A Lutheran Church Planted on the Foul Line
Lord of Life Lutheran Church began with a passing thought on a summer drive. In the 1980s, the bishop of the New Jersey Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America noticed on his way to the shore that the Pinelands community of Tabernacle had no Lutheran presence. Out of that observation came a mission: in 1985, Pastor David W. Jones was tasked with planting a church from scratch, and on a Sunday morning in 1986 the first congregation gathered for communion - on the foul line of the gym at Indian Mills School.
The fellowship grew quickly enough that in 1992 the congregation moved into its own building on 1 Winchester Court, a quiet side street tucked between Shawnee High School and Murphy's Market. A Faith Development Center followed in 2006, and within it Grace Place Preschool opened its doors in September 2007. Pastor Jones, now Pastor Emeritus, is still remembered by name. The mission the congregation wrote for itself has not changed: "Joyfully reaching out in love as God's people."
Saturday Evenings and Sunday Mornings in Tabernacle
Two weekly worship services anchor life at Lord of Life. On Saturday at 5:00 p.m. the congregation gathers for a traditional service. On Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m., the larger Sunday service is held, with children's programming running alongside it and a livestream carried on the church's YouTube channel for those at home.
Children ages three through fourth grade are invited during the 9:30 service to "Bible, Faith and Friends," an age-appropriate lesson designed to help the youngest members grow spiritually through fun and friendship. A nursery stocked with toys is available every Sunday, and on the third Sunday of each month the nursery is staffed during the service for parents who would like a hand. Every Sunday, immediately after worship, Fellowship Hall fills with coffee, treats and conversation during Coffee Hour Fellowship.
Office hours run Tuesday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Visitors looking for a first stop should feel free to call ahead at 609-268-0262 or write to lordlife@lordlife.us.
A Sanctuary That Declares Itself a Mental Health Stigma-Free Zone
On October 29, 2023, the congregation formally announced that Lord of Life Lutheran Church is a Mental Health Stigma-Free Zone. The pledge, drawn from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, commits the church to being a safe place to speak about mental health, to ask for support, to pray together, and to be allies who help build community resources for people to grow in mental health. The commitment shapes how Pastor Barry Scott and the pastoral care team approach the people who walk through the doors: anyone, in any season of life, can ask for a listening ear.
The Meditation Walk Through the Pines
Behind the church building, a meditation walk winds through the wooded acres that surround the property. Fourteen stations, each paired with a Scripture passage, follow the last hours of Jesus from the Upper Room through the crucifixion and on to the empty tomb on the first Easter morning. The walk draws on passages from Luke, Matthew, Mark and John, including the Last Supper, Gethsemane, the trial before Pilate, the carrying of the cross, the crucifixion, the burial in Joseph of Arimathea's tomb and the discovery of the resurrection. Members and visitors use the path at their own pace as a way to pause, reflect and pray through the story of Christ's Passion, especially during Lent.
Music for Every Voice and Instrument
Worship and Music Director Rick Krause, who has led music at Lord of Life since 2000 on Saturday and 2011 on Sundays, oversees a layered music ministry that gives musicians and singers of every kind a place to serve. The New Life Choir rehearses on Wednesday evenings from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. and warms up at 9:00 a.m. on Sundays before supporting the 9:30 service. The Praise Team, made up of vocalists and instrumentalists, also rehearses at 9:00 a.m. on Sundays for that same service. The Celebration Ringers, the church's handbell choir, performs at selected services throughout the year. Soloists and instrumentalists are encouraged to share their gifts at services of their choosing or during special holiday services. All ensembles welcome new participants; no auditions are required for the choir or praise team, only a love for singing or playing.
Children, Youth and Family Life
Breanne Tomlinson, the Children, Youth and Family Director, coordinates a wide offering for families at every stage. Junior and senior high youth meet for fellowship and study, and Sunday mornings include Bible, Faith and Friends for ages three through fourth grade. Throughout the year, special events such as play dates, Trunk or Treat and Vacation Bible School give families shared memories and easier connections with one another. The congregation walks alongside parents through Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation, with adult "Confirmation Angels" matched to students to offer anonymous encouragement through letters and small gifts, culminating in a reveal party at the end of the Confirmation journey.
