gloves, and socks placed along West Chestnut Street for neighbors in need. Beginners and experienced stitchers take part, and yarn donations are welcome.
St. John’s has maintained a relationship with Robert Fulton Elementary School for more than 20 years, first mentoring fourth and fifth graders in respect and responsibility while providing enrichment and academic support. Its present work includes holiday activities, shared meals, teacher luncheons, and resources for the start of school. A summer supply drive gathers pencils, notebooks, glue, scissors, rulers, tissues, and other classroom materials. The annual Angel Tree also assembles Christmas gifts for residents at Vineyard Personal Care Home and families connected with Fulton Elementary.
For more than a decade, the church has collected shoes for Soles4Souls, with the youth group preparing them for shipment around Holy Week. The wider effort redirects unwanted shoes and clothing from waste toward disaster relief, support for children experiencing homelessness, and opportunities in developing countries. Martha’s Ministry, the Angel Tree, and the Fence of Love all place clothing directly into community networks as well.
Every Tuesday evening from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., volunteers gather in the Parish Hall for an Immigration Clinic operated through the Parish Resource Center. They provide individual counseling and support to immigrant neighbors. Prison ministry includes one-to-one visits, monthly prison worship, and opportunities for returning citizens, including young people, to complete community service hours by serving Lancaster.
Recovery Groups Meet Seven Days a Week
St. John’s makes its All-Purpose Room available to recovery groups throughout the week. The 7UP Alcoholics Anonymous meeting gathers daily from 7:00 to 8:00 a.m. Narcotics Anonymous meets Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from noon to 1:00 p.m. Additional Alcoholics Anonymous gatherings include Sober at Six on Tuesdays, Progress Group on Saturdays, and a young people’s group on Saturday evenings. The SLAA Augustine Group also meets on Monday evenings. This steady schedule allows recovery ministries to become a regular part of church life.
Open and Affirming at the Center of Mission
St. John’s defines itself as an Open and Affirming congregation. In faithfulness to Jesus and the commandment to love neighbors as oneself, the church invites everyone to celebrate in the full life and ministry of the Church. Its Open and Affirming commitments extend to people of every age, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, economic standing, physical ability, and mental ability, as well as those at different points in their faith journey.
LGBTQIA+ people are invited not only to attend but to participate fully through Baptism, Holy Communion, Marriage, and the other sacraments. They have served in capacities ranging from clergy and the vestry to choir, lectors, youth ministry, and congregational life. St. John’s also affirms every person as a beloved child of God and describes its approach as listening with open hearts and learning without claiming to have every answer.
The church’s Baptismal Covenant asks whether its people will seek and serve God in all persons, love neighbors as themselves, strive for justice and peace, and respect the dignity of every human being. St. John’s answers, “We will, with God’s help.” Love of neighbor is expressed through food and clothing ministries, refugee welcome teams, school relationships, prison ministry, support for people in recovery, and partnerships with local and statewide organizations.
Care Shared by Clergy and Lay Ministers
Caring ministry is shared by clergy and lay people at St. John’s. The church’s care includes clergy presence with people who are ill, homebound, dying, or grieving, along with visits by trained Lay Eucharistic Visitors who bring Holy Communion to hospitals, homes, and residential care settings. The wider team also assists with meals following hospitalization, surgery, or illness through the Meal Train Ministry.
Clergy offer house blessings that move through a home with prayer and may conclude with refreshments. Greeting cards, Eucharistic visits, spiritual support, and shared meals are all understood as ways of carrying Christ’s love and compassion through times of joy, illness, and sorrow. This ministry extends the life of worship beyond the church building and makes the congregation’s mutual care a practical expression of faith.
A Longstanding Lancaster Faith
St. John’s names its history as the “First Free Church in Pennsylvania” and connects that legacy to social justice and removing barriers between people. That commitment remains visible in its welcome, feeding ministries, school partnerships, recovery groups, immigration support, prison ministry, and work for people who are hungry or isolated. As a member of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania, the church continues to combine historic Anglican worship with education, music, and direct service in Lancaster.
The Rev. Amanda Knouse has served as rector since June 2019. She previously served as rector of Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Delaplane, Virginia, and as associate rector of St. James in Lothian, Maryland. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Juniata College and a Master of Divinity from Virginia Theological Seminary, and she serves on several ministry and mission groups within the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania.
The Rev. Dr. Joe Pritchett joined the staff as assistant rector in April 2025. He also serves as Director for Faith and Meaning at Franklin and Marshall College, where he oversees religious and spiritual life, leads a mindfulness program, teaches, and has led student pilgrimages along the Camino de Santiago.
Mark Herr, Minister of Music, came to St. John’s after work in music, education, youth ministry, and the creative arts. He has been active in the Lancaster chapter of the American Guild of Organists and served as its dean twice. Under his leadership, the Chancel Choir, Handbell Choir, and Chara help give St. John’s worship a layered musical life.
St. John’s is a downtown church where contemplative worship, music, education, welcome, and practical service meet at West Chestnut and Mulberry.