First Evangelical Lutheran Church
21 South Bedford Street, Carlisle, PA 17013 (for GPS purposes, use 100 East High Street)
We rejoice with Mary, the servant of the Lord, as we celebrate the fourth and final Sunday of Advent this Sunday. “And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.”
We will follow our normal Sunday morning worship schedule, with holy communion at 8 and 10:30 a.m.
Join us as we prepare to celebrate our Savior’s birth!
Pictured above is Mary, displayed each December at our door on High Street to bless our neighborhood and passers-by.
Through bible readings, hymn singing and anthems by our Chancel Choir, we will re-tell the story of how God sent Jesus to us as a little baby.
Join us for this beautiful candlelight service and for Christmas cookies in the Atrium after!
Both of our Christmas Eve services include carols, holy communion and candle lighting. Our 7 p.m. festival service will be preceded by special music beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Join us as we celebrate the birth of Jesus!
Pictured: the Nativity window in our nave.
The people of First Lutheran wish you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving!
As we give thanks for the past year, and especially for God’s abiding love for us, we offer this prayer:
Almighty God our Father, your generous goodness comes to us new every day. By the work of your Spirit lead us to acknowledge your goodness, give thanks for your benefits, and serve you in willing obedience, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen
(from Evangelical Lutheran Worship)
Each year, the Salvation Army Angel Tree Project provides Christmas gifts to hundreds of children in our community. Thanks to all who have already taken an angel tree tag! A few tags are left if you still would like to participate. A reminder that gifts are due no later than Sunday, November 26. Items should be placed in a large black plastic bag (one for each child) with the angel tag attached to the bag.
Thank you for your generosity toward our community!
Our next blood drive is quickly approaching! To see available appointments and pre-register for our drive, just click here: BLOOD DRIVE SCHEDULE
This fall’s drive is in honor of Isabel Schuster, a four-year old from Shippensburg diagnosed this summer with B Cell ALL- Leukemia. Isabel has received multiple blood transfusions and platelet infusions as part of her treatment. Blood donations do indeed save lives!!!
First Lutheran will be participating again this year in the downtown Carlisle trick-or-treat event known as “Spooky Saturday”. In recent years, several hundred children and parents have passed through our doors and received candy and information about our congregation. This is a great opportunity to show hospitality to our neighbors.
We will need volunteers to welcome trick-or-treaters and help give out candy on October 21. If you can help for an hour or two between noon and 3 p.m., please let the church office know. If you cannot volunteer that afternoon, you can still help by bringing a bag of candy to the church office sometime before Friday, October 20. Thank you!!
Our 2023-24 Fine Arts at First concert series kicks off on Sunday, September 17, 4 p.m., when Daniel Aune will perform on our wonderful Aeolian-Skinner organ. Dr. Aune leads the choral and instrumental programs, as well as the Hafenmusik: Music by the Harbor concert series, at Christ Lutheran Church, Baltimore, Maryland. He holds the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in organ performance from the Eastman School of Music, where he studied with David Higgs, as well as a Master of Music degree in organ, a Master of Music degree in harpsichord, and the Sacred Music Diploma, all from Eastman as well. Hailing from Minnesota, Dr. Aune is a lifelong Lutheran who enjoys being part of a downtown church committed to excellence in worship and vibrant social ministry.
All Fine Arts at First concerts are free and open to the public. A free will offering will be taken. Attendees are invited to enjoy light refreshments served in the Martin Luther Room after the concert. Please join us!
Thanks to all who helped us celebrate “Christmas in July”! Hundreds of “care kits” – socks for men, women and children filled with personal hygiene items and snacks – were assembled from your donations.
The care kits were blessed during worship on Sunday, September 3, and are being distributed through the Community CARES locations in Shippensburg and Carlisle.
Community CARES provides emergency shelter, resources, and supportive services to individuals and families at risk of or experiencing homelessness, and First Lutheran is grateful to be able to support its ministries.
May we be inspired all year long by the joy, peace and hope of Christmas!
On Sunday, June 25th, we will hold one communion service at 9:15 a.m., followed by a continental breakfast. This is an opportunity for our two worshiping communities – the ‘early’ folks and the ‘late’ folks – to gather together around Christ’s table…and then the breakfast table!
Scenes from Fellowship Sunday 2022’s breakfast!