St. John’s is an active congregation, ministering to the spiritual and physical needs of its members as well as the surrounding community. Over its nearly century of existence, St. John’s has evolved from a German-speaking, inward-focused congregation, to one very much involved in its community.

The building is used by the Lupus Society for its monthly meeting, and by the Western Pennsylvania Civil War Round Table for its twice-yearly dinner meeting. During each Advent season, members of the congregation present a live Nativity celebration and reception for the community and visitors to the Old Economy Village, a National Historic Landmark site, directly across the street from the church.

The church is open for tours during the museum’s "Christmas at the Village" celebration.  The church is also open for public tours during the annual spring Ambridge church tour event. Finally, the church is always accessible, by appointment, to authors and scholars.

The sanctuary is acclaimed by musicians for its superb acoustics. It is used for organ recitals and vocal concerts that are open to the public, and by the Old Economy Choral Society for rehearsals in the winter months.

The church enjoys an excellent relationship with Old Economy Village. The museum uses the church kitchen to bake pies and bread for fund raising events. In addition, the building is used by the museum for meetings, conferences, and workshops. Members of the congregation have volunteered at the museum.

The congregation’s ministry extends beyond the immediate church. Members serve as volunteers and provide support to Meals On Wheels; The Ladle, a community kitchen to provide meals to the needy; and the Ambridge Area Food Pantry, an organization that furnishes food and other items to the poor. St. John’s responded to Hurricane Katrina by sending both money and goods directly to churches in Mississippi and Louisiana.

Affiliation

St. John's is affiliated with the Association of Free Lutheran Churches (AFLC).

The AFLC is a fellowship of independent congregations, who have chosen to be interdependent for the purpose of accomplishing service in the Kingdom of God that cannot best be done alone. The Association of Free Lutheran Congregations (AFLC) was organized in1962 by 40-50 congregations of the former Lutheran Free Church (LFC), and has grown to become the fourth largest Lutheran church body in the United States with over 270 member congregations.  For more information visit www.aflc.org.