HOLY TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH
216 Main Street, York Springs, PA 17372
717.528.4393 office@yorkspringslutheran.org
Grow in faith,
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live in hope,
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serve with love.
Holy Trinity is repairing and refurbishing the former Christ Chapel after receiving it from the Episcopal diocese (it was scheduled for demolition).
Now it's Holy Trinity Community Corner.
Once open, it will house a larger Clothing Pantry,
free children's books, and an expanded food cupboard.
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So, there's work to be done and money to be raised!
Scroll down with your mouse (or up with your finger) to see
what has been accomplished so far!
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This project is being made financially possible by generous donors, including:
Members and friends of Holy Trinity
The Adams County Community Foundation
Lower Susquehanna Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
The Robert C. Hoffman Charitable Endowment Trust
The Borough of York Springs (from Federal Pandemic Funds)
(but more funds are needed to complete the project!)
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September, 2022:
Pastor Chris, Rt. Rev. Audrey Scanlan, and Jeremiah Jones at the Deconsecration Service at the Episcopal chapel.
Holy Trinity got the key to the chapel!
December, 2022:
The chimney came down easily as the mortar had deteriorated and the bricks were gathered for reuse.
January, 2023
The roof was
replaced!
Community Aid gave us a grant to help with
paying for the metal roof, soffit, and spouting.
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March 25, 2023: Ten members worked on turning pews into reusable lumber, saving the pew's panel doors and the double lectern, and cleaning up the debris on the floor.
The shop vac and some cleaning supplies were purchased using funds from Thrivent.
The double lectern would be reused. The floors were in generally good shape but the elevated stage needed to be leveled and soft, damaged areas replaced.
May, 2023: Thanks to Connor and Jeremiah Jones for removing the stage so work could be done on the floors.
This historic sign, which was on the chapel's exterior, will be preserved inside.
December, 2023, and again it was Jeremiah and Conner cleaning out a lot of debris and dirt in preparation for replacement and repair of the floor. When asked if we need more volunteers, Jeremiah said that it was a job for just a few due to the space and labor required. He was sure more of us could help as the project progressed!
Filling in loose brickwork and pouring the foundation to prepare floor joists took a couple of Saturdays but these guys got the job done! (March, 2024)
February 3, 2024, and the remaining pews were removed!
We're happy that the organ (shown above), which was still playable, was donated to a pastor who originally saw the organ 25 years ago when he came to do some maintenance at the former chapel with his Episcopal youth group.
Warmer weather brought changes to the building's exterior! A rear ADA-accessible entry door (thanks to a grant from the Lutheran Lower Susquehanna Synod) would soon be in! Professional masons were required for the job. The old windows were removed.
(April, 2024)
Extreme summer heat stalled some work, but Jeremiah and Conner were back volunteering in July to replace the windows' headers.
August, 2024: The header prep for the windows was finished and the windowsills were leveled.
Next, a bid for the windows was awarded after discerning those received.
Early September, 2024:
The final measurements were taken and the windows ordered! Fabrication would take about 8 weeks.
In late
September, volunteers emptied the building of everything, storing that which would be repurposed, so that the demolition of the ceiling could begin
Ceiling Demo!
What a dusty
mess!
Our volunteers are the best!
And we have windows!! The mild late October weather allowed the ceiling to be demolished and removed by volunteers and then the windows were installed by professionals.
December, 2024, our front door was repaired along with the side light windows (the top fan lights' are a future job) and primed for painting. How refreshed it looked to start the new year!
Winter made progress a bit slower, but our wonderful super volunteers (Jeremiah and Conner) prepared the interior for the contracted installers, and supplies were placed in the building!
March brought interior work with contractors
(and our super volunteers)! Floor underlayment with insulation, wall studs, and framing seemed
to suddenly appear, making the interior look ready for new possibilities!
Thanks to the Adams County Community Foundation for a grant that helped with those costs.
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March 22, 2025:
lots of our volunteers
added insulation in the upper walls before the electricals
and HVAC could be installed
in the lower walls.
(Thanks to the Robert C. Hoffman Trust for the grant for the purchase of the HVAC system!)
All the underlaying flooring made work safer and easier as well as making the interior look more finished.
As interior work continued, so did work on the rear handicapped-accessible entrance. Additionally, headstones from the former chapel were removed, repaired, and replaced on sturdier foundations.
This rear walkway also provides easy access to our prayer garden's entrance!
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The bench at the rear entrance was free from Trex since we collected and donated 1000 pounds of lightweight plastic film to them as coordinated by the York Springs Lions Club.
Ceiling insulation went in with volunteer help so the drop ceiling could be installed in the near future.
Summer, 2025:
Lots of rain and 90+ degree days slowed down work a bit in the summer with our contractors, but we were still moving forward.
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The front entry way got an update along with the side semi-circular window frames.
We have an HVAC system! Conner both assisted and learned as he helped our contractor install the ceiling work, vents and unit!
Early August, 2025
Autumn 2025
We are very appreciative of all the support and funding we have received from the greater community! It continues to be a financial struggle so discounted purchases from resources like Facebook Marketplace (rear door) and donated items (baskets for our customers from businesses closing) always help.
Thrivent gave us a grant for our youth to plant shrubs and perennials around the rear accessible entrance to make it welcoming for all who use that entrance and walkway.
The plants also provided environmental education and will continue to provide a habitat and food for bees, birds, and other pollinators.
If you have read this much of our Community Corner's journey, you will know that we are not yet in the building. Funding is still needed! While our volunteers are great at donating labor, supplies are still needed and must be purchased for us to move the clothing pantry into the building. Once the pantry is moved, additional food, books, and other resources for our neighbors in need will be added.
All photos are shared by members of the congregation and may not be copied without permission.