About Us
Christ Lutheran Church is a congregation of the Lower Susquehanna Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in Duncannon, PA. "We are God's called, loved children who serve." These words are spoken each week at the end of the service. Through the Holy Spirit, we seek to live as God has created us and to serve the community in which we live. We are the body of Christ. We experience God's grace and forgiveness daily.
Christ Lutheran Church is rooted and grounded in Holy Scripture. We offer various opportunities for Bible study and faith formation during the week. Additionally, we gather for fellowship regularly throughout the year.
We take seriously our role in sharing God's love. We are active in our town and with churches throughout Perry County to help others to know God's love. On the first Saturday of every month, we open our doors for a free breakfast and clothing giveaway. On Wednesdays in June and July, we host dinners for Appalachian Trail thru-hikers. We support Join Hands, Indian Mobile Mission, the St. Barnabas Summer program, Lutheran World Relief, and various other ministries.
Christ Lutheran Church is rooted and grounded in Holy Scripture. We offer various opportunities for Bible study and faith formation during the week. Additionally, we gather for fellowship regularly throughout the year.
We take seriously our role in sharing God's love. We are active in our town and with churches throughout Perry County to help others to know God's love. On the first Saturday of every month, we open our doors for a free breakfast and clothing giveaway. On Wednesdays in June and July, we host dinners for Appalachian Trail thru-hikers. We support Join Hands, Indian Mobile Mission, the St. Barnabas Summer program, Lutheran World Relief, and various other ministries.
About Our Pastor
Pastor Beth Martini was called to serve Christ Lutheran Church in 2012. Pastor Beth felt God calling her into ministry while she was a counselor at Camp Kirchenwald. She has degrees from Duke University and Princeton Theological Seminary. Pastor Beth enjoys spending time with her husband and their daughter, playing sports, and cooking.
A History of Christ Lutheran Church and Our Building
When the settlement below the mouth of the Juniata River grew to some size and was called Petersburg (Duncannon), there had come into the community a number of families that were Lutheran Christians. These families invited a newly licensed minister, the Reverend Andrew Berg, to visit the members scattered along the western bank of the Susquehanna River.
In November 1842, Reverend Berg began his pastoral labors using the Methodist Episcopal Church for formal services. Here he preached once every four weeks. At the close of December 1842, the first officers were installed and on January 1, 1843, fifteen names were recorded on the membership rolls. The first class of eighteen catachumens was confirmed on June 4, 1843.
As the congregation grew, so did the need for a house of worship. Dr. Philip Ebert saw the need and deeded one acre of land to the congregation on May 4, 1844.
A foundation was completed and on May 19, 1844, the cornerstone was laid. In the declaration deposited in the stone, the original congregation states, "It is our prayer that the young and old may be awakened, converted, comforted, edified, and prepared for the enjoyment of the sanctuary above."
On November 10, 1844, a new church was solemenly dedicated to the service of the Triune God under the name of Christ's Church. The Lutheran Observer reported, "The Reverend Mr. Stroh performed the dedicatory ceremony after which the Reverend Mr. Berg delivered an appropriate sermon from I Peter 2:5, 'Ye also, as living stones, are built together a spiritual house.' The edifice is of stone, forty feet square, with a gallery at one end, a neat pulpit, and well furnished with lights."
As the congregation grew, so did the church. In June 1855, the stone structure was torn down and the following August 2 the cornerstone of the present church was laid.
Damage from a fire in the narthex of the church on August 6, 1935, resulted in the rebuilding of the narthex. At the same time the ground under the church was dug out and the undercroft built.
The cornerstone of the education building was laid on March 6, 1955, and the building dedicated December 18 of that same year.
Christ Lutheran Church has grown greatly from the zeal of those first 15 members and it is still our prayer "that the young and old may be awakened, converted, comforted, edified, and prepared for the enjoyment of the sanctuary above."
In November 1842, Reverend Berg began his pastoral labors using the Methodist Episcopal Church for formal services. Here he preached once every four weeks. At the close of December 1842, the first officers were installed and on January 1, 1843, fifteen names were recorded on the membership rolls. The first class of eighteen catachumens was confirmed on June 4, 1843.
As the congregation grew, so did the need for a house of worship. Dr. Philip Ebert saw the need and deeded one acre of land to the congregation on May 4, 1844.
A foundation was completed and on May 19, 1844, the cornerstone was laid. In the declaration deposited in the stone, the original congregation states, "It is our prayer that the young and old may be awakened, converted, comforted, edified, and prepared for the enjoyment of the sanctuary above."
On November 10, 1844, a new church was solemenly dedicated to the service of the Triune God under the name of Christ's Church. The Lutheran Observer reported, "The Reverend Mr. Stroh performed the dedicatory ceremony after which the Reverend Mr. Berg delivered an appropriate sermon from I Peter 2:5, 'Ye also, as living stones, are built together a spiritual house.' The edifice is of stone, forty feet square, with a gallery at one end, a neat pulpit, and well furnished with lights."
As the congregation grew, so did the church. In June 1855, the stone structure was torn down and the following August 2 the cornerstone of the present church was laid.
Damage from a fire in the narthex of the church on August 6, 1935, resulted in the rebuilding of the narthex. At the same time the ground under the church was dug out and the undercroft built.
The cornerstone of the education building was laid on March 6, 1955, and the building dedicated December 18 of that same year.
Christ Lutheran Church has grown greatly from the zeal of those first 15 members and it is still our prayer "that the young and old may be awakened, converted, comforted, edified, and prepared for the enjoyment of the sanctuary above."
