Sundays on West Main Street
Wesley United Methodist Church stands on West Main Street in Strasburg, Pennsylvania, and on Sunday mornings the building opens for the kind of gathering the congregation has kept alive for generations. The church's motto, "Where the JOY OF THE LORD is our STRENGTH!," greets people as they arrive, and the doors swing wide at 9:00 AM for a service that brings worshipers together in person, on Zoom, and even by phone. Children's ministry for nursery through sixth grade runs alongside the service so that families can attend together. A printed bulletin and on-screen lyrics help everyone follow along, and the service gives neighbors a chance to worship side by side with friends they have known for decades and faces that are walking in for the first time.
Pastors Bob Garvey and Eddie Adams
Pastor Bob Garvey became the lead pastor at Wesley UMC in July 2024. A Lancaster County native who grew up in Millersville and attended Penn Manor High School, Bob worked for twenty years in corporate sales before stepping into ministry, a transition he describes as life-changing. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University and a Master of Divinity from Lancaster Theological Seminary. He finds his deepest satisfaction in teaching and preaching God's Word and introducing people to Jesus. When he is not pastoring, he is hanging out with his wife Kimberly, his dearest friend, and he also enjoys reading, training in jiu jitsu, and playing rugby.
Pastor Eddie Adams serves as Associate Pastor with a primary focus on building and shaping the Young Adult Ministry. He shares in teaching and preaching duties and contributes to the ongoing development of the church's culture and identity. His driving motivation is showing up authentically and helping people know and follow Jesus Christ in every area of life. Eddie graduated from Lancaster Bible College in 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts in Youth and Young Adult Ministry and Biblical Studies. He and his wife Caleigh have a young son, Judah, and another baby boy on the way, and they enjoy lifting weights, reading, and long conversations about faith, philosophy, and history.
The Lancaster County Youth Ministry
Wesley UMC hosts the Lancaster County Youth Ministry, a countywide program that exists to reach young people from every walk of life in every corner of the county with the message of Jesus through Christ-centered community. The mission rests on the conviction that youth ministry is most effective when youth do the ministry. The purpose is to equip students to actively explore their faith, imitate Christ, and lead in ministry now, not later, and the vision is to empower young people to live as disciples of Jesus, leading, serving, and transforming their world.
Six core values shape the program. Authenticity invites students to come as they are, with doubts, struggles, and questions. Connection builds real, loving relationships with others and with God. Graciousness chooses patience, humility, and compassion even when it is hard. Ownership puts young people at the helm, leading, shaping, and taking responsibility. Passion shows up with enthusiasm in the pursuit of Christ. Progress refuses to stay the same and seeks growth in faith, love, and leadership.
LCYM meets every Wednesday from 7:00 to 9:00 PM inside West Willow United Methodist Church at 118 West Willow Road, Lancaster. The program is open to students in sixth through twelfth grade. Pastor Eddie Adams oversees LCYM and can be reached at pastoreddielcym@gmail.com with questions.
Young Adult Ministry on Sundays
The Young Adult Ministry, called YAM, meets at Wesley UMC itself on Sundays from 12:00 to 1:30 PM. The program is designed for adults between 18 and 29, the years that bring college choices, first jobs, trades, relationships, and the slow work of figuring out who one is. YAM exists to support young adults in building a Christ-centered community that authentically pursues God. It is a space to enjoy real friendships, ask hard questions, and grow in faith without pressure to have it all figured out. Whether someone is a student at Millersville University, starting a trade, or working a first nine-to-five, there is a place at the table. Through shared meals and meaningful conversation, YAM is creating a community where pursuing Christ is something everyone does together. Pastor Eddie Adams leads YAM as well and can be reached through the same email address.
The Christmas Pageant Since 1955
For more than seven decades, the Strasburg community has marked the Advent season with a Wesley UMC tradition unlike any other in the county. In 1955, Dorothy Mayhew, then choir director, set out to create a Christmas production that portrayed one of the greatest stories ever told. With only $60 in the church budget, she built the first stable from an old upright piano box donated by a local piano-and-organ store, improvised costumes from a few angel outfits already on hand, and gathered the choir to reenact the Annunciation, Mary's visit to Elizabeth, the journey to Bethlehem, the birth in the stable, and the arrival of the angels and wise men.
