Council Members
John Chesters
Bonnie Corle
Pat Crawford
Kathy Fitz
Paula Fultz
Andrew Hammer
Nick Schappell
Senior Pastor Daniel M. Long, the son of Rev. Edward V. and Christine Long, is a graduate of Texas Tech University and Luther Seminary. Ordained into the Lutheran ministry in 1973, Pastor Long has served as Senior Pastor of Christ the King Lutheran Church in Kenner, Louisiana (suburb of New Orleans); as Assistant to the Bishops in Texas and Louisiana with responsibilities for developing Hispanic Ministries; as a missionary in El Salvador; as the World Council of Churches representative to a diplomatic group accompanying the return of Guatemala Refugees from Mexico to their homeland, responsible for monitoring the returns and mediating conflicts, and as Associate Pastor of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in the city of Lancaster. Prior to being called as Senior Pastor of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in East Petersburg in November of 2009, Pastor Long served as the Executive Director of the Inner City Group, implementing economic development and community revitalization projects in the Southeast community of the city of Lancaster.
Pastor Long is married to Kirsten Helin, of Danish nationality, who, after working for the Lutheran World Federation (El Salvador) and DanChurchAid (Guatemala), has worked the last eight years with the American Friends Service Committee in the International Department as the Director for International Program Development and European Fundraiser for programs of development aid and peace building in the global community.
Dan and Kirsten have a daughter, Sara Helin-Long, who, her studies in school, reading, travel, playing the flute, lacrosse, and tennis.
Frida, a yellow Labrador, completes the family picture.
Associate Pastor Mary-Margaret Ruth was born to Richard Geist Overly and Elizabeth Brunner Overly of Bareville, Pennsylvania ( a small village on Route 23 between Leola and Groffdale in eastern Lancaster County).
Pastor Ruth is a graduate of Susquehanna University where she where she majored in Latin Education, and minored in English and American History. Following her college graduation, she taught Latin and coached drama in the Pennsbury School District, Bucks County, for five years until she returned to Lancaster County in 1964 to teach Latin, English, and drama at Donegal High School, Mount Joy, until her retirement in 2000.
While still teaching, in 1998, Pastor Ruth began part time studies at Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg completing her studies for the ordained ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. She accepted a call from Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in East Petersburg to serve as an Associate Pastor. Primary responsibilities included the development of a Senior Ministry for persons age 60 and over, planning and teaching the Adult Forum classes each Sunday, presiding and preaching at Sunday worship services, hospital visitations and home communions.
Among Pastor’s Ruth’s interests and hobbies are theatre, reading, historical trips, and spectator sports, particularly football and the Indianapolis 500, and just spending time with her beloved husband, Steve. Also, each Monday for the past ten years, Pastor Ruth has led worship services at Luther Acres in Lititz.
Ministers 
PARISH COUNCIL 