A Main Line Congregation Since 1765
St. Paul's Lutheran Church stands on East Athens Avenue in Ardmore, in the heart of Philadelphia's Main Line. The congregation dates back to 1765, the same year the gates of St. Paul's Cemetery opened to the community and the same year the Lutheran witness began in this corner of Montgomery County. More than two and a half centuries later, St. Paul's remains a vital, multigenerational congregation with a deep commitment to liturgical worship, lifelong Christian education, hands-on service, and the care of God's creation.
St. Paul's is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), part of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod. The congregation publicly identifies itself as open and affirming, welcoming everyone regardless of age, background, race, ethnicity, creed, socioeconomic class, marital status, physical or mental ability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. That posture is not a sidebar; it shapes everything from the language of the welcome statement to the membership of the councils and choirs.
Saved by Grace to Love and Serve Our Neighbors
The congregation's mission statement reads: "In response to being loved by God and redeemed by Jesus Christ, and in faithfulness to its biblical and confessional heritage, St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church shares the light of Jesus Christ through the Word and Sacraments; reaches out, welcoming all people to share in the life of the Gospel; and encourages all people to live as disciples in the world."
As Lutherans, members confess that salvation is by God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ, a gift that cannot be earned. The congregation recognizes the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and trusts in the good news of the gospel and the sacraments of baptism and communion as the means by which God communicates that love. Worship, formation, and service grow out of that core confession, and the congregation's stated commitments include promoting racial equity, social and economic justice, and care for the environment.
Liturgical Worship with Music at Its Heart
Sunday morning worship gathers at 10:00 a.m. in the sanctuary on East Athens Avenue. Services are also livestreamed on the congregation's YouTube channel, and weekly bulletins and announcements are posted online so worshipers at home can follow along. The service lasts about an hour and follows a basic liturgical pattern: gathering in prayer and song, hearing God's Word through scripture readings and preaching, sharing the table of Christ at holy communion, and being sent forth to love and serve the world.
Worship is fully participatory. Members serve as worship assistants, lectors, communion assistants, acolytes, choir members, cantors, and instrumentalists, and the congregation responds with liturgical song, responsive prayer, and congregational hymnody. The congregation uses the Evangelical Lutheran Worship hymnal, which draws songs from many different traditions and from around the globe. All are welcome to receive communion; those who prefer may come forward for a blessing instead.
Music sits at the center of the congregation's identity. Andrew Heller, the Director of Music, holds a degree in music education and organ from Temple University and has served Philadelphia-area congregations since 1971, with St. Paul's since 1997. He directs four choirs and weaves diverse musical traditions into the Sunday liturgy.
- The Adult Choir sings at the 10:00 service weekly and rehearses Thursday evenings at 7:30.
- The Youth Choir, for young people in grades seven through twelve, sings once a month in worship and at special events, rehearsing Sunday evenings at 7:00.
- The Children's Choir, for children aged five through sixth grade, sings once a month and at special events, rehearsing Thursday evenings at 6:30.
- The Handbell Choir rehearses after the 10:00 service on Sundays and performs several times throughout the year. No previous experience is required.
Greeters welcome visitors at the door, answer questions, and help with the coat rack, restrooms, and finding the nursery. The building is handicap accessible.
Children, Youth, and Families
Children and families are woven into the life of the congregation from infancy through high school. During the 9:00 a.m. Faith Formation hour in the school year, Sunday School classes are offered for everyone from age four through adults. Classes for children focus on Bible stories, faith basics, songs, and the kind of honest questions children love to ask. Every teacher has completed a background check.
Second graders prepare for First Communion each spring through a single afternoon class taught after church on a Sunday. The sacrament of holy communion is a physical means by which Lutherans receive the grace of God through partaking of the body and blood of Christ, and the instruction is designed to help families walk into that mystery together.
Confirmation is a two-year journey for eighth and ninth graders, meeting Sunday mornings throughout the year. Curriculum draws on Luther's Small Catechism and the Bible, and at the end of the course young people make a public profession of their faith, continuing the promises made for them at baptism. Confirmation is taught by Pastors Laura and Tim.
Vacation Bible School fills one week each June with song, Bible stories, science, games, and snacks for children from age four through those entering sixth grade. The congregation typically welcomes more than eighty children each year, with adults and youth serving as volunteers. Recent themes have included "Tropical Trek: Jesus Comes to Seek and Save" and "SCUBA: Diving into Friendship with God." Registration runs about $20 per child or $30 per family.
An Elementary Youth Group serves children in grades three through six, gathering several times a year for service projects, learning, and social time such as nature walks, pottery painting, helping at Cradles to Crayons, and baking Christmas cookies for homebound members. A High School Youth Group, for grades seven through twelve, gathers for fellowship, learning, and service, including occasional summer service trips. The congregation has sent groups to the ELCA Youth Gathering, joining other local Lutheran youth for days of worship, service, and study in cities around the country.
A Families with Young Children group, for parents and kids from birth through age eight, meets several times a year for casual social time.
Adult Faith Formation
Christian formation is not just for children at St. Paul's. The Adult Sunday School class gathers at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings for Bible study, conversations about current topics, and guest speakers. The class has worked through extended series such as a six-week study of the ELCA's draft social statement on civic life, exploring how Christians engage questions of justice, democracy, and community in a polarized time.
Several small groups meet throughout the week:
- The Women's Christian Fellowship meets Thursdays from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. as a hybrid group, with members attending in person and online. Led by Pastor Laura, the group studies together, supports one another, and prays for one another and the community each week. Studies have included Bible studies, history and current events discussions, and special series designed for different seasons in the church.
- The Evening Christian Fellowship meets Wednesday nights on Zoom for small-group discussions on Bible books, current events, and history.