The production became a beloved tradition that has grown with the town ever since. It is the oldest Christmas pageant in Lancaster County, and what it is best known for is the line of infants who have played the baby Jesus over the years. More than three hundred babies have taken part in the production across its history, joined at various times by live animals that have included doves, sheep, and dogs. Neighbors and church members of every age have filled the acting roles, built the sets, stitched the costumes, and carried the music. Wesley offers the pageant as a gift to the community each December, an open invitation to gather in the sanctuary, hear the old, old story, and celebrate the birth of the Savior together.
What Wesley UMC Believes
Wesley UMC points to Jesus as the center of its life and teaching. The church lifts up John 14:6, "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through me," and names the pursuit of a relationship with the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the commands to love God and love others as the center of the Christian life.
As a United Methodist congregation, Wesley UMC affirms the Bible as the source of all that is necessary and sufficient for salvation and as the true rule and guide for faith and practice, to be received through the Holy Spirit. The church holds that attempts to grasp the meaning of Scripture always involve tradition, experience, and reason alongside the text, and that these too may become creative vehicles of the Holy Spirit as they function within the church.
The congregation loves being United Methodist and finds joy in the unique traditions founded in the teachings of John Wesley. It cherishes connectional ministry with fellow United Methodists near and far, and it grounds its daily life in the phrase "Love in Action," a commitment to engage the community in ways that make a real impact and share the love of Jesus in practical ways.
Children's Ministry on Sunday Mornings
Children's ministry is offered during the 9:00 AM service for kids from nursery age through sixth grade. The program runs alongside the worship hour so that parents can attend the service with confidence that their children are being cared for and taught in age-appropriate ways. Volunteers from the congregation staff the nursery and the classrooms, and the church encourages whole families to take part in the Sunday gathering together, whether for the first time or the fiftieth.
Loving the Church Family Behind the Scenes
Wesley UMC runs a wide range of volunteer teams that make Sunday morning possible and the rest of the ministry sustainable. The Christmas Pageant team produces the annual production and welcomes volunteers of all ages for acting, costumes, set preparation, music, hospitality, and behind-the-scenes coordination. The Worship team prepares the sanctuary, coordinates elements of the service, welcomes worshipers, and supports the music and audio/visual teams. The Trustees care for the building, the grounds, repairs, and long-term improvements so that worship, fellowship, outreach, and community events can happen in a welcoming and secure environment. The Finance team provides faithful stewardship of resources through budgeting, counting offerings, and oversight. Anyone interested is encouraged to fill out the church's contact form or reach out to Pastor Bob for current openings.
Reaching Out to Strasburg and Beyond
Three additional teams point Wesley's ministry outward. The Missions team supports mission partners and organizes service projects, giving initiatives, and awareness of community needs, with a primary focus on the local area and opportunities to live out Christ's command to love neighbors as the hands and feet of Jesus. The Outreach team builds long-term relationships with the surrounding community and extends Christ's love to those who may not yet have a church home through community events, service projects, hospitality, and practical acts of kindness. The Evangelism team equips and encourages believers to share the good news of Jesus with compassion, humility, and authenticity, supporting spiritual conversations, welcoming newcomers, and praying for those exploring faith.
Worshiping Together from Anywhere
For those who cannot attend in person, the Sunday service is simulcast so that worshipers can join in through Zoom or by phone, and the same link opens each week. Wesley UMC also posts past sermons and daily Bible insights on its Facebook page so the community can keep up with the week's teaching. Giving is available online through a secure giving portal, one-time gifts, and estate planning or bequests, alongside the weekly offering collected during the Sunday service. Church offices sit on West Main Street in Strasburg and can be reached by phone at 717-687-6392 or by email at office@wesleystrasburg.org.