East Chestnut Street Mennonite Church

Home
United States
Lancaster, PA
East Chestnut Street Mennonite Church

Who we are Established in 1879, East Chestnut Street Mennonite Church was the first Mennonite congregation in downtown Lancaster. Visitors are always welcome.

East Chestnut Street combines a sense of history and tradition with a commitment to being an inviting, engaged, and vital congregation where members are encouraged to live out their faith commitments.

05/03/2026

We are excited to welcome Bethel AME to our meetinghouse next Sunday! Come join us for a joint service.

No Sunday school, but a fellowship time after the service. We hope we’ll see you there.

04/13/2024

What have you learned from Peter’s journey of faith? |

04/11/2024

There is neither shaming nor blaming, nor does Jesus forgive Peter. Instead, Jesus knows that what he will ask Peter to do is something Peter could not fathom before. Only now, in this renewal of relationship with the resurrected Jesus is Peter’s trust affirmed and Jesus’ trust in Peter confirmed.

—Rev. Dr. Karoline Lewis (.lewis), from her commentary on John 21:1-19 |

04/09/2024

While we interpret the heart as love, it is also a symbol for endurance and patience. Peter gets to this point by maintaining goodwill and faith in the message of Jesus. He stumbled through the journey and at times caused more harm than good, but Christ was also patient with him.

"Here’s my heart. Here are the things I care about so deeply. And you—someone who makes mistakes, doesn’t follow directions, and sometimes even betrays me—you are so loved and trusted enough to keep this good work going even after I’m gone."

This is a message to all of us. It doesn’t matter how poorly you may think of yourself or how others may view you. To Christ, you are beautifully and fearfully made. And Christ believes in you in spite of it all.

—from the artist's statement for "Feed My Sheep" by Rev. Nicolette Peñaranda (.faison) |

Rev. Nicolette Peñaranda has incorporated many Adinkra symbols from the Gyaman people of Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire into her art. Learn more about their meanings and significance at adinkrasymbols.org.

04/07/2024

Though Peter’s story does not end with the conclusion of the Gospels, we finish our series with Peter’s encounter with the risen Christ. In this final week, we come full circle with Peter. He has dropped his nets, walked on water, professed his faith, been rebuked, received footwashing, denied Jesus, and run to the tomb. And now, Jesus once again meets him at the shoreline where Peter is casting his nets. Jesus offers abundant nourishment and also a new command: “Feed my sheep.” Then he turns to Peter and asks three times, “Do you love me?” It’s as if Jesus says, “Here’s my heart,” which washes over Peter’s three denials like a healing balm. No matter how far we wander, may we entrust our hearts to God. No matter if our faith is strong or weak, what we can give is our love. |

04/06/2024

We are not asked to explain the resurrection, offer proof for the resurrection, or make a case for the resurrection. Instead, like Peter, we live in wonder—for how belief in the God of resurrection truly can change the world.

—Rev. Dr. Karoline Lewis (.lewis), from her commentary on Luke 24:1-12 |

04/04/2024

Like Peter,
I would run if I could.
Stop the car,
pump my arms,
take the church steps two at a time,
all to know—
Did it happen?
Did it really happen?
Is evil no match for love?

—from the poem “Easter Morning” by Rev. Sarah A. Speed |

04/02/2024

God of the garden, just as Peter ran toward you on that Easter morning, I too am running. I am running toward a stronger sense of self. I am running toward my call. I am running toward deeper relationships and deeper faith. I am running into the arms of love. Like Peter, I run toward you. Wait for me. I am on my way. Amen.

—prayer by Rev. Sarah A. Speed |

03/31/2024

We might expect that, after denying Christ, Peter would cower in shame—or perhaps even run away in an attempt to leave his past behind him. Instead, when he hears the news from the women, he doesn’t dismiss them like the other disciples. He gets up and runs to the tomb. When he peers into the empty tomb and sees the linen cloth, he is filled with awe. Even after the biggest failures, even after the worst case scenario has happened, can we run toward hope? Like Peter, will we keep going? Will we keep looking for God in our midst? |

03/29/2024

I depict [Peter] going from stunned to defensive and then to belligerent, navigating the full spectrum of the fight, flight, or freeze responses to a perceived threat. By the time the c**k crows as Jesus predicted (see if you can make out the bird’s faint silhouette in the lower right-hand corner), Peter probably no longer recognizes himself. He must feel deflated and ashamed. At the end of his descent he is different, so I depict him differently from his three prior denials. He has much less fire in his countenance and can’t even open his eyes to face what he’s done.

The flames recall the fire where Peter warmed himself, but they also represent purification and illumination. Peter is forced to see himself as he truly is—as Jesus had already shown him. Who will he choose to be after this? When we are confronted with who we truly are, who will we choose to be after that confrontation? As we look at Peter’s journey, it’s my prayer that we will consider and meditate on our own.

—from the artist's statement for "The Descent" by Rev. T. Denise Anderson () |

Address

432 E Chestnut Street
Lancaster, PA
17602

Website

http://www.ecsmc.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when East Chestnut Street Mennonite Church posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Want your place of worship to be the top-listed Place Of Worship in Lancaster?