- A Women's group meets every other month for a bring-your-own-dinner evening of fellowship and activities.
- The Men's Bible Study meets Mondays from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in a hybrid format. Led by Pastor Tim, the group is open to anyone who wants to join. Recent studies have included a series on the Gospel of John.
- A Men's social group gathers for fun events such as an Octoberfest gathering, a tailgate party, and virtual golf outings.
Hands and Feet in the Community
Service to neighbors is a defining rhythm of life at St. Paul's. The congregation partners with local, regional, and national nonprofits through funding, volunteer support, and in-kind donations, with both ongoing ministries and special service days throughout the year.
Ongoing ministries include:
- A giving garden of twelve raised beds that produces fresh produce for the Ardmore Food Pantry. In one recent year the garden yielded more than 1,500 pounds of vegetables.
- Caring for Friends, through which members prepare and deliver meals to homebound neighbors.
- The Life Center of Delaware County, where the congregation serves a monthly dinner at the shelter.
- Family Promise, partnering with other local congregations to provide housing and hospitality to families experiencing homelessness.
Special service days each year have included packing meals with Rise Against Hunger, assembling kits with Lutheran World Relief for education, new parents, and healthcare needs, and making breakfast bags for Caring for Friends. Once a month, on the first Sunday of the month at 9:00 a.m., the congregation holds a Service Sunday, gathering for a short, intergenerational project before worship. Recent Service Sundays have tended the giving garden beds for winter and assembled Caring for Friends meal trays.
The congregation's giving flows well beyond its walls. St. Paul's contributes $45,000 each year to the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod, which in turn shares half of its donations with the ELCA. Direct giving also supports Lutheran Charities, Stop Hunger Now, the Ardmore Food Pantry, Lutheran World Relief, Lutheran Settlement House, and others.
An annual Alternative Gifts Fair each December offers members a chance to give gifts that support causes rather than add to clutter. Options have included animals through God's Global Barnyard, kitchen kits for families moving from shelter to permanent housing through Lutheran Settlement House, baby care kits from Lutheran World Relief, and fair-trade coffee, tea, and chocolate, alongside eco-friendly gift swaps organized by the Green Team.
Caring for Creation
Creation care is grounded at St. Paul's in a scriptural conviction. The Green Team, established in 2019, helps the congregation advocate for a more sustainable and equitable future for the earth and all its people. The team's work is grounded in texts like Genesis 2:15: "The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it."
Concrete changes have followed. In 2022 the congregation installed solar panels on three church buildings, an installation that the congregation estimates reduces carbon emissions by nine tons a year. Live production figures from the three arrays are published online. The building's lighting has been converted to LED throughout, the church has contracted for renewable electricity, and weather stripping has reduced waste in heating and cooling. Bike racks in front of the church encourage members to bike or walk when they can. Coffee hour has shifted to reusable cups and mugs.
A bin-swap compost program with Mother Compost makes composting easy for both the church and the wider neighborhood. The congregation also partners with organizations such as Lutherans Restoring Creation, Blessed Tomorrow, and Pennsylvania Interfaith Power and Light in broader advocacy work.
Holy Week and Easter
The liturgical year is marked carefully at St. Paul's. During Holy Week the congregation gathers for Palm Sunday, then for a Maundy Thursday service at 7:00 p.m. that remembers Christ's last supper with his disciples. Good Friday worship follows at 7:00 p.m., and the celebration of the resurrection comes on Easter Sunday with services at 9:00 and 10:45 a.m. Bulletins for each service are posted online so that those at home can follow along.
Advent is observed as a deliberate counterweight to the busyness of the secular season. Past Advent resources offered to members have included devotionals and Advent calendars from Illustrated Ministries under the theme "From the Manger," with weekly reflections and daily prompts inviting people to slow down and notice God at work in ordinary moments.
St. Paul's Cemetery
St. Paul's Cemetery has been part of the congregation since 1765 and remains one of the Main Line's most beautiful and historic final resting places. The cemetery is open to the community, not just to members of the congregation. Lots range from a single grave to a full lot of four graves, and perpetual care is included in the purchase price.
Leadership
The Rev. Laura M. Tancredi serves as lead pastor. A graduate of the College of William and Mary (B.A. in Religious Studies, 2010) and the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (Master of Divinity, 2014), she was called as associate pastor of St. Paul's in 2014 and became lead pastor in January 2017.
The Rev. Tim Ness serves as associate pastor. A graduate of Muhlenberg College (B.A. in Psychology and Religion, 2009) and the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (Master of Divinity, 2013), he served congregations in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania before joining St. Paul's as youth and family minister in 2022 and being extended a call as associate pastor in 2025.
Andrew Heller, the Director of Music, has served Philadelphia-area churches since 1971 and has been at St. Paul's since 1997, directing the adult, youth, children's, and handbell choirs.
Giving and Staying Connected
The church office at 415 East Athens Avenue is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Visitors and members can reach the office by phone at 610-642-3211 or by email at office@stpaulsardmore.org.
Members and friends who wish to support the congregation's ministry can give through mailed envelopes, through the "Simply Giving" automatic withdrawal program, or through online giving. A monthly newsletter called The Chimes keeps members informed, and an online member portal called Realm provides a directory, volunteer scheduling, and group communications. The church also maintains a presence on Facebook and YouTube, where the Sunday morning service is livestreamed each week.
For more than 250 years, St. Paul's Lutheran Church has gathered on East Athens Avenue to share in the Word and Sacraments, to sing together, to teach the next generation, to feed and house neighbors in need, and to tend the earth that God has entrusted to human care. The doors at 415 East Athens Avenue remain open to all.