The Cathedral on the Codorus
For more than a century, the brick sanctuary of St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church has looked out over the Codorus Creek from its corner at Main Street in Spring Grove, a small borough in York County, Pennsylvania. Members still call it "the Cathedral on the Codorus," a name the building earned when it was completed in 1908 under the vision of paper mill executive W. L. Glatfelter. The Glatfelter family, founders of the company that grew from a single plant in Spring Forge into an international corporation, were among the founders of the congregation in 1880 and have shaped the life of the church ever since.
St. Paul's roots, however, go back further than the cornerstone. The borough of Spring Grove grew up around the iron forge and paper mill that became P. H. Glatfelter, and the Rev. Daniel Hauer gathered local Lutherans in 1878 to begin the work of establishing a congregation. The charter came in 1880, with the original brick church built the year before. By 1906 the young congregation had outgrown the structure, the old brick was dismantled piece by piece and given to a Lutheran and Reformed church in Glen Rock, where it still stands, and the present edifice was raised in its place. The name Spring Forge became Spring Grove in 1882, and the church has been a steady presence in the borough's life ever since.
Traditional Worship, Livestreamed
St. Paul gathers for worship each Sunday at 9:00 a.m. in the sanctuary. The service centers on the means of grace that the congregation considers central: Holy Scripture and the Sacraments. The congregation describes itself as both evangelical, centered on the Gospel of Jesus Christ as witnessed in Holy Scripture, and catholic, rooted in the consensus of Scripture, Creed, and authoritative teaching that emerged in the first six centuries of the Christian Church. Worship is shaped by a deep love for the historic liturgy. "Sacred worship lifts us to a vision of heaven, of God's beauty and holiness," the congregation teaches, drawing on Psalm 29 and a long Lutheran tradition of reverence in song, prayer, and proclamation.
Those who cannot attend in person can join the service through the church's YouTube channel, where the livestream is carried. A printed worship bulletin is available for each Sunday, and visitors are welcomed warmly. The church holds that the biblical ethic of welcoming the stranger, rooted in the Exodus story, is one of its core marks, and Pastor Alison Bowlan-Kurland and a team of Parish Visitors work to extend that welcome beyond the doors of the sanctuary.
A Fellowship Hour follows the service at 10:00 a.m., giving the congregation a chance to visit over coffee and conversation before Faith Formation begins at 10:30 a.m. for children, youth, and adults.
The Pastor and the People Who Lead
Rev. Alison Bowlan-Kurland was called as the church's seventh pastor in 2018, the first woman to serve St. Paul in that role. A graduate of Lenoir-Rhyne College and the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, she came to Spring Grove with a background in children, youth, and family ministry and experience as a summer counselor at Lutheran camps Lutheridge and Camp Mt. Luther. She and her two young sons, Simon and Titus, make their home in the community.
Amy Thompson serves as Director of Faith and Family Ministries, the staff leader for the church's children, youth, and family programming. A longtime middle-school math teacher at Spring Grove Middle School, she brings both an educator's eye and a parent's perspective. Todd Davis returned as Director of Sacred Music in August 2025, having previously served at St. Paul from 2000 to 2004. He leads the Chancel Choir, the Handbell Choir, and the Children's Choir, and has launched the new Midweek Music program. Courtney Campisi serves as Program Director, helping coordinate the busy calendar of classes, events, and family activities.
A Parish Administrator, Sandra Moler, keeps the office running Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. A Church Council, led by President Ann Hayes, oversees the life of the congregation together with the pastor.
Music at the Heart of Worship
Music has long been one of St. Paul's most visible gifts to its town. The church is known especially for its Chancel Choir, a tradition that has carried Lutheran hymnody and choral literature into the sanctuary for generations. Under Todd Davis the music ministry has expanded. A Handbell Choir and a Children's Choir join the Chancel Choir in the rotation of services, and a new Midweek Music program, held Wednesdays at noon, has been created to reach beyond the walls of the church into the wider community.
Davis, who also serves as Parish Musician at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Spring Grove and as an accompanist for the East Berlin Community Singers and the Susquehanna Chorale, holds the Associate and Colleague certifications from the American Guild of Organists, the Service Playing Certificate from the Royal Canadian College of Organists, and other honors in organ and guitar performance. He has blended his love of the "King of Instruments" with an interest in growing the congregation's repertoire of hymnody and sacred music, including solo and small group work in worship.
Faith Formation for Every Age
Christian education at St. Paul reaches from the nursery through adulthood. Faith Formation classes meet at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays, after the Fellowship Hour, and the Director of Faith and Family Ministries welcomes inquiries from anyone interested in joining a class. A Confirmation program and ongoing Bible study in the Sage Room (Parlor) on Tuesday mornings at 9:00 a.m. round out the formation ministries for adults.
