A Congregation Older Than the Country
St. John's Lutheran Church has stood on and around Shiremanstown's Main Street for more than two centuries, making it one of the oldest continuous congregations in the Harrisburg area. The church was founded in 1787 as a small gathering on Poplar Church Road, near the present-day Holy Spirit Hospital, and worshipped for a time in historic Peace Church before moving into its current home. The present sanctuary was built in 1970 and continues to serve a community that still gathers on West Main Street. St. John's is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and a member of the Lower Susquehanna Synod.
The church's mission is stated simply: Grow in Faith, Share God's Love, Serve Others. Those three phrases shape everything from the Saturday evening contemporary service to the Wednesday night community meal, and they show up in the bulletin board, the preschool, and the food pantry just outside the office door.
Worship Times and What to Expect
St. John's holds three weekly services rooted in a blended style. Saturday worship is at 6:00 p.m. and leans contemporary, led by the band Faith Reigns. Sunday worship is at 9:00 a.m. from September through May, and shifts to 10:00 a.m. in June, July, and August. Holy Communion is part of every Sunday service, and follows the classic Lutheran pattern of Gathering, Word, Meal, and Sending. Music moves between traditional hymns and modern songs, drawing on adult choir, bell choir, the Sonshine and Proclaimer children's choirs, and frequent solo and small group offerings.
Children are always welcome in the sanctuary, and greeters will hand out a bulletin, busy bags, or a hearing assistance device at the door. Two small tables tucked to the side of the sanctuary hold quiet toys and crayons for little ones. Volunteer childcare is offered in the nursery during the late Sunday service. The congregation's own welcome line says it plainly: come as you are, sit wherever you like, and don't worry about what you wear.
Where to Park and How to Find Your Way In
The parking lot sits behind the church building, accessible from Eberly Avenue, with two handicap spaces closest to the doors. Street parking is also available on every side street. Worshippers enter the sanctuary through the red doors at the back of the building, while the education building (which houses Sunday School classes and the multipurpose room) sits across a small alley, to the right of the lot as you face the church. The church office is reached through a separate door on the side of the building.
Lifelong Learning, from Crib to Confirmation
Christian education at St. John's runs September through May and is open to every age. The Sunday School hour at 10:15 a.m. (during the program year) gathers a Hands and Feet Class for the youngest members, classes for elementary and middle school students, a high school class, and an adult discussion group. Once a month the whole school gathers for a service project Sunday together.
Children's ministry for kindergarten through fifth grade meets once a month for Bible study, games, snacks, and crafts, led by Director of Children and Youth Grace Roux. Youth ministry serves sixth through twelfth graders and meets twice a month for food, study, games, and service projects. The youth travel every three years to the ELCA National Gathering and also participate in events of the Lower Susquehanna Synod. Confirmation begins in seventh grade and walks with families for three years, ending with the affirmation of faith in ninth or tenth grade.
Each summer the church partners with The Children's Garden Preschool to offer a week of Vacation Bible School with arts and crafts, service projects, STEM activities, Bible stories, music, snacks, and games.
Word of Life Wednesdays
Every Wednesday from September through May, the education building's multipurpose room opens for a free community meal served from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. Word of Life Wednesdays is designed for both children and adults, and gives Children's Garden Preschool families, neighbors, and longtime members a chance to share a table. The church describes it as a time to mingle with someone new and connect in a deeper way over a meal.
A Building Full of Music
Music shapes the rhythm of the week at St. John's. The adult choir fills the sanctuary with traditional offerings. Faith Reigns, the contemporary ensemble, leads the Saturday night service. The Sonshine and Proclaimer Choirs give the youngest members and elementary students a place to make a joyful noise. A bell choir rings out from the walls, and solo and small group musicians add variety through the year. Tom Notestine serves as Minister of Music, and Will Rogers leads the contemporary worship band.
Sharing God's Love, Starting on the Sidewalk
The Social Ministry team organizes a year-round rhythm of service to neighbors in Shiremanstown and beyond. The Little Free Pantry, located just outside the church office, is open to anyone in need and is stocked by the congregation with non-perishable items. St. John's has long supported the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, New Hope Ministries, Christian Churches United, Church World Services, and Compassion International. The congregation also takes part in the YWCA's Race Against Racism as a way to learn about racial and social justice issues affecting the wider community.
The Children's Garden Preschool
Sharing the campus is The Children's Garden Preschool, a weekday program for young children. The preschool partners with St. John's for Vacation Bible School and is woven into the life of the church in other ways, including the Wednesday community meal, where Children's Garden families regularly sit down together.
St. John's Cemetery, Founded 1793
St. John's Cemetery predates the current sanctuary by more than a century. Founded in 1793, it adjoins historic Peace Church at the intersection of St. John's Church Road and East Trindle Road in Hampden Township, Mechanicsburg, and is open to the public, with no church membership required. Individual plots are priced at $1,100 with perpetual care, and opening fees are $1,300 for a full burial and $900 for a cremation burial. Up to four cremains may share a single plot, and a full burial and cremains can be combined in the same plot. Cremated pet remains may be interred with an owner at the time of the owner's burial. The cemetery is currently holding new plot sales for a planned transition period and maintains a waiting list. Pastors of St. John's are available to lead graveside services for a $200 fee.
Pastoral Leadership
Pastor Sarah Keilholtz has served as Lead Pastor since June of 2020, after twelve years on staff as Associate Pastor. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and History from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and a Master of Divinity from Gettysburg Seminary (now United Lutheran Seminary). She and her husband Greg live in Dillsburg with their children Nicholas and Hannah.
Pastor Elizabeth Eckman serves as Associate Pastor. A graduate of United Lutheran Seminary in Gettysburg, she grew up in Harrisburg and earned a B.A. in Telecommunications from Penn State. Before entering ministry she worked at CBS21 News, then answered a call to dive deeper into her faith and fell in love with scripture, pastoral care, and preaching. She and her husband, Rev. Jay Eckman, enjoy cooking, exercise, working with youth and young adults, and gathering with family and friends.
Isabel Vitale serves as Office Administrator and Terry Smith as Financial Manager. The church is governed by a Church Council that meets the second Tuesday of each month, both in person and online, and includes President Tom Kutz, Vice President Kelly Hoffman, and members Barb Shearer, Brad Sweigert, Andrea Pahowka, Jessica Alandar, Vickey Wood, Jerry Sowers, and Elder Gary Gardner.
Wedding Venue and Community Space
St. John's sanctuary, parlor, library, and social hall with a kitchen serve both the congregation and the wider community. The church hosts weddings, funerals, and other gatherings, and the building is available for rental. Interested parties are invited to email the office or call (717) 761-5121 for details.
Joining in at St. John's
Visitors are welcome at any service, and the church encourages newcomers to start by simply coming to worship. Online giving is available through a Vanco donation page, where recurring and one-time contributions can be set up. Members also keep up with the congregation through Facebook, YouTube, a quarterly newsletter, and a printed bulletin. For those ready to take a next step, the church office is happy to talk about membership, baptism, confirmation, marriage, or simply finding a small group to call home.