(215) 855-5489 | Worship every Sunday @ 8 a.m. & 10:15 a.m.
(215) 855-5489 | Worship every Sunday @ 8 a.m. & 10:15 a.m.
Read the latest news for our church.
Dec 10, 2025
As we approach St. John’s 150th anniversary in 2026, we are digging deep into the church archives to connect with the stories that shaped us. John Hendricks, our Photographer and Archivist, has worked faithfully for 15 years to maintain and share important pieces of our history. Leaning on his extensive knowledge and storytelling ability, we are excited to share these artifacts and anecdotes as a way to honor the past and imagine what the next 150 years could bring.
by John Hendricks, St. John’s Archivist
We are familiar with the recent traditions of the St. John’s Advent/ Christmas season. Now, thanks to the availability of The Reporter newspaper archives from 1870 to 1970 on the internet, we have insight into Christmas celebrations here in the 1880’s!
Read MoreDec 01, 2025
November 30 – Communion
Hope: There’s Room for Every Story
December 7 – Love Gift Sunday
Love: God Meets Us in Our Fear
December 14
Joy: We Can Choose a Better Way
December 21
Peace: We See God in Each Other
Nov 20, 2025
Fear-Holding Ornaments – Intergenerational for all ages
Luminarias – Intergenerational for all ages
Placing Ourselves in the Manger Scene – Intergenerational for all ages
Christmas Show and Tell
Re-Membering Christmas – Singing Our Way Through
Nov 19, 2025
A meeting will be held after each service this Sunday, November 23, to review the 2026 budget.
8:00 am attendees: Meet in the library following the service.
10:15 am attendees: Meet in the Assembly Hall following the service.
Please note that the congregational vote for the 2026 budget will be held on Sunday, December 7. We appreciate your participation!
Nov 11, 2025
As we approach St. John’s 150th anniversary in 2026, we are digging deep into the church archives to connect with the stories that shaped us. John Hendricks, our Photographer and Archivist, has worked faithfully for 15 years to maintain and share important pieces of our history. Leaning on his extensive knowledge and storytelling ability, we are excited to share these artifacts and anecdotes as a way to honor the past and imagine what the next 150 years could bring.
by John Hendricks, St. John’s Archivist
13 years before St. John’s founding, in 1963, President Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday, although an autumn day set aside for thanksgiving was observed since the 17th century in many places to celebrate a bountiful harvest. Holding a big family feast serving turkey on that day was also a tradition. ‘The Reporter’ of Nov. 14, 1872, said, “Thanksgiving Day is coming around again with its family gatherings, roast turkey and general hymns of praise to our bountiful Creator, who has blessed our land with fruitfulness and peace.” The first known Thanksgiving worship service at St. John’s was in 1882. And soon, the hottest ticket in Lansdale on Thanksgiving evening for 22 years would be from productions by the St. John’s Sunday School!
Read MoreOct 27, 2025
Written by Rev. Tom Adil
This holiday is a yearly reminder (November 1 and in church, the 1st Sunday in November) of our connectedness as Christians to the church. Perhaps you were taught to think of saints as figures in the church’s stained-glass windows. But the Bible teaches something beyond this. Who is a saint? You are. That is if you’re a follower of Jesus. The Church calls a “saint” those who trust God-in-Christ for salvation.
The origin of All Saints’ Day can be traced back to the early Christian Church when it was established as a day to remember and celebrate the martyrs and other saints who had died for their faith. Over time, the scope of the holiday expanded to include martyrs and all faithful Christians who had lived pious and virtuous lives. It is a day to recognize the saints’ collective witness and express gratitude for their example.
Over time, the holiday’s focus expanded beyond just martyrs to include all Christian saints—those who were recognized for their exceptional holiness and devotion to God. This shift recognized that not all saints were martyrs, so a broader commemoration was needed.
The Christian festival of All Saints Day comes from a conviction that there is a spiritual connection between those in Heaven and on Earth. While traditions across the globe vary for All Saints Day, the common theme is a celebration with family and remembrance of those who have passed.
If you have a loved one who passed beween October 2024 and October 2025, and you would like them included in our All Saints List, please contact the office by Wednesday, October 29, 2025 with their name and relation to you.
The All Saints List is read during All Saints Sunday morning service, and featured in the bulletin. The full list will be available in next month’s Enlightener.
Oct 23, 2025
The fall season is upon us, and with it comes the time to prepare St. John’s budget for 2026 — the Finance Committee’s largest responsibility of the year. Beginning in October, the committee will meet several times to review this year’s spending patterns and make adjustments for the year ahead.
As always, we remind ourselves that the budget is a plan, not a promise. We do our best to anticipate income and expenses while remaining flexible to changes that may arise. Some of the key questions we consider include:
In recent years, budgeting has been especially challenging as our staff has continued to change.
Read MoreOct 22, 2025
October 26
Open & Affirming Anniversary
8 am – Morning Worship
9 am – Living Our Faith Together
10:15 am – Morning Worship
10:45 am – Connect3
11:30 am – Fellowship
November 5
All Saints Sunday
8 am – Morning Worship
9 am – Praying Hands Stitchers
– Living Our Faith Together
10:15 am – Morning Worship
10:45 am – Connect3
11:30 am – Fellowship
4:00 pm – The Artist Series at St. John’s Presents
Philadelphia Brass
Oct 08, 2025
October 12
Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost
8 am – Morning Worship
9 am – Living Our Faith Together
10:15 am – Morning Worship
10:45 am – Connect3
11:30 am – Fellowship
– Youth Group
– Anniversary Committee
October 19
Congregational Dinner
8 am – Morning Worship
9 am – Living Our Faith Together
10:15 am – Morning Worship
10:45 am – Connect3
12:00 pm – Congregational Spaghetti Dinner
Oct 08, 2025
As we approach St. John’s 150th anniversary in 2026, we are digging deep into the church archives to connect with the stories that shaped us. John Hendricks, our Photographer and Archivist, has worked faithfully for 15 years to maintain and share important pieces of our history. Leaning on his extensive knowledge and storytelling ability, we are excited to share these artifacts and anecdotes as a way to honor the past and imagine what the next 150 years could bring.
by John Hendricks, St. John’s Archivist
If someone asked what ‘harvest home’ means, you’d probably think of the familiar Thanksgiving hymn (NCH #422) with the opening lines, “Come, O thankful people, come, raise the song of harvest home”. Some of our long-time members will remember that ‘harvest home’ was once a special day in the church year!
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