Faith United Lutheran Parish - DillsburgFranklintown Area Church in PA
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DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION - CONTACT US

Welcome Visitors to Faith United Lutheran Parish; St. John’s


What should I expect?

Parking: Perpendicular parking is available directly in front of the church along side the graveyard.  Facing the building, the sanctuary entrance is up the stairs on the right and the fellowship entrance is down the stairs on the right.

Bathrooms: There are single men and women’s bathrooms downstairs in the fellowship area (back left wall if coming down the stairs from the sanctuary/directly to the left if entering the building from the side door).

Greeting: You will be greeted when you enter by a greeter or an usher who will give you a bulletin.  The pastor may or may not be available at the beginning of worship for a personal greeting.  You may be asked to sign a guest book.

Bulletins: The entirety of our service is printed in our bulletins including most hymns.  If the hymn is not printed in the bulletin for the church you are attending, there will be a hymn number and hymnal listed.

What should I wear? Wear whatever you are comfortable wearing.  There may be people wearing very casual attire (t-shirts/jeans/sandals) and people wearing more formal attire (coats/ties/pant-suits/dresses).

What about children? Children are welcome at all of our services (and we don’t even mind if they make noise).  All of the churches have activity bags with quiet activities for children, please feel free to use one and then return it at the end of the service.  If you do not see them, our ushers will be glad to help you.  Feel free to make yourself comfortable by taking up a whole pew or by sitting where you can have some floor space to spread out. If necessary, you are welcome to take your children downstairs.

What about communion? One of two sacraments for Lutherans, the other being Baptism. In Holy Communion, also called the Eucharist, Lutherans recall the saving acts of God through Word, bread and wine, and are connected with Christ and with Christians of all times and places. In this sacrament we are fed with the Body and Blood of Christ.

Communion takes place the first Sunday of the month and at all parish worships and on many feast days.  The ushers will direct you when it is time for you to receive the bread and wine. If you would rather only receive the communion bread, you may do so. If you elect not to commune, please step aside so that others in your row may go forward or you may come forward and receive a blessing from the Pastor.  If you have difficulty walking then inform the ushers that you would like to commune at your seat and the Pastor will bring communion to you after everyone else has received.  

Your children may commune at any age. The Pastor will look to you, the parent or caregiver of the child to indicate if they should receive a blessing or communion.

-       St. John’s – The Pastor will give instruction about coming forward to the rail to receive the bread with these words, “The Body of Christ given for you,” which you may eat at that time.  The communion assistant will offer you a small individual glass with wine with these words, “The blood of Christ shed for you,” you may drink the wine at that time.  Another communion assistant will collect your glass.  You may respond by saying “Amen.”

Where should I sit? We truly have no assigned seats in any of our churches; in fact we are all trying to sit in a different pew every week with our new idea, “I’ve Had A View From Another Pew, Have You?” Please sit where-ever you are comfortable.

How long does the service last? Generally, the service lasts about an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes.

Will I have to speak? No.   

Will I be singled out as a visitor? No

What are the services like?  For Lutherans, worship is an ever-changing and -growing experience. Connected with and central to everything we do, worship unites us in celebration, engages us in thoughtful dialogue and helps us grow in faith. It grounds us in our Christian and Lutheran roots, while demonstrating practical relevance for today’s world.

The Pastor begins the service with announcements that need to be made. Throughout the service, our lay people assist by reading our lessons, occasionally reading the prayers of the people, and by assisting with communion.  Our service concludes with a blessing by the Pastor and a closing hymn. Our services end with the Pastor or assisting minister saying, “Go in peace, to serve the Lord,” and the congregation responds, “Thanks be to God.”

What happens after the service? All are invited for light refreshments and social time on the right side of the sanctuary.

What about religious education?  At this time, Sunday School is not offered at St. John’s

Can I see more of the church? Yes. If you ask one of the ushers or the greeter they will be happy to give you a tour of the church.

How do I become a member? You may meet with the Pastor and discuss this.

What is your mission?  Faith United Lutheran Parish, Our Mission Statement; Our mission is to be open to God’s presence in our hearts, in our minds and in our world; to love God and one another; and to proclaim our Lutheran theology of God’s love and grace for all people.

What are your core beliefs?

Lutherans believe in the Triune God. God created and loves all of creation -- the earth and the seas and all of the world’s inhabitants. We believe that God's Son, Jesus Christ, transforms lives through his death on the cross and his new life, and we trust that God's Spirit is active in the world.

We are part of God’s unfolding plan. When we gather for worship, we connect with believers everywhere. When we study the Bible or hear God’s word in worship, we are drawn more deeply into God’s own saving story.

The convictions shared by Christians from many different traditions are expressed in statements of belief called creeds.


The ELCA accepts the following creeds as true declarations of the faith of this church:

The Apostles' Creed

The Nicene Creed

The Athanasian Creed

 

717-502-6397
  • Home
  • Visitor Info.
  • Contact Us
  • Our Churches
    • Barren's United >
      • Barren's 200th Anniversary Celebration
      • Barren's Handbell Choir
    • Emmanuel
    • St. John's Franklin
    • Our History >
      • Pastor Naomi Sease Carriker
    • Social Issues
  • Newsletters
  • Pastor
    • Vicar Micki Kautz - AiM
    • Pastor Roy's Sermons
  • Outreach
    • Blood Drives
    • Habitat For Humanity
    • Heifer International
    • Malaria Campaign
    • New Hope Ministries
  • Ministries
  • Miscellaneous
    • CommunityAid Clothing Bin
    • Youth Confirmation
    • Lower Susquehanna Synod >
      • 2009 Churchwide Assembly Highlights
      • 2013 Synod Assembly Highlights
      • 2014 Synod Assembly Highlights
      • 2015 Synod Assembly
      • 2016 Synod Assembly
      • 2017 Synod Assembly Highlights
      • 2018 Synod Assembly
    • Snapping Turtle Captions - 2011
    • Mother/Daughter Banquet >
      • 2011 Mother/Daughter Banquet
      • 2012 Mother/Daughter Banquet
      • 2013 Mother/Daughter Banquet
      • 2016 Women's Night Out Banquet
    • Vacation Bible School (VBS)
    • Youth Lock-In - 2013
    • Pink Flamingo Youth Fundraiser
  • Blog