Get to Know Us

About Grace Chapel

An Independent Bible Church serving the Shamokin community since 1951

Who We Are

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.

Favorite Verses

Romans 5:8 & John 1:14

Leadership

Meet Our Pastor

Pastor Josiah Ott

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 eight years and have two daughters. 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, but most of all he loves to spend time with his family.

His biggest passions are biblical preaching and interpretation, as he seeks to edify believers through expository preaching and teaching.

Our Doctrine

What We Believe

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

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

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.

Colossians 1:15; Philippians 2:5-8; Matthew 1:18-25

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.

Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 3:10; John 3:3, 6; Acts 4:12

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.

Acts 2:41; Ephesians 1:3-6; I Corinthians 12; Matthew 28:19-20

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

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.

I Corinthians 11:23-27; I Peter 3:21; Romans 6:1-4

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 under the personal and millennial reign of Christ.

Romans 11:29; Isaiah 18:2, 7; Zechariah 14:1-3

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; Revelation 20:10

Our Commitment

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.

Since 1951

Our History

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.

Our Pastoral Heritage

1951–1958

Rev. Donald Martin

6 years, 9 months Founding Pastor

1958–1960

Rev. Richard Boytim

1 year, 6 months

1960–1963

Rev. Garrison Rice

3 years, 2 months

1964–1968

Rev. Ralph West

4 years, 5 months

1969–1970

Rev. Wayne Knoebel

1 year (Interim)

1970–1973

Rev. Paul Patrick

2 years, 11 months

1973–1981

Rev. Larry Carpenter

8 years, 4 months

1982–1984

Rev. Ken Miller

2 years, 7 months

1984–1990

Rev. Larry Carpenter

5 years, 11 months Second Term

1991–2000

Rev. Ron Anderson

9 years, 7 months

2001–2004

Pastor Tim Brown

2 years, 9 months

2005–2009

Rev. James Utter

4 years, 6 months

2010–2021

Rev. Alan Langelli

10 years, 10 months

2022–Present

Pastor Josiah Ott

Current Pastor

Come Worship With Us

Join us this Sunday at 10:30 AM and experience our church family firsthand.

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