On the corner of 21st and Market Street in downtown Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, West Shore Baptist Church gathers every Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m. to do what it has done for generations: sing, pray, preach the Word, and welcome the wandering and the weary. The congregation's opening invitation is as generous as it is plain - to all who are weary and need rest, to all who mourn and long for comfort, to all who feel worthless and wonder if God even cares, to all who are weak and desire strength, to all who are skeptical and need answers, to all who sin and need a Savior, and to whoever else will come. West Shore Baptist welcomes them in the name of Jesus.
Believe, Belong, Bridge, Become
The shorthand the church uses for its calling is four verbs: Believe, Belong, Bridge, Become. Each verb names one strand of discipleship that WSBC has chosen to weave into the life of the congregation.
To believe is to trust God's Word. Each week the congregation gathers to hear Scripture sung, prayed, and preached and to be challenged to live out who God says they are and what He calls them to. Belonging is the antidote to isolation; disciples cannot grow alone, so the church prioritizes community groups, encouraging everyone to actively engage with one. Bridging is the outward impulse - disciples quickly realize they carry the greatest news ever told and are called to share it through intentional outreach. At WSBC that means praying for and engaging at least one person who does not know Jesus while joining others in local, national, and global missions. Becoming is the inner work of being shaped like Jesus from the inside out, pursued most often through intentional mentoring relationships.
"Whether you are new to faith or have been following Jesus for years," the church notes, "there is a place for you here."
A Sunday at WSBC
Worship begins at 10:30 a.m. and is held in person at the church and streamed live online through the church's YouTube channel. Doors open earlier. At 9:00 a.m. Sunday School classes meet throughout the building, and at 10:00 a.m. coffee is served in Davidson Chapel so early arrivals can grab a cup, visit the Welcome Center in the lobby, and get to know the people around them. First-time guests are invited to come as they are: from suits to shorts, whatever feels most comfortable is welcome.
Parking is straightforward. There are spaces behind the church, additional parking at the NextHome Realty lot off 21st Street, and street parking along Market and surrounding blocks. The church has handicap-accessible entrances at both the lower 21st Street entrance and the Market Street entrance.
Children are woven into the Sunday morning rhythm from the very beginning. Nursery care is offered for children up to age 4 beginning at 10:15 a.m. (the children and youth page lists 10:20 a.m.), and parents may drop off their child(ren) at any point during the service. Children ages 4 through 4th grade join the adults in worship for the first part of the service. Before the sermon begins, they are invited to leave the worship center and transition to Children's Church for a time of teaching specifically geared for them.
A Blend of Traditional and Contemporary
Music at West Shore Baptist is both old and new. The service pairs traditional hymns with contemporary songs, all led by a music ministry team that includes vocalists, instrumentalists, an adult choir, and a bell choir. Each Sunday is different as musicians and vocalists use their varied gifts. After a time of singing, the congregation prays together and then spends time in the Word.
Carol Saltzer directs the music ministry, leading and coordinating worship music along with the bell choir and adult choir. Gary Stefanic serves as the church's organist, supporting worship each week with a deep appreciation for traditional hymns and sacred music. The variety reflects the church's blended style - a service that respects the heritage of hymnody while leaving room for newer songs of faith.
Children and Youth Ministry
The aim of the children's and youth ministry is straightforward: helping children encounter Jesus and grow in their knowledge of His love.
Kids' Club gathers students in grades 1 through 6 on Wednesday nights from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. for an evening of age-appropriate Bible study, activities, and fun. The group meets in Davidson Chapel and is facilitated by Maura Bihl, the church's part-time Children's Ministry Director, together with Pastor Kelly. Children age 4 through 4th grade are also invited to Children's Church during the sermon each Sunday, where they grow in God through learning His Word, singing His praises, and building community.
Youth Mentoring offers one-on-one mentoring for students in grades 9 through 12. Mentors help students engage with their faith through the study of the Bible, faith exploration, and relationship building. Anyone interested can connect with Pastor Kelly for more information.
Family Ministry is treated as a core value. The Children's Ministry Director plans regular events and provides resources for family discipleship, helping parents as they raise their children in Christ.
Sunday School and Community Groups
Adults have several ways to grow in the Word and one another at WSBC.
Sunday School meets at 9:00 a.m. Two classes are open to anyone who wants to come. The Various Topics class is inter-generational and meets in Davidson Chapel under the leadership of Pastor Kelly with a rotation of facilitators; new topics are announced seasonally. The Searchers Class meets in Rooms 201 and 202 of the education wing and is taught by Tom Kennerly, working through the Bible and applying biblical principles to daily life.
Community Groups are the heartbeat of the church's small-group life. Open to anyone (unless a group specifies otherwise), they meet twice each month in a participant's home for fellowship, Bible study, and prayer. The groups are described as spaces to build real connections and grow in faith, to explore God's Word, to wrestle with life's questions, and to support one another in following Jesus. Anyone interested can connect directly with a facilitator or email the church office at wsbcmail@gmail.com.