The Children, Youth and Family (CYF) committee, chaired by Amy Thompson, plans a steady stream of activities for young families. The elementary program, for K through 4th grade, includes pizza and game nights, movie nights, a Halloween parade, an Easter egg hunt, and trips to Smyser's Farm, the Turkey Hill Experience, Perry Dell, Keystone Kidspace, Magic Elm Skateland, and Colony Park Bowling Lanes. Youth in grades 5 through 12 ice skate, bowl, attempt escape rooms, eat nachos, and take day trips to places like Urban Air Adventure Park. They also serve, joining with Hanover Against Hunger, baking cookies for homebound members, and helping build the church's annual Halloween float.
Vacation Bible School is a summer highlight. In 2026 the theme was "Rainforest Falls," and the week of music, games, snacks, crafts, stories, and skits drew children from across the area. The 2027 program, scheduled for June 7-11, will use the theme "Crave!" A winter family event, the SPY (St. Paul Youth) Pizza Party, is another favorite. Lutheran camping events at Kirchenwald, Nawakwa, and Wittell Farm are promoted through the church for families looking for a summer or winter retreat.
St. Paul Indoor Playgroup
One of the most distinctive offerings for young families is the St. Paul Indoor Playgroup, a free play and fellowship hour that meets on the third floor of the church on Wednesdays from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. through the cooler months, with an outdoor playgroup taking its place in warmer weather. It is open to all preschool-aged children and their caregivers in the community, regardless of church membership, and has become a well-known gathering for parents and toddlers in the Spring Grove area.
Mission Farther Afield, Service Close to Home
St. Paul's identity as a serving congregation is one of the first things its members will mention, and the Mission and Service Committee carries a remarkable portfolio of local, national, and global partnerships. The committee supports the Lower Susquehanna Synod's World Hunger Appeal, Lutheran Social Services, Lutheran World Relief, and a long-standing companion relationship with Our Savior's Lutheran Church on the Rocky Boy Indian Reservation in Montana. It also partners with Manow Lutheran Seminary in Tanzania and the York County Council of Churches.
Closer to home, the church supports Habitat for Humanity, Bell Socialization, local hospice programs, and the Visiting Nurses Association, and each Christmas the congregation collects gifts for local agencies. Since 2013, members have traveled on mission trips for relief work and Habitat builds, including recent volunteer efforts in North Carolina following Hurricane Helene.
For neighbors in need, St. Paul operates a food bank, distributes food letters redeemable at Kennie's Market in Spring Grove, and offers emergency aid in the form of rent and utility assistance, gas cards, bus passes, and Community Aid cards for individuals and families within the Spring Grove School District. In February, the St. Paul Has Heart campaign fills the shelves of local food banks with a month-long canned goods drive. Aluminum tabs collected throughout the year are donated to the Ronald McDonald House at Hershey Children's Hospital. The congregation has also taken part in refugee resettlement, including a long-running effort that began in 1999 with a family from Bosnia.
The Quilters, the Council, and the Calendar
Beyond the major ministries, a rich weekly rhythm gathers members around the building. A Quilters group meets on Monday mornings, putting needle and thread to work for outreach projects. A Bible Study convenes in the Sage Room on Tuesday mornings. Wednesdays belong to the Playgroup, the Midweek Music program, and Choir Practice. The Women's Breakfast Club gathers in the Fellowship Hall on Saturday mornings. Church Council meets in the Lemon Lounge on a regular Monday evening, and Parish Visitors coordinate visits to members who are hospitalized, homebound, or in need of private communion.
The Cemetery, the Legacy Garden, and the 1881 Legacy Society
St. Paul has long served as a caretaker of memory as well as faith. The congregation maintains a cemetery on its grounds, with a Cemetery Committee chaired by Rob Myers coordinating its care. The Legacy Garden, a memorial garden, and the 1881 Legacy Society, named for the year following the congregation's founding, give members a way to support the church's future through planned giving. Volunteers from the Mission and Service Committee mow the Spring Grove Cemetery each season, with the resulting donation going to the Mission and Service Fund.
Sacraments and Pastoral Care
Holy Baptism is celebrated within the worship services of the congregation, with parents who are active members able to present their children after a course of instruction. Adults and older youth prepare for baptism through a similar program of instruction. Baptisms are also performed in emergencies. The church teaches that baptism is the means by which God makes a person a member of the Church, the Body of Christ, and a participant in the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Pastor Alison is available for pastoral calling, including hospital visits, home visits, and private communion. She encourages members to notify her directly before a planned hospital stay. Short-term and crisis counseling is available by appointment, with referrals made through Lutheran Counseling Services at St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Hanover. Funerals are usually held in the church for members, and Pastor Alison is also available to officiate funerals for non-members at a local funeral home.
Joining the Life of the Church
Those interested in becoming members, scheduling a baptism or wedding, joining a Bible study or choir, or simply learning more about St. Paul are invited to reach out to the church office at 717-225-3466, Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Visitors are welcome at any service, event, or class. The church building is located at 201 South Main Street, Spring Grove, Pennsylvania, where the people of St. Paul have been bearing witness to the truth of Christ in the Codorus Valley since 1880.