A Church Built on Three Words
The Lord's House of Prayer sits on East Vine Street in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, a Spirit-filled non-denominational congregation that has grown from a single Bible study group in 1974 into a multi-ethnic family of believers with two Sunday services under the same roof, a children's creative-arts camp, and mission partners on several continents. The church describes its work with three verbs: establish, equip, and encourage, and almost everything that happens at 133 East Vine Street, including worship, children's ministry, youth programs, midweek Bible studies, and global outreach, flows out of that calling.
Visitors will find a warm, multi-generational atmosphere where there is no dress code and where the Sunday schedule is built around two distinct congregations. The LHOP City Church meets in English at 10 AM, and Casa De Alabanza, a bilingual Hispanic congregation, gathers at 3 PM. Both are led under the oversight of founding senior pastors Mark and Abby King, whose story is at the heart of the church's identity.
From Bible Study to Multi-Ethnic Family
The story of The Lord's House of Prayer begins with two people whose lives were transformed in 1974. Mark and Abby King were, in their own words, "the best of sinners" enjoying life in the fast lane and thinking of themselves as basically good people. On January 27 of that year, Abby gave her heart to the Lord. Within months Mark followed, the two married in June, and by November they had enrolled in Bible school. They soon began giving leadership to their home Bible study group, and from that small gathering the vision for LHOP was born.
In June 1979 the church was incorporated as a non-profit organization. Mark King remains the founding senior pastor and continues to provide vision and leadership across all the congregations within the LHOP body. The church describes itself as a "Bible believing, Jesus centered, gift honoring group of born again people who love to worship and desire to live in God's presence." Its mission statement is a creed-like rhythm of commitments: to trust the Word of God and follow His Spirit, to love abundantly and worship passionately, to expect miracles and believe in the power of prayer, to operate in the gifts of the Spirit and stand on His promises, to live with hope and give generously, and to encourage one another and know that God made us for a purpose.
Sundays at LHOP City Church
The English-language congregation gathers for a Sunday rhythm that begins with prayer and runs straight through worship and teaching. At 9:00 AM, "Prepare the Way" pre-service prayer opens the day in the Fellowship Hall. The main 10:00 AM worship service runs until about noon in the sanctuary on the second floor, accessible by stairs or elevator. The service begins with praise and worship and continues into the message; the complete gathering lasts roughly an hour and forty-five minutes to two hours.
Greeters welcome first-time guests at the door, and the church encourages visitors to plan ahead so a host can meet them, save a seat, give a tour, and help with children's check-in. The dress code is simply "come as you are." Children worship with the congregation at the start of the service and are then dismissed to age-appropriate classes: a nursery available throughout the service for the youngest children, a class for two- and three-year-olds, a four-year-old through kindergarten class, and King's Kids for first through sixth graders. The Kids' Zone is monitored by the church's Gate Keeper team.
Parking is free on Sundays at two locations: the Mifflin Lot behind the church at 146 East Mifflin Street, and the East King Street Parking Garage at 150 East King Street. During the week the Mifflin Lot and East King garage charge for parking, but street parking is free after 5 PM on weekdays and all weekend, with two-hour free street parking available during business hours.
Casa De Alabanza: A Bilingual Home
At 3:00 PM on Sundays, the same Vine Street building fills again with Casa De Alabanza, a Spanish bilingual congregation within the LHOP family. Pastors Howard and Daphne Paslay lead the congregation, which describes itself as "a diverse group of believers seeking God's perfect will for our individual lives." The congregation's name, "House of Praise," reflects its heart: encouraging the hopeless to find the hope and freedom that can only come through Christ Jesus.
Casa De Alabanza serves believers across generations. The Spanish-language children's ministry works from nursery through sixth grade and is available in both English and Spanish. Children participate in the early part of the worship service and are then sent to their classes, where they have time to share testimonies and pray for one another. On the fifth Sunday of the month, the entire 3 PM service is led by youth and children, who take turns leading praise, worship, the spoken word, drama, dance, and other gifts. Casa De Alabanza's services are livestreamed on its own Facebook page and remain available under the videos tab for later viewing.
What LHOP Believes
LHOP holds to a classical evangelical and charismatic statement of faith with a strong emphasis on the present work of the Holy Spirit. The Bible is taught as "God's instruction manual," totally inspired by God and the final authority in the life of a believer. There is one God eternally manifested as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The church teaches that human beings, created good, fell through voluntary transgression in the Garden of Eden and can be redeemed only through Jesus Christ.
Salvation is described as a free gift received by grace through faith, not by works, made personal through repentance, confession that Jesus is Lord, and belief in the resurrection. Water baptism follows a believer's confession of faith as an outward testimony of that decision. Distinct from the indwelling of the Spirit available to all believers, LHOP teaches a subsequent baptism of the Holy Spirit that releases power to be a witness and is often accompanied by speaking in tongues and the operation of the spiritual gifts.
Communion is observed as a remembrance of the Lord's death until His return. Healing and deliverance are taught as part of the atonement, the rights of all believers through the finished work of Christ. The church affirms the bodily resurrection of the just into eternal life and the unjust into eternal damnation. Marriage is taught as a covenant act instituted by God to unite a man and a woman for the happiness and prosperity of the family, procreation, and the prevention of promiscuous sexual behavior.
