Becoming a New Member

Please contact Pastor Reep or call the church office at (717) 843-8155 if you are interested in becoming a member at St. Paul’s.

New Member’s Class

Pastor Reep offers new member’s classes in the spring of the year and leads sessions to assist anyone interested in becoming a member of St. Paul’s congregation.  The topics vary weekly but will cover:  The Lutheran Reformation, Sacraments, History of St. Paul’s, Current Vision for mission, and a tour of the building highlighting the many aspects of ministry carried out by the congregation.  If you would like to attend a new member’s class, simply call the church office or speak with Pastor Reep.

Something is always going on at St. Paul’s!

Come to a Sunday Service and experience for yourself the sense of family in the congregation, the shared enthusiasm for Christ’s work, the beautiful music program, and the joy of worshiping God together.

There are myriad opportunities to join in Christian fellowship and community service at St. Paul’s.  We welcome you to join in any of the worship and/or secular activities which may be of interest to you.  You don’t have to be an official member of St. Paul’s to be involved in our worship services, fellowship, and serving.

Current volunteer opportunities are:

1.  Food Pantry Volunteers are needed! .  We are serving approximately 90 families per week.  You can sign up to help deliver to our clients on Tuesday mornings or you can help between Sunday services at 9:00 a.m. to stock the shelves twice a month.   Help is needed to pick up food for the pantry (eggs, bread from Panera).  Simply contact Patty Snyder or call the church office if you can help 717-843-8155!
2.  Central Penn Food Bank delivers food products to us on select Thursday mornings each month.  Do you have a Thursday morning once a month to help unload and place food products in the pantry area that have been delivered by Central Penn Food Bank?
3.  Be on the Altar Care Team – We have resumed our historic patterns in worship.  With this return we are in need of persons willing to prepare and clean up the altar each week.  Historically, this ministry team served a month at a time.  Please contact Pastor Reep for additional information.
4.  We need individuals to prepare the chancel, mark the Bible readings, and set the altar for Holy Communion.  Pastor Reep has written a guide for setting up for the Sunday liturgy.  Contact the office and get on the schedule if you can help!  Easy to follow instructions!
5. The AV Team is looking for help in Live-streaming the 10:30 a.m. Sunday worship service.
6. Fellowship Committee – If you like to cook and bake, the Fellowship Committee could use your help by contributing baked goods for events at the church; example, funeral luncheons, breakfasts, or receptions.  Call Linda Hansen to have your name put on the list of volunteers.
7. Hospitality Team – We open our doors to groups for concerts and events.  Our newly renovated building serves as a venue to reach out to the neighborhood and strengthen our commitment to serve our community.  We need volunteers to staff a Hospitality Team for these events.  As a member of the Hospitality Team you would greet and welcome our guests and offer assistance to help them while they are in the building.  You would not be required to attend every event.  A St. Paul’s staff member would be in charge of the team for each event.  This is a great way to introduce our church to the community and also attend some wonderful events.  Please let the office know if you would be interested in serving on the Hospitality Team.
8. Every service we need volunteers to:  Assist Minister, be Crucifer, Lector, Communion Assistants, Greeters. Ushers & Early Altar Setp-up and Late Altar Clean-up.
9. Nursery Volunteers Needed – We are looking for volunteers for the 10:30 a.m. service on Sundays.  If you are interested in volunteering or finding out more information, please contact Carrie Oberholtzer at 717-843-8155.
10. Counters Wanted –  Be part of one of the teams of four that count Sunday offering on Tuesday mornings at 8:30 a.m.  Training will be provided.  St. Paul’s need additional counters for count teams.  Ideally counters serve one Tuesday per month and it normally takes one to one and a half hours.  There is a clear procedure followed with everything being double counted with results compared to prevent errors.  If you want to make a lesser commitment, you can volunteer to be part of the substitute list.  Call Dottie Moore or Bob Reed at 717-843-8155 for additional information.  Please prayerfully consider helping out in this important ministry.  God’s work.  Our hands.

We are in need of ushers.  What follows is a list of duties needing to be performed by the usher. If you are willing to serve as an usher please notify the church office so that you will be included in the scheduled rotation. We need experienced ushers, especially those who have the combination for the safe.

Before Worship

Please arrive 20 minutes before the service at which you are scheduled to serve.

Indoor worship or outdoor worship services require a minimum of three ushers.

Assist visiting worshipers with information regarding seating, distribution of worship bulletins, and that offerings may be placed in the basins when passed during the service.

During Worship

Be attentive to the worshipers and what they may need.

Guests may be provided an envelope containing a guest card and offering envelope.  Envelopes are available in the pews.

Be seated near the door where you are scheduled to serve or at the usher station for the outside service.

The offering basins are passed during the service and collected and carried to the Chancel/Altar at the appropriate time.

Once the liturgy has begun please stow the bulletin baskets so that used bulletins are not discarded into them when the service concludes.

At the distribution of Holy Communion two ushers are needed by the credence tables to disperse wine glasses and one to direct congregation to go for communion.

At the distribution of Holy Communion outside, Pastor will be walking around and delivering communion to those wishing to take communion.

Following Worship

Collect all items, service bulletins, lost and found items from the pews. Dispose of the bulletins and debris. Place lost and found items on the server in the Good Shepherd Room.

Thank you for your willingness to serve.  Your assistance is of great importance and is most appreciated. Please contact the Church Office if you can serve as usher.

“As the grains of wheat once scattered on the hill were gathered in to one to become our bread; so may all your people from all the ends of earth be gathered into one in You.”                   As the Grains of Wheat, Marty Haugen