A Crossroads Chapel Since 1933
At a quiet country crossroads in Peach Bottom, Pennsylvania, Wrightsdale Baptist Church has been gathering people around Jesus for more than ninety years. Founded in 1933 in a small white chapel on Little Britain Road South, the church began as a gathering of farm families determined to reach their agricultural neighbors with the good news of Jesus. Wrightsdale identifies itself as the longest-running Southern Baptist church in Pennsylvania, a heritage it carries with both pride and a forward-looking sense of purpose.
Generations later, the church has grown into a dynamic, multi-generational congregation drawing families from across southern Lancaster County and into Northeast Maryland. Its motto sums up the heartbeat of the place - Be Jesus, Share Jesus, Love Like Jesus - and the life of the church flows out of that three-fold rhythm.
The Sunday Morning Rhythm
Sundays at Wrightsdale start earlier than the worship service, and that is intentional. By 8:30 a.m., the Common Grounds Cafe Area opens with fresh coffees, teas, and specialty snacks, and regulars stop in for a warm drink and a few minutes of conversation. At 9 a.m., Sunday School classes meet for every age group, from Nursery through adults. The Young Adult Ministry (ages 18 to 25) gathers in a combined class called IGNITED.
At 10 a.m., the main worship service begins. The service runs about seventy-five minutes and blends contemporary worship music - with live musicians, vocalists, and instruments - alongside classic hymns and congregational singing. Pastor Ryan Day preaches expositionally, working through books of the Bible and applying the text to everyday life. Prayer, Scripture reading, and congregational singing all have a place in the service. The whole service is livestreamed on YouTube and Facebook, so anyone can join from home or catch up later through the weekly podcast, "The Increase."
Wayfinderz and Wayfinderz JR
Children are disciples too, and Wrightsdale treats them that way. During the 10 a.m. worship service, kids from PreK through fifth grade head into Wayfinderz and Wayfinderz JR, an energetic children's program built around the idea that Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life." Each week children follow a new adventure that follows the example of Jesus, with the Bible as their compass and the Holy Spirit as their guide.
Creative worship, memorable characters, hilarious skits, hands-on "Adventure Lab" activities, and small groups make the program a favorite among Wrightsdale families. Wayfinderz JR serves potty-trained threes through Kindergarten, while Wayfinderz is designed for first through fifth graders. Christy Kraus, the Next-Gen Director, leads the program along with the Wayfinderz team.
For infants through age four, a trained, background-checked nursery staff provides care every Sunday during both the 9 a.m. Sunday School hour and the 10 a.m. worship service. Nursing moms are warmly welcomed.
Wednesday Nights and the Mission Groups
On Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. (September through May), the church hums with the energy of Mission Groups. Boys and girls from PreK through twelfth grade split into gender-specific groups to learn how to share their faith, pray for missionaries around the world, and tackle hands-on projects that bring the Great Commission to life. Each winter the groups host a popular Pinewood Derby race complete with trophies and prizes. At the same hour, adults gather for a weekly Prayer Meeting.
WBC Youth and the Next Generation
Teenagers at Wrightsdale have a ministry built specifically for them. WBC Youth, for students in grades six through twelve, meets Sunday nights at 6 p.m. throughout the year. The group gathers for relevant Bible study, music, games, snacks, and activities that include conferences, camps, and other planned get-togethers. The youth ministry has grown to roughly thirty students, and every leader has a background check on file. Jared Carline, the Next-Gen Pastor, leads the group along with a team of youth leaders.
Young adults (ages 18 to 25) keep that momentum going. Beyond the Sunday morning IGNITED class, they meet every other Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. for a small-group Bible study, and they stay connected through game nights, dinners out, Top Golf, ice skating, and other gatherings throughout the year.
Life Groups: Twice a Month, Deeper Community
Wrightsdale's Life Groups are designed for the kind of Christian community that goes beyond a Sunday morning classroom. Meeting twice a month from early October through late May, Life Groups gather either at the church or in a host home for snacks, conversation, prayer, and a guided discussion through the previous Sunday's message. The discussion guides, called LIFELINE PDFs, are available each week and walk the group through how to bring that portion of God's Word into real-life application.
Anyone can join. New participants can mark a Connection Card on Sunday morning and bring it to the Welcome Center, or speak directly with Dana Douglas or Pastor Ryan Day to find a group that fits their schedule.
Women's Fitness and the Seasoned Saints
Monday nights belong to REFIT, a women's fitness class held in Douglas Hall at 7 p.m. REFIT is open to ladies of all ages, including girls and teens, and each class pairs an hour of inspiring music with a workout designed to encourage as much as it exercises. On the other end of the age spectrum, the Seasoned Saints keep seniors connected through prayer, encouragement, story-sharing, good conversation, and plenty of food. Activities vary with the season and include luncheons, prayer times, devotionals, "Senior Soup Day," and Christmas parties.
Beliefs and Heritage
Wrightsdale teaches that the Bible is God's inspired and infallible Word, the full and final authority for all faith and practice. The church's doctrinal convictions are outlined in The Baptist Faith and Message (2000), the confession of faith used by Southern Baptist churches across the country. The church belongs to the Southern Baptist Convention, a fellowship of nearly 50,000 cooperating churches in the United States, and walks together with other SBC congregations through the Baptist Resource Network.
Three words capture the discipleship pathway the church holds out to every family: Believe, Belong, Become. The same way Jesus called His first followers with two simple words - "Follow Me" - Wrightsdale invites people to take a first step of faith, find a spiritual family to belong to, and then, through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, become more like Jesus day by day.
Pastor Ryan Day and the Leadership Team
Ryan Day became Lead Pastor in 2020 and brings more than twenty-seven years of full-time pastoral ministry to the pulpit. A native of Westminster, Maryland, he is a three-time graduate of Baptist Bible College and Seminary, where he earned undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degrees in Bible and pastoral leadership. In May 2024, he completed his Doctor of Ministry degree, graduating Magna Cum Laude. He is committed to expository preaching - working carefully through the whole counsel of God's Word and applying it to ordinary life.
Pastor Day's writing has appeared in outlets including The Baptist Bulletin, The Baptist Paper, Baptist Resource Network, National Right to Life, FoxNews.com, and LifeZette. His first book, Such Great Faith, released in June 2025. Since 2021 his Sunday messages have been produced as a weekly podcast called "The Increase," available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and iHeart Radio. He and his wife Heather have five sons, one daughter, and one granddaughter.
Around Pastor Day, Christy Kraus serves as Next-Gen Director, overseeing ministry from children through young adults. Dee Henry directs Sunday School, and Jess Lewis leads the Praise Team. Jim Hess chairs the Board of Deacons for 2026. Seth Day joined the team for summer 2026 as a BRN Accelerated Intern. Dana Douglas coordinates the Life Groups ministry.
Wrightsdale Cares and Community Outreach
Outreach is more than a program at Wrightsdale - it is a posture. The "Wrightsdale Cares" team motivates the church family toward intentional community outreach that meets practical needs and shares the good news of Jesus in word and action. The team welcomes anyone who wants to roll up their sleeves and lend a helping hand alongside their neighbors.
What to Expect on Your First Visit
Visitors will find easy parking from either Little Britain Road South or Balance Meeting Road, and a Guest Services team ready to point the way at the main glass doors. There is no dress code - jeans are common, and Pastor Ryan usually preaches in them. The Bible translation most often used from the pulpit is the New King James Version, though many in the pews bring the NIV, ESV, or CSB, and plenty of people follow along on the YouVersion Bible app. The whole morning - coffee, Sunday School, worship, and a friendly welcome - is designed to make a first visit feel like coming home.