Zion Evangelical Congregational Church sits at 710 South White Oak Street in Annville, Pennsylvania, a small borough in the rolling country of Lebanon County. The congregation belongs to the Evangelical Congregational denomination, a family of churches with deep Pennsylvania roots that still shares close ties with EC churches in places like Mexico, Japan, Liberia, India, and Nepal. The Annville church calls itself "a household of faith where the love of Jesus is experienced and shared," and the steady rhythm of its week - Sunday morning Bible study, gathered worship, Monday-night Life Groups, monthly women's fellowship, a Thursday book club, and a Thursday-night prayer hour for the nation - shows what that vision looks like in practice.
Sundays on White Oak Street
The Sunday schedule is straightforward and unhurried. Bible Study meets at 9:00 AM and runs an hour, and the worship service begins at 10:30 AM, typically running until about 11:35 AM. The service is built around music, prayer, and a Bible-based message from Lead Pastor Rob Heagy. A livestream of the 10:30 AM service is broadcast on the church's YouTube channel (Zion ECC Annville on YouTube), and a livestream archive reaches back for years of past services.
For those who want to keep going through the week, the church gathers on the first Thursday of each month for two distinct things. At 10:00 AM, a Faith-Based Book Club meets for two hours of conversation. At 7:00 PM the same evening, the church holds "Pray For Our Nation," an hour of focused prayer for the country.
What to Expect When You Visit
Zion puts it plainly: "We're all about Jesus." Visitors are met at the door by friendly greeters who point them in the right direction. The service itself mixes music, prayer, and a Bible-based message and lasts about an hour. Worshipers come dressed however they are comfortable - "we don't care how you're dressed or what candidate you voted for." The congregation is open about being made up of imperfect people with every kind of story, and no one is met with shame, guilt, or condemnation. The church's own language is uncommonly direct: questions about God and faith are welcome, and whatever someone has been through, the church aims to be a place where the love, grace, and forgiveness Jesus gives to everyone can be experienced.
A Music Program with Three Ensembles
Music is one of the defining features of life at Zion. The program centers on three groups that together give the worship service a layered, traditional sound. The choir, led since 2021 by Bob Lemon - a longtime trumpet player who played professionally for fifteen years at the Dutch Apple Dinner Theater in Lancaster - sings hymns and other sacred music with rich harmonies. Zion's Brass adds a regal, majestic quality, and a recorder ensemble called Zion's Recorders brings a bright, playful edge to the mix. Darwin Beale, who came to Zion in 2013 as a substitute organist and never left, plays the organ. Carol Schaak, at the piano since 1988, completes the keyboard side. Anyone with a musical bent who wants to join one of the groups is invited to reach out and share their gift.
Life Groups and LIFT: Fellowship Beyond Sunday
The church's small-group life is built around two rhythms. Life Groups meet on the second and fourth Monday evenings, gathering around the previous Sunday's sermon and a set of discussion questions. The point, the church says, is not simply to gather information about the Bible but to build "relationships that will help us grow in our relationship with Jesus." Each ten-week stretch is a fresh opportunity to commit again, switch groups, or take a break.
For women, LIFT - Ladies Inspirational Fellowship Time - meets on the first Monday of each month in the Fellowship Hall, shifting to Tuesday only when a holiday lands on that Monday. The evenings include a meal or snack, a craft or special program, games, prayer time, outreach to meet specific needs within the congregation, and the packing of Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes with items donated by members. The group also gathers at local restaurants for Mother's Day and Christmas and holds officer elections in November alongside a small silent auction, with the proceeds going to assist a struggling family in the church or fund a special project.
Children, Adults, and the Next Generation
Children's ministry at Zion is built around the conviction that "where God is, life is a lot more fun." Through engaging teaching, supportive environments, and small-group classes, and with what the church describes as "loud music and silly dancing," kids are led toward a real relationship with God. The adult ministry complements that with a steady stream of events - picnics, Bible studies, guest speakers, and service projects - open to anyone, "young or old, Christian or not, single or married, man or woman." The adult program is meant both for those looking to deepen their faith and for those wanting to make new friends.
Missions: From a Blessings Box to Bible Schools Overseas
Zion's mission work is split between the local community and the wider world, rooted in Jesus' words in Luke 24 about the message being proclaimed to all nations. Locally, the Helping Hand ministry assists individuals and families struggling to meet basic needs, helping with heating bills, car repairs, lodging, and electric bills. A Blessings Box placed on the property offers food and personal care items free for the taking.
Globally, the church supports several missionaries and families directly. Gloria Smethers, a registered nurse, served as a missionary in Africa from 1985 to 2012 and now cares for retired missionaries at the African Inland Mission Retirement Center in Minneola, Florida. Lamar and Janice Stoltzfus serve at Rift Valley Academy in Kenya, a 500-student campus for missionary kids 7,000 feet above sea level overlooking the Rift Valley. Ken Sears spent 26 years teaching at a Bible school in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, and now preaches and teaches from Poland while serving refugees and students; he is fluent in Russian and is learning Polish. Robert and Bettina Schaeffer minister in New York City through LIFE Ministry. Noel Blancaflor serves as an Air Force chaplain based in San Antonio.
Through E.C. Global Ministries, Zion also supports partner EC churches in Mexico, Japan, Liberia, India, and Nepal, including past projects such as vehicles for church leaders, building projects, and help with church plants. The denomination's international churches support themselves and remain closely related to the EC Church in the United States.
What Zion Believes
The church frames its beliefs around four ideas. "Redeemed and Reconciled" - the church's mission is to glorify God by making disciples through the gospel of Jesus Christ, and God's mission and the mission of His church are inseparably linked. "Empowered Transformation" - a vision of being grace-filled people empowered for community transformation, new church formation, and next-generation empowerment. "Sacred Space" - the conviction that the gospel is ultimately about humanity being restored to God's community, and that practicing community is how individuals grow fully in the grace and knowledge of Jesus. "Missional Community" - the belief that Connect (or "Missional") Groups are essential to deeper fellowship and support, just as the early church met both in synagogues and in homes.
The church's mission statement is concise: "Follow the Great Commission given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ to Be Witnesses and Make Disciples," quoting Matthew 28:16-20. Salvation, in Zion's words, comes "by God's grace through faith."
The Staff
Lead Pastor Rob Heagy came to ministry after thirty years in the commercial construction industry, an experience he says shaped his appreciation for hard work, relationships, and the everyday challenges people face. He and his wife, Tara, have been married since 1998 and have two daughters. In his free time, he enjoys bicycling, running, kayaking, hiking, hunting, and fishing, and he is a devoted Penn State wrestling fan. Bob Lemon, a 1980 graduate of Annville-Cleona High School, brings fifteen years of professional trumpet playing and broad commercial-music experience to his work leading the choir. Darwin Beale holds degrees from Cairn University and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and served as a Minister of Music for 27 years before arriving at Zion. Carol Schaak has shared her love of music at the piano since 1988.
Giving and Staying Connected
Zion accepts donations during Sunday morning worship, by mail, in person at the church office, or online through PayPal. The church can be reached at 717-833-0003 or church@zionecc.com, and its Facebook page is another way to keep up with the life of the congregation. The office sits at 710 South White Oak Street in Annville, where the doors open each Sunday morning for Bible study at nine and worship at half-past ten.