Church

Local Churches

Messiah University is deeply committed to supporting the ministry of local churches in our community. The work of the Office of Campus Ministries is in no way designed to replace student involvement in the life of a local church. We strongly encourage students to worship and serve within a local church, both while they are students and for the rest of their lives.

For Students

We hope all students will develop a connection with a local church body while they're studying at Messiah. The church is God's idea for making disciples, and engaging in the life of a local church provides opportunities for intergenerational and sacramental worship that are simply not available on a college campus.

Finding a church

To help students explore and connect with local churches, we maintain a directory of 170+ churches near Messiah's campus. At the beginning of each fall semester, we host a local church fair on campus, where students can meet and talk with leaders from a number of local churches. Students who desire assistance in finding a church are welcome to reach out to a member of the Campus Ministries staff. We will be happy to meet with you and offer personalized guidance.

Local Church Directory and Shuttles

Getting to church

Some area churches provide a weekly Sunday morning shuttle service for Messiah students. Other churches are willing to provide transportation for any students who call to request a ride. See the local church directory for a list of churches offering transportation and their pick-up times. The designated shuttle pick-up/drop-off location is the visitor parking lot outside the Phipps Admissions and Welcome Center. 

For Churches

We are grateful for the many local churches who eagerly welcome Messiah students. Due to the wide interest of churches desiring to minister to students on campus and to invite students to participate in their programs and opportunities, we have set forth the following guidelines.

Ministering on campus

Pastors and church representatives are welcome to interact with students in public areas on campus, provided their interaction is both infrequent and informal. The University reserves the right to limit this privilege and asks visitors to exercise restraint in the frequency and duration of student appointments on campus. Abuse of this privilege (or teaching/behavior that denigrates Messiah or its people) may lead to restriction or withdrawal of the visitor's access to campus. Churches and their representatives should conduct formal teaching, training sessions, and fellowship groups for students within their own organizational setting unless they have been invited to lead a particular program through a Messiah office or department with the approval of the Office of Campus Ministries.

Church /shuttle directory

The Messiah Campus Ministries website hosts a directory of local churches to assist students in connecting with churches near campus, including those who offer a shuttle service for Messiah students. Local churches who wish to be included in the directory or to offer a shuttle service can contact campusministries@messiah.edu. The directory is updated each summer, and its accuracy is dependent on churches communicating changes in a timely manner.

Service / leadership opportunities

Many local churches have opportunities for students to serve and lead. We believe this is valuable experience for students, and we have a responsibility to guide and help them respond faithfully to invitations. All service, leadership, internship, and employment opportunities should be funneled through academic departments and/or the Career and Professional Development Center.

On-campus advertising

In accordance with Messiah's poster policy, local churches may seek approval from the Office of Student Engagement to place posters and/or flyers on bulletin boards throughout campus regarding specific one-time congregational events in the life of the church. Regular advertising for ongoing church meetings or worship services will not be approved due to spacing constraints. For additional information, please contact studentengagement@messiah.edu.