Men and Women Around the Breakfast Table
On the third Saturday of each month, men and women gather separately for breakfast. The men meet at 8:00 a.m. and the women at 8:30 a.m. The dining locations change monthly, so the church's calendar lists the current spot. The women's group asks participants to pre-register through the Church Center app. The pattern is unhurried and informal, an opportunity to share a meal, conversation, and encouragement across the rhythms of an ordinary month.
A Church Bathed in Prayer
Prayer is built into the church's identity at every level. The prayer ministry team describes prayer as the lifeblood of ministry and believes the ministries of WSBC must be bathed in prayer from conception to completion.
The prayer ministry takes several forms. On Sunday mornings, members of the Prayer Team are easy to spot by their yellow "how can I pray for you" buttons and are honored to pray with and for anyone throughout the week. After each worship service, prayer ministers station themselves at the front of the sanctuary and are available to pray with anyone who wants to respond to the Lord; all prayer ministry is confidential. A prayer email list sends submitted requests to the WSBC prayer chain. Requests can be submitted through the prayer request form on the church's Church Center page or app.
The Memorial Ministry and Mission (3M) Grant Fund
West Shore Baptist was founded as a mission church and has carried that identity forward. Each year the church allocates a minimum of 20% of its general fund budget to missions, supplementing that commitment with grants from the Memorial Ministry and Mission (3M) Fund.
The 3M Fund serves as an endowment for supplemental missions efforts. Grants are distributed semi-annually; applications for the spring disbursement are due by April 30 and for the fall by October 31. Applicants do not need to be members of WSBC, but the grants cannot be used for rainy day funds, current staff positions, ongoing church operating expenses, repairs, or capital improvements to facilities. Awards favor organizations and initiatives that affirm and express the love of Christ, seek to further His Kingdom, and serve under-resourced individuals and families locally and globally, with a particular interest in evangelistic outreach to unreached and unchurched people. Completed applications go to wsbcmail@gmail.org.
Summer Musical Theater Camp
Each summer, the Christian Education Board hosts a Musical Theater Camp that has featured shows like Disney's Frozen Kids, The Wizard of Oz, and Aladdin Kids. The camp spends a week investing in students from the community, combining the songs, choreography, and stagecraft of a full production with a central teaching about the greatest act of sacrificial love: Jesus' gift of Himself.
The camp is designed for students entering 1st through 12th grade. Under the guidance of expert coaches, campers learn songs, choreography, and stage skills while making new friends and building confidence; no prior experience is required. A limited number of spots are available each year, with auditions for lead roles and a modest per-student cost. Information about the next summer's camp is released each spring.
What They Hold to Be True
West Shore Baptist teaches that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, co-equal with the Father, who lived a sinless human life and offered himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all humanity by dying on a cross. He rose from the dead after three days, ascended to heaven's glory, and will return again someday to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son, present in the world to make people aware of their need for Jesus, and living in every Christian from the moment of salvation. The Spirit gives every believer one or more spiritual gifts, and the church seeks to live under the Spirit's daily guidance and control.
The Bible is God's Word, written by human authors under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living, inspired by God, inerrant in its original autographs, and infallible.
Humans are created in the image of God but, because of sin, are separated from God and unable to save themselves through good works or religious deeds. Salvation is by God's grace through trusting in Christ alone; the gift of salvation, for those genuinely saved, cannot be lost and is maintained and secured for eternity by the grace and power of God.
The church teaches that humans are created to live forever - either eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through His forgiveness and salvation. Heaven and hell are real places of eternal existence.
The Team at WSBC
West Shore Baptist is served by a small, dedicated staff. Rev. Kelly Legg is the Senior Pastor. A West Virginia native, she grew up in Jane Lew with her mom and younger brother, completed her B.A. at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, and went on to receive her Master of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary northeast of Boston in 2009. She was ordained into the American Baptist Churches USA during her years in Massachusetts and previously served as pastor of the First Baptist Church of Norristown before arriving at WSBC in July 2018.
Maura Bihl serves as the part-time Director of Children's Ministry. She first came to WSBC as a student at Messiah University, volunteered with the youth group through graduate school, and returned to the Camp Hill area to work as an Occupational Therapist before joining the staff.
Carol Saltzer is the Music Director, leading and coordinating worship music, the bell choir, and the adult choir. Gary Stefanic serves as the church's organist. The church is currently without an associate pastor and is prayerfully discerning who God will call to join the team next, posting a church profile and ministry description as part of an open search process.
Getting Connected
The fastest ways into the life of West Shore Baptist are Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m. and a cup of coffee in Davidson Chapel at 10:00 a.m. Sunday School meets at 9:00 a.m., Kids' Club gathers Wednesday nights at 6:30 p.m., and Community Groups meet twice a month in homes throughout the week. Giving, event registration, and prayer requests are available through the Church Center app. The congregation can be reached at (717) 761-0942 or wsbcmail@gmail.com.