Friedens Lutheran Church stands on the west end of Washington Avenue in Myerstown, Pennsylvania, a block or two of red brick and green lawns that has watched over four generations of the surrounding town. The name itself is the giveaway: "Friedens" is German for "peace," and peace - the kind described in Romans and the kind neighbors share across a back fence - is the thread that runs through everything the congregation does. The church has been part of the Myerstown community since 1811, and members have gathered for worship in the current sanctuary since 1961.
Two Sunday Services, One Family of Faith
Sunday mornings at Friedens revolve around two services that bookend a shared hour of fellowship. At 9:00 am the lights come up for a contemporary worship service with Holy Communion, led by the Praise Band. The 10:30 am service is the traditional service of Holy Communion, with music led by a cantor and the church organ - Jennifer Leonard, the parish administrator, serves as organist for the traditional service. Both services are open to visitors, and a time of fellowship in between lets the two halves of the morning meet over coffee in the social hall.
The 9:00 am contemporary service is also livestreamed on YouTube for members who are homebound or traveling. Recordings of recent services are available on the church's videos page, where the most recent streams run roughly an hour each.
An ELCA Congregation with Deep Local Roots
Friedens is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). The church's philosophy, in its own words, is "founded on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ," and its members believe "worship is something that can be expressed in everything we do." The congregation's mission statement, written into its constitution, lays out four commitments:
- Worships God
- Makes Disciples
- Builds Christ-centered community
- Serves neighbors near and far
The accompanying vision is to "become a family-centered church who are active disciples for Jesus," a goal the council adopted in late 2025 as a way of describing what Friedens hopes to grow into in the years ahead.
Wednesdays Around the Word, the Needle, and a Closet Full of Clothes
Much of the congregational life at Friedens happens on Wednesdays, when three regular gatherings fill the church.
Bible Conversations meets in the Parlor from 6:00 to 7:00 pm. The format is straightforward - a short study followed by discussion - and the series moves slowly through a book of the Bible over several weeks. Recent series have worked through Romans together.
The Quilting Ministry gathers at 9:00 am on the second and fourth Wednesdays of every month. The work is hands-on and specific: volunteers cut 11-inch squares, sew them together in a six-by-eight grid, layer the top over the backing with batting, sew on the binding, and tie knots to hold the layers together. The finished quilts go to Lutheran World Relief, where they are distributed to refugees displaced by unrest, war, and natural disasters. The quilts provide physical warmth, but also serve as something to carry belongings in from one place to the next. The quilters are an energetic group, and the regular blessing of quilts each fall is one of the small but meaningful rhythms of the year.
The Friedens Clothing Closet opens from 4:00 to 7:00 pm on the third Wednesday of every month. The closet offers free clothing to anyone who walks in - toddlers, children, teens, and adults - and it is one of the most direct ways the church serves neighbors in Myerstown. Volunteers sort donations, greet visitors, and help people find what they need. The church office can answer questions about donations or volunteering.
Ministries that Hold the Building Together
Behind the public-facing schedule, a quiet web of committees keeps the congregation running. The Altar Guild prepares the sanctuary for worship and cares for the Communion linens. Christian Education oversees Sunday School and the church's formation programs for children and adults. Home Communion Visitors take consecrated bread and wine to members who cannot easily attend on Sunday mornings - a ministry that grew out of the same conviction that no one should have to worship alone. Missions coordinates the congregation's outreach beyond Myerstown, including the partnership with Lutheran World Relief. The Finance and Endowment committees steward the church's resources, and the Property committee cares for the building and grounds that have housed the parish since 1961.
Meeting the Pastor
The Rev. Kimberly Todd serves as Friedens' pastor. Jennifer Leonard is the parish administrator and also plays organ for the traditional service. Together with the Congregation Council, they shepherd a congregation that has welcomed new faces since the early nineteenth century and continues to do so today. Visitors can reach the church office at 717-866-4910 or jenniferleonard@flcmyerstown.com, and Sunday worship is held at 301 W. Washington Avenue, Myerstown, PA 17067.
Peace in Myerstown for More Than Two Centuries
What makes Friedens Lutheran Church distinctive is not a single program but the long, patient combination of things: a congregation that has stayed in one Pennsylvania town since 1811; two Sunday services in two styles that share one Communion table; a quilting ministry whose hand-stitched blankets end up in refugee camps on the other side of the world; and a clothing closet that opens one Wednesday a month in the same town the congregation has served for more than two centuries. The German name says it quietly from the sign out front: Friedens - peace.