ABOUT US
Grace Chapel is an Independent Bible Church, located in the small village of Overlook, just outside of Shamokin, PA. We are a theologically conservative, missionally minded church that was founded in 1951 to establish a sound, Bible preaching church in the Shamokin community.
At present, when joining us for worship, you will hear beautiful congregational singing to a blend primarily of hymns with some contemporary music accompanied by a piano. This will be followed by an expository message from our pastor, as we go through books of the Bible.
Childcare is provided during the message for young children alongside Children's Church for school-age children. Families are also more than welcome to keep their children in service if desired.
MEET OUR PASTOR
Pastor Josiah Ott has been serving at Grace Chapel since July of 2022 after a number of years in youth ministry. After being saved at 18, he felt the call to ministry in his early 20's and so he pursued a seminary education through the Capital Seminary at Lancaster Bible College and currently holds a Master of Divinity in Bible Exposition and a Master of Arts in Ministry degree as well.
Pastor Ott and his wife, Brittany, have been married for six years and have one daughter. Together, they are eager to serve the people of Grace Chapel and to strengthen the Body of Christ here. Outside of ministry, our pastor loves nearly anything outdoors, especially fishing and kayaking, but most of all he loves to spend time with his family.
His favorite Scripture verses are Romans 5:8 and John 1:14 and his biggest passions are biblical preaching and interpretation, as he seeks to edify believers through expository preaching and teaching.
WE BELIEVE:
1. GOD – THE TRINITY
God is a person who has revealed Himself as a Trinity in Unity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, three Persons and yet but one God. Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19.
2. THE HOLY SCRIPTURES
The Bible, including both the Old and New Testaments, is a divine revelation of the original writings of which were verbally inspired by the Holy Spirit. This makes the Bible both authoritative and infallible. II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:21.
3. GOD THE SON – JESUS CHRIST
Jesus Christ is the image of the invisible God, which is to say, He is Himself very God. He took upon Himself our nature being conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the virgin Mary. He died upon the cross as a substitute sacrifice for the sin of the world. He arose from the dead in the body in which He was crucified. He ascended into Heaven in the body glorified, where He is now, our interceding High Priest. He will come again personally and visibly to set up His Kingdom and to judge the quick and the dead. Colossians 1:15; Philippians 2:5-8; Matthew 1:18-25; I Peter 2:24-25; Luke 24; Hebrews 4:14-16; Acts 1:9-11; I Thessalonians 4:16-18; Matthew 25:31; Revelation 11:15-17; 20:4-6; 11-15.
4. MAN
Man was created in the image of God but fell into sin and is consequently lost. This is true of all men and, except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God. Salvation is by grace, through faith in Christ who, His own self, bore our sins in His own body on the tree, the retribution of the wicked and unbelieving, the reward of the righteous, both being everlasting and conscious. Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 3:10; John 3:3, 6; Acts 4:12; 13:38, 39; Matthew 25:46; II Corinthians 5:1; II Thessalonians 1:7.
5. THE CHURCH
The church is an elect group of believers, baptized by the Holy Spirit into one body. Its mission is to witness concerning its Head, Jesus Christ, preaching the Gospel among all nations. It will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air before He appears to set up His Kingdom. Acts 2:41; 15:13-17; Ephesians 1:3-6; I Corinthians 12; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:6-8; I Thessalonians 4:16-18.
6. SALVATION – ETERNAL SECURITY
All who receive, by faith, the Lord Jesus Christ, are born again of the Holy Spirit and thereby become children of God. They are indwelt and sealed by the Holy Spirit and so are secured unto the day of redemption. Romans 10:9; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30.
7. THE LORD’S SUPPER – BAPTISM
Jesus Christ instituted The Lord’s Supper to commemorate His death till He comes. We believe that water baptism is the “answer of a good conscience toward God,” portraying the believer’s union with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection. I Corinthians 11:23-27; I Peter 3:21; Romans 6:1-4.
8. ISRAEL
“The gifts and calling of God are without repentance,” and therefore, His covenant people, Israel, now “scattered and peeled” shall be redeemed and re-gathered to Palestine and, under the personal and millennial reign of Christ upon David’s throne in Jerusalem, shall become the head of the nations and the “Gentiles shall come to their light and kings to the brightness of their rising.” Romans 11:29; Isaiah 18:2, 7; Zechariah 14:1-3; Isaiah 11:1-9; 60:3.
9. SATAN
That Satan, a fallen angel, is the god of this age, the adversary of Christ and His church and that his destiny is eternal punishment. Isaiah 14:12-17; Ephesians 2:2; II Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 12:10b; 20:2, 3, 10.
CHURCH COVENANT
Having been born again by the grace of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and being justified on the ground of His shed blood and having confessed our faith before men, we do now, in the presence of God and this assembly, most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another, as one body in Christ.
We engage, therefore, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to walk together in Christian love, to strive for the advancement of this church in knowledge, holiness and comfort, to promote its prosperity and spirituality, to sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline and doctrines, to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the relief of the poor and the spread of the Gospel through all nations.
We also engage to maintain family and personal devotions, to educate our children and acquaintances.
We engage, too, by the grace and power of God that, as strangers and pilgrims, we will abstain from fleshly lusts and habits which war against the soul, that we will put away from us all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour and evil-speaking and be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven us.
We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love, to remember each other in prayer and to aid each other in sickness and distress.
We moreover engage that, should we remove from this place, we will, soon as possible, unite with another church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.
HISTORY OF GRACE CHAPEL
Grace Chapel began in August of 1951 when a group of believers under the leadership of Rev. Donald Martin determined to establish a sound Bible preaching church in the Shamokin community. (The Charter was signed by the church on August 27, 1951 and approved by the Court of Common Pleas on September 10th, 1951.) This newly formed group purchased the old Lafayette School building located at 1300 Spruce Street in Shamokin for $3,800.00. The facility was remodeled to accommodate a church ministry and served that purpose until 1964 when the church purchased the Overlook School for $3,000.00 and moved the ministry to its present location in Overlook. The school building was built in the early 1900’s and needed to be remodeled. On September 27, 1964 the building was officially dedicated to the Lord. The parsonage was built in 1972 and the new Sanctuary was built adjoining the existing building in 1975.
Throughout its history Grace Chapel has had a strong emphasis on missions and active youth and children’s ministries.
Past and present pastors and their terms are:
Rev. Donald Martin | 6 years, 9 months | 1951-1958
Rev. Richard Boytim | 1 year, 6 months | 1958-1960
Rev. Garrison Rice | 3 years, 2 months | 1960-1963
Rev. Ralph West | 4 years, 5 months | 1964-1968
Rev. Wayne Knoebel (Interim) | 1 year | 1969-1970
Rev. Paul Patrick | 2 years, 11 months | 1970-1973
Rev. Larry Carpenter | 8 years, 4 months | 1973-1981
Rev. Ken Miller | 2 years, 7 months | 1982-1984
Rev. Larry Carpenter | 5 years, 11 months | 1984-1990
Rev. Ron Anderson | 9 years, 7 months | 1991-2000
Pastor Tim Brown | 2 years, 9 months | 2001-2004
Rev. James Utter | 4 years, 6 months | 2005-2009
Rev. Alan Langelli | 10 years, 10 months | 2010-2021
Pastor Josiah Ott | 2022-present