Offering Hope, Life, and Love in Jesus
About Us
Thank you for visiting our website today!
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Alive Church Ephrata is an Anabaptist Congregation located in the heart of beautiful Lancaster County, PA.
Click on the menu items below to learn more about us, our leadership team, beliefs, vision, purpose, and history.
Pastors & Staff
JEFFREY HIGH
Lead Pastor
Pastor Jeff High serves as lead pastor and oversees worship, is involved in visitation, teaching and preaching, Jeff has worked in part-time ministry since 1995
and was ordained in 2005.
Jeff graduated from Conestoga
Valley High School and received
a Masters Degree in Church Studies from Eastern Mennonite Seminary.
Jeff enjoys reading, history and following sports. He and his wife, Janet, live in Hopeland, PA and
are parents of three children,
Jeneé, Jessica and Jordan.
JEAN MARTIN
Congregational Care Coordinator
Jean works with the pastoral leadership team helping with crisis care, visitation, and nurturing the church family in ministry to each other. She has been a life-long
member of Alive Church, seeing
the faithfulness of God as the congregation communicates
the Gospel, cultivates fellowship, glorifies God, and builds
God's kingdom.
Jean enjoys reading, quiet places,
and is fond of and energized by
the outdoors, especially tenting, biking and long hikes. She and her husband Jerry have two children
and six grandchildren who enjoy nature with her.
DAVID BUCH
Associate Pastor
Pastor David Buch serves as part of the leadership team and shares in many areas of ministry. He was ordained in January 2017 at Metzler Mennonite Church and then joined the leadership team at Alive Church in December 2022.
David graduated from Conestoga Valley School District and completed STEP in 2020.
David is married to Lisa and has three children, Jacob, Anna, and Laura. They live on a farm in Ephrata and enjoy working together, playing games, hunting and spending time with friends.
KEVIN MARTIN
Associate Pastor
Pastor Kevin Martin serves as part of the leadership team and shares in many areas of ministry. He joined the leadership team at Alive Church in December 2022.
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Kevin graduated from Ephrata High School in 1995 and Harrisburg Community College in 1997 with an associates degree in the General Motors ASEP program. He is currently enrolled in the STEP program for pastoral training at LMC.
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He enjoys being with his family, spending time outdoors, hunting, and fabricating anything with a motor in his shop. He is married to Janelle and they have four children, Brianna, Collin, Natalie, and Laina.
Our Vision
The vision of Alive Church Ephrata is to be a biblical, celebrative congregation ministering Christ to one another, the community, and the world. We seek to continue the works which Jesus began. We encourage “every member” involvement to fulfill Christ’s Great Commission.
Our Purpose
We believe God sent His Son, Jesus, to save and heal, and called us to make disciples by the empowerment
of the Holy Spirit. The purpose and calling of Alive Church Ephrata is lived out through five ministries:
MISSIONS
Communicating the Gospel locally and globally by going, baptizing, and teaching.
WORSHIP
Glorifying God in corporate celebration and personal spiritual disciplines.
ADMINISTRATION
Overseeing the financial and material assests God has entrusted to Alive Church Ephrata.
CHURCH LIFE
Cultivating fellowship and care for one another by utilizing our spiritual gifts.
NURTURE
Building up God’s kingdom by developing mature believers.
Our History
In 1901, a group of Mennonites in the Ephrata area began meeting together for fellowship and nurture. Most Mennonite churches were in the countryside; a church in town was a bit unique. “It’s just as important for the people in town to have a church close by as it is for the farmers in the country,” one lady challenged her friends. As a result, Ephrata Mennonite Church was started.
Even in those early years, there were plenty of opportunities to be involved with church activities. There were Sunday school classes and worship services, Young People’s Meetings for the youth, sewing circle for the women, Bible school sessions, and mission endeavors close to home and overseas.
Eventually, the first building on Fulton Street became too small and a larger building was built on Oak Street. When the church outgrew that facility, the current building was constructed at 510 Stevens Road and our name was eventually changed to Alive Church Ephrata.
One hundred years after the first vision for a Mennonite church in the town of Ephrata, little children continue to learn Bible stories, youth explore their faith with their peers in youth group, and adults stretch their faith by serving in mission experiences around the world and here at home.
What We Believe
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE
MENNONITE CONFESSION OF FAITH
FOUNDATION
Jesus is the foundation of the church. Alive Church Ephrata holds fast to that foundation proclaiming Jesus as essential in understanding our purpose and life. That foundation solidifies our faith and gives witness to God’s relational love. (I Corinthians 3:11).
WORSHIP
Worship is an attitude of the heart and is practiced in everyday life through conscious praise to God. Our Sunday morning gathering is a time of corporate worship where we give glory and honor to God.
(John 4:24; Psalm 96:8 & 9 and Psalm 150).
STEWARDSHIP
Stewardship is caring for all that God has entrusted to us including finances, relationships, time, talent and health. The practice of stewardship is expressed by Alive Church Ephrata by first fruits (time and money) giving.
(2 Corinthians 9:7)
COMMUNITY
The faith community at Alive Church Ephrata is held together by the bond of Jesus Christ. Our community seeks unity by focusing on God’s Word and service to others.
(John 17)
TEAM MINISTRY
Alive Church Ephrata is under a team ministry approach with a leadership team, commissions, and committees. It is designed to offer support for the Leadership Team and encourages every member’s participation.
(I Corinthians 12:20-25, Ephesians 4:11-12)
ENCOURGEMENT
We value encouragement among one another as it brings confidence to others and can foster reconciliation in difficult situations. (Hebrews 10:25)
PEACE
Alive Church Ephrata is a Mennonite non-resistant
church. We seek to follow Christ’s example of peace
by endeavoring to live at peace with all people.
(Romans 12:17-18)
BIBLE KNOWLEDGE
We believe the Bible’s inspired truth for guidance and encouragement for everyday Christian living. In application, we understand the importance of studying the scriptures in order to foster discipleship and gain a better understanding of God. Recognizing the continual cultural influences in the modern church, we seek to apply a literal or “normal” method of interpretation of God’s authoritative word
which seeks to understand the original intent of the author. (I Timothy 3:16; II Peter 1:20-21)
PRAYER
We value prayer as direct communication with God that fosters a trust and reliance on Christ.
(Philippians 4:6-7; I Thessalonians 5:16-18)
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Join us on Wednesdays at 7:00 PM for corporate prayer!
EVANGELISM & WORLD MISSIONS
Alive Church Ephrata seeks to reach out with the love of Christ both locally and globally. (Matthew 28:19)
DISCIPLESHIP & THE FAMILY OF GOD
Discipleship is the intentional relationship between believers to bring each other to a better understanding
of Christ and more closely follow God’s commands. It is
a learning environment that fosters a deeper commitment
to the Christian faith which continues throughout a Christian’s life. (Philippians 1:3-6)
SANCTITY OF LIFE
We believe all life is created in the image of God and is therefore sacred. For this reason, we do not support the practice of abortion, but we do recognize God’s healing grace and forgiveness for those who have participated
in abortion in the past. (Psalms 139:13-17)
HUMAN SEXUALITY
We believe sexuality is a gift from God and that God
intends marriage to be a covenant between one man
and one woman for life. (Ephesians 5:31)
If you would like more information
on Alive Church, please contact us at 717.733.6688 or click here to email us.