To give financially, click above, or here. Thank you!

Several years ago, Zion’s Lutheran Church learned that many families in the Northern Lebanon School District have limited resources which do not allow them to provide their school-aged children with the necessities to start a new school year.  We originally started Back to School Blessings as a way to meet this need for the students of our local, Jonestown, elementary school, and in 2023 helped create the Northern Lebanon Ministerium in order to expand this outreach.

Since 2023, we have worked with the Northern Lebanon Ministerium and the Northern Lebanon School District to meet the needs of ALL Northern Lebanon School District students and we need your help to do so again this year.

We are looking for financial sponsors for the 251 students identified by our school district as needing clothing and school supply assistance. With your help, each of these students will receive new jeans, new sneakers, a new back-to-school outfit, new underwear and socks, and a new backpack filled with necessary school supplies at a special Back to School Blessings event in August. By equipping students, physically, with what they need for the school year, we help empower them, mentally, to begin a new year with confidence. Your sponsorship is truly an investment in children’s lives and futures!

It costs about $100 to fully equip an elementary student for the start of the new school year, and about $125 to prepare a middle or high school student. However, financial gifts of any amount are greatly appreciated. When every person gives what they can, we, collectively, can move mountains. Thank you for your support. We truly can’t do this important work without the help of generous people like you.

Contributions can be made online or through checks marked for Back to School and made payable to the NL Ministerium, PO Box 658, Jonestown, PA 17038.  We can also use volunteer help, prior to, and on the day of distribution. If you would like to help or have any questions, please call or email Deb:  adreiner74@gmail.com, or 717.304.8826.

Again, thank you. Your generous support empowers the lives of children and families in our community, and we are most grateful for your help.

A note about the used clothing that has previously been provided: In year’s past we have also offered gently used clothing at this event. Now that the NL Clothing Closet exists (also supported by the Ministerium), we invite families to shop at the Clothing Closet for gently used clothing.

It takes many, many pairs of shoes to ensure we have the right size for all attendees.

The school supplies are ready to go…with specific supplies for each grade level.

This event wouldn’t be possible without our donors, sponsors, and volunteers! Thank you all!

Mission Trip – Lutheran Camping Corporation

We are excited to announce that the Lutheran churches in Lebanon County are planning their first mission trip since COVID.

The Bible tells us that when we serve others, we are also serving Christ. We are to commit to that service for people as if we were serving Christ himself.

In June 2024, we invite YOU to help us do work at Camp Kirchenwald and possibly Wittel Farm. The work has yet to be determined, but we anticipate there being some kind of construction work, clean up, repairs, painting, etc. Our home base for the week will be at Camp Kirchenwald, in the air-conditioned SchreiberHaus, which we like to call “The Hotel on the Hill.”  This facility will provide overnight weeklong accommodations for up to 39 volunteers. Evenings consist of free-time and group activities. All meals will be provided by camp with the exception of our last night which will be made by our personal cooks. There is an option for those who want to volunteer for the week or for only a few days but prefer to return home at the completion of the service day.

We are a Mission TEAM.  There is a place for everyone.  We welcome all skill levels and all levels of experience.  All of us together complete the service circle.  The only requirements are a willingness to learn, giving your best, and looking forward to a rewarding time of enjoyment and goodwill.

Please consider joining our team. You must be at least 14 years old by June 23^rd to participate. Confirmands can earn service hours for volunteering. The cost is $425 for volunteers who stay at camp. Commuters will pay $10 per day of work.  The commitment form for each volunteer is due to Pastor Caitlin by April 7th. March 3^rd. Volunteers staying at camp will need to include a deposit of $50.00.

If you need more information or have questions, you can talk to myself (Heather Buffington), Denise McDaniels or Judy Cassel.

Martin Luther affirmed “…all human work is a calling from God, if done in faith and for the service of a neighbor.”

Thank you!

One of our newest ministry opportunities is the NL Clothing Closet, which we helped to start through the NL Ministerium. To learn more about the Clothing Closet–how to donate clothing and how to volunteer (and, soon, how to apply for clothing assistance), visit www.nlclothingcloset.org