Grace Place Preschool
Housed inside the Faith Development Center, Grace Place Preschool has been a ministry of Lord of Life since September 2007. It is a faith-based, family-oriented program for children ages three through five that combines a hands-on academic curriculum with creative thinking, socialization and exploration. Enrichment programs broaden the children's experience with unique avenues of learning. Families interested in enrollment can reach Director Amy Wilmot at 609-268-2756 or director@graceplacenj.com, or visit graceplacenj.com.
Adults in Fellowship, Study and Service
Adult and Senior Ministry Director Janell Reich coordinates a calendar that is full of small, recurring ways for grown-ups to connect. Time for Talents gathers on the first Friday of each month at 10:00 a.m. for seasonal art, craft and needlework projects, with supplies provided and friends always welcome. A Book Club meets on the second Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. for lively discussion of varied genres. The Lunch Bunch shares a meal at a local restaurant on the third Wednesday at 12:30 p.m., with the location changing each month. Bible Study gathers on Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. with roughly six different topics across the year, including Christmas and Lenten studies paired with soup suppers, and takes a break in the summer. Men's and women's groups meet for social outings, service projects and devotional time throughout the year, and a Men's Weekly Breakfast meets at 8:00 a.m. at Evergreen Dairy Bar.
Other rhythms include Devotion and Walk, a hike and brief devotion at local parks on the last Tuesday of each month, and People Enjoying People (PEP) luncheons on the third Thursday at noon in Fellowship Hall, each month with a different theme. Day trips to places like WheatonArts, Smithville Mansion and the Phillies' stadium are planned a few times a year.
Hands Helping the Community
Volunteerism is woven into the life of the church. Shopping carts in the entry hallway hold ongoing collections for the Christian Caring Center in Browns Mills and Bridge of Peace, with seasonal drives for school supplies each fall, Christmas gifts in December, books for children and incarcerated people, fidget blankets and cards for care facilities served by Lutheran Social Ministry, and athletic shoes collected for MORE (Modular Organic Regenerative Environments) to ship to communities in need.
Helping Hands is the signature monthly outreach: on the last Wednesday of each month at 9:00 a.m., an assembly line gathers to make close to 200 sandwiches in an hour for guests served by the Christian Caring Center. On the first Thursday at 10:00 a.m., the Songs of Joy music ministry brings a program of songs and scripture to residents at Wiley in Marlton. A Soup Ministry invites members to drop off homemade frozen meals in the church kitchen freezer to be distributed to neighbors in need, and volunteers support worship each Sunday as greeters, ushers, AV operators, readers, altar guild, singers and property care helpers.
Pastor Barry Scott and the Team
Pastor Barry Scott became Interim Pastor at Lord of Life in January 2024, after retiring in 2021 from fifteen years as Senior Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church and School in Marysville, Ohio. Before Lord of Life he served part-time as Interim Pastor at Epiphany Lutheran Church in Dayton, where he mentored the new Senior Pastor, led weekly worship and provided pastoral care. His civic work in Marysville included co-founding the local ministerial association, The Hope Center for social services and the 2nd Chances Thrift Store, and serving four years on the board of Families Matter, a juvenile drug diversion program.
Members of the ministry team include Janell Reich, Director of Adult and Senior Ministry; Rick Krause, Worship and Music Director; and Breanne Tomlinson, Children, Youth and Family Director. Pastor Emeritus David W. Jones remains part of the church's story. The church council is led by President Bill Reich, and the monthly LifeLines newsletter, edited by James Cuviello, keeps the congregation connected between Sundays. Members pursuing college or trade school may apply each spring for one of the church's annual scholarships, with applications due in the church office by May 31.
Lord of Life Lutheran Church lives by its self-description as a place where "everyone is someone and Jesus is Lord of Life," a community that takes its Lutheran faith, its children, its music and its neighbors seriously, and finds joy in doing so together.