Next Generation: King's Kids, Eleven:59, and the Creative Arts Camp
Children and teenagers are central to LHOP's sense of calling. The children's ministry, branded as King's Kids, is built on Matthew 19:14 ("Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these"), and partners with parents to lead children into a life-changing relationship with Jesus. All teachers carry updated background checks. Children's ministry leaders Alex and Carol Rabold oversee a team of department heads: Kim Eckman for nursery, Carol Rabold for the two- and three-year-old room, Dani Brenneman for four-year-olds through kindergarten, and Alex and Carol Rabold for King's Kids first through sixth grade.
Each summer since 2003, LHOP has run the King's Kids Creative Arts Camp, a one-week day camp for children entering grades one through six. Held Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 3:30 PM with a Saturday session from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM and a Sunday morning performance at 10 AM, the camp gives children hands-on experience in acting, singing, dancing, drawing, painting, rhythm, and crafts. Campers from LHOP, other churches, and the wider neighborhood spend the week learning biblical truths and then present a Biblically-based musical for parents and friends. Joanne Kroll directs the camp.
For students in sixth through twelfth grade, Eleven:59 Youth meets Wednesday evenings from 7 to 8:30 PM in the basement of the church office, with a hangout room opening at 6:45 PM. Led by Youth Administrator Krista Hurley and a team that includes David Brenneman, Rebekah and John Feeser, and others, Eleven:59 describes itself as "a place where real teens meet a real God." Permission slips are required for minors.
Midweek: Life Groups, Bible Studies, and Prayer
Life Groups are LHOP's small-group ministry, "Loving, Involving, Feeding, Evangelizing," and the church teaches that the Christian life is not meant to be lived alone. Groups meet at various times through the week and across the life stages, working through the Bible together and sharing practical ways to apply what God has revealed.
Two evenings anchor the week. The Women's Bible Study and the Mighty Men of the Word men's group meet on Wednesdays. On the second and third Wednesdays of each month from 7 to 8:30 PM, LHOP City Church runs a full Family Night lineup: LOL Girls for first through fifth grade, ACT Boys for first through fifth grade, Pray and Play for children six months through kindergarten, and "Moms: We're In This Together" in the Mother's Room. The Eleven:59 youth group meets at the same hour.
Beyond the weekly calendar, LHOP offers ongoing classes and services. A Foundations Class walks through the church's doctrinal statements for anyone wanting to learn more or pursue membership, with lunch provided. Ladies' gatherings happen periodically in the Fellowship Hall. Child dedications and water baptisms are scheduled throughout the year. A prayer team stands ready to receive requests by email, and an Altar Team is available after every Sunday service to pray for healing, provision, deliverance, protection, and encouragement.
Going and Sending: World Impact
LHOP describes itself as a church that establishes, equips, and encourages not only in Lancaster County but around the world. The World Impact ministry coordinates the church's response to the Great Commission, supporting missionaries and teams on several continents.
Pastor Ruben and his wife Aisela pastor and plant churches in Belize, with works in Orange Walk, San Ignacio, Belmopan, and Sarteneja. A new church building in Orange Walk houses a dental clinic serving Belizeans through visiting professional teams, and a second clinic is underway in San Ignacio. Tim and Martha serve in Jerusalem through the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem and the University of the Holy Land, helping train Biblical Hebrew translators. Denny and Maureen, who pioneered concert tours and the "Rock on the Rock" and "Rock on Christmas" festivals in Italy, now live in Portugal and work with Steiger International. Their son Isaac and his wife Judy reach young adults in Lisbon through Steiger and the No Longer Music creative evangelistic team. Yair and Anna, Israeli followers of Jesus, host and pray for the peace of Jerusalem through TBN Israel. Marek and Marysia run a church and conference center in Gryfow Slaski, Poland, reaching out to the homeless, alcoholics, prisoners, and the poor. Charlie and Alana are part of the Steiger team in Lisbon. Ian and Milly train Christian workers and run a Christian elementary school for children ages four to twelve in Uganda.
Members can support these teams through Faith Promises, monthly commitments given in faith to underwrite the work of LHOP's missionaries. The annual World Impact Conference is a chance to hear updates directly from the field, with shared meals, a flag processional, and a guest message from Pastor Mark King.
Giving and Staying Connected
LHOP offers three ways to give. Gifts can be brought to the Sunday service and placed in the offering basket or in the donation box at the back of the sanctuary. Donations can also be mailed to the church office at 133 East Vine Street, Lancaster, PA 17602, or given online through the church's secure giving portal, which notes that a small processing fee is incurred for online donations.
Sermons are livestreamed on the LHOP City Church YouTube channel and remain available for later viewing under the Live tab. Casa De Alabanza livestreams on its own Facebook page. A bulletin is published online, and a mobile app keeps members connected. Users enter zip code 17602 and look for the LHOP logo. Prayer requests and praise reports can be submitted through an online form or emailed to LHOPCityPrayer@gmail.com. During severe weather, schedule changes are posted on the LHOP main page, Facebook, and WJTL FM 90.3's Operation Snow Crew.