A Welcoming Church on Morgan Avenue
Bethany Lutheran Church stands on Morgan Avenue in the riverfront borough of Palmyra, New Jersey, where it has opened its doors to neighbors for generations. The congregation describes itself plainly: "As a church together, Bethany Evangelical Lutheran Church, being Christ's own and moved by the Holy Spirit as a Body of Christ, welcomes all walks of life. We are called to grow into the fullness of Christ and to fulfill the ministry through sharing the gifts of the Holy Spirit in worship, fellowship, discipleship, and service." Visitors who walk in on a Sunday morning are welcomed into an extended family that stretches from the youngest in Sunday school to members who have worshipped at Bethany for fifty years or more.
Sunday Mornings at 10:15
The congregation gathers each Sunday at 10:15 a.m. for worship in the sanctuary. The Reverend Breanna Tessitore serves as pastor, and Music Director Debbie Schoen leads the music program alongside an Adult Choir and a Children's Choir. Hymn selections lean into a blend of traditional and contemporary favorites, with special music added throughout the church year. For those who cannot attend in person, every service is livestreamed on the church's YouTube channel, and recordings of recent Sundays are kept on the same channel for anyone who wants to catch up later.
A Table Open to the Neighborhood
Each month, Bethany opens its fellowship hall for "Dinner Is Served," a community meal where neighbors gather around a home-cooked spread. The dinner is paired with a small shelf of toiletries and personal-care items for anyone who can use them, and those supplies come entirely through donations. Supporters who want to help can shop the church's Amazon Wish List, which ships needed goods straight to the door.
Food assistance is woven into the church's wider rhythm. The Boy Scout Troop that has called Bethany home for decades runs an annual Thanksgiving Food Drive, distributing shopping bags to homes in Palmyra and neighboring Cinnaminson and then collecting the filled bags a week later. The most recent drive gathered more than 15,000 food items, all delivered to the Bread of Life Food Pantry at Epworth Methodist Church.
Three Scout Troops, One Building
Scouting has been part of Bethany for more than seventy-five years. Three units meet under the church's roof: Cub Scout Pack 9 for kindergartners through fifth graders, Boy Scout Troop 9 for fifth grade through high school, and Venturing Crew 9 for older youth up to age twenty-one. Pack 9 marks its sixty-eighth year, Troop 9 its seventy-fifth, and Crew 9 its seventy-first. More than seventy young men have earned the rank of Eagle Scout through these programs, and several others are currently working toward the rank.
Pack 9 is open to boys and girls in kindergarten through fifth grade and runs hands-on activities in hiking, nature, science, citizenship, and first aid. Troop 9 is a traditional scouting experience for boys in fifth grade through high school, with service, leadership, and the path to Eagle Scout at its center. Venturing Crew 9 is co-ed for youth who have completed eighth grade up to age twenty-one, with members choosing their own activities and adult leaders providing support. Adult volunteers and drivers are always welcome for the Thanksgiving drive and other service projects.
Friends In Need
Bethany maintains a "Friends In Need" resource section that organizes vetted community resources into clear categories: food, shelter, legal help, health, LGBTQ+ support, seniors, families, and veterans. Each section links out to local and national services, including the Bread of Life Food Pantry, New Jersey 211, Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey, the Trevor Project, the Burlington County Health Department, Belmont Homes NJ, and the Burlington County Veteran's Services office, among many others. The section opens with the words of Jeremiah 29:11: plans for welfare, not for evil, to give a future and a hope.
With Lutheran Partners Near and Far
The church joins with wider Lutheran and ecumenical partners on outreach that extends well beyond Palmyra. Locally, Bethany partners with the Bread of Life Food Pantry and Seeds of Hope Ministries. Globally, the congregation supports Lutheran World Relief and Lutheran Social Ministries of New Jersey, and has engaged with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Declaration on Racism. The Women of the ELCA, known locally as WELCA, is one of the church's longest-running groups, with members gathering in circles for fellowship, study, and service projects.
Groups for Every Age
Beyond the choirs and the scouts, Bethany hosts a steady rhythm of small groups and fellowships. The Youth Group, open to students in grades six through twelve, meets roughly once a month for outings, lock-ins, service projects, and volunteer days. A Men's Breakfast gathers on the first and third Saturday of each month at Throwbacks Bar and Grill on Route 130 in Delran. Saturday work days pop up when the building or grounds need attention, and church committees covering worship and music, social ministry, Christian education, evangelism, fellowship, stewardship, nurturing, and technology welcome new volunteers throughout the year.
Pastor, Music Director, and a Wide Circle of Volunteers
The Reverend Breanna Tessitore serves as pastor. Debbie Schoen directs the music ministry, working with the Adult Choir, the Children's Choir, and the congregation's blended hymn selections. The church's ministries are guided by a council whose members each take on areas such as worship and music, social ministry, Christian education, youth, fellowship, evangelism, stewardship, and technology, while dedicated volunteers lead scouting, WELCA, and the monthly community dinner. The church office can be reached at (856) 829-2373 or at bethanypalmyra@gmail.com, and the building stands at 617 Morgan Avenue, Palmyra, NJ 08065.