We celebrate, and seek to understand, our experiences with God. We prefer to explore our questions instead of ignoring them.
A Word from Our Pastor
I'm Pastor Paul Tomkiel, and I have the privilege of serving this congregation. I have been St. Paul's pastor since the summer of 2015, called here by the Holy Spirit through the votes of this congregation.
What I love about St. Paul is that we are a grace-filled community that loves to sing, asks hard questions, and takes both faith and neighbors seriously. This is a place where the Gospel is proclaimed and people are equipped to live it out in their daily lives.
If you're new or just curious, I'd love to hear from you. My office hours are Wednesdays 3–5 PM.
Where We Are
Located in Pine Grove Mills at the southwestern edge of State College, we sit at the crossroads of a small historic village and the Happy Valley community. Our congregation includes longtime Centre County residents, Penn State faculty and staff, and families at every life stage.
We are part of the Allegheny Synod of the ELCA.
FAITH — We trust that God's grace in Jesus Christ is the foundation of everything. Scripture, prayer, and the sacraments shape who we are.
COMMUNITY — We are not a collection of individuals. We are a body. We belong to each other and to this place.
COMPASSION — We take suffering seriously — in our congregation, our neighborhood, and the world. We are not here to judge; we are here to accompany.
GENEROSITY — What we have is not ultimately ours. We give freely because we have received freely.
"How carefully we considered the four words we chose to describe our values as a church family: FAITH, COMMUNITY, COMPASSION, GENEROSITY. They make me smile, as I think of them in relation to our people. Sometimes they are on the sign in front of St. Paul. On one such day, a member of the Pine Grove Mills Farmers Market, who is not a St. Paul member, came into the church for a meeting. When she said the words on the sign described us perfectly, I was beaming!" - Linda Rosensteel
We are a beacon, boldly sharing the light of Jesus’ grace and love.
"As a young girl growing up in Pine Grove Mills, I was able to see the steeple on the St. Paul building on Kirk Street. I would say my prayers at night looking at the cross illuminated in the dark and when I became frightened at night, I would look for that light to remind me of God's love and my church family's love for me. I am grateful that our congregation is still that beacon, literally and figuratively, shining into the village of Pine Grove Mills and beyond." - Michelle McMullen
Guided by Jesus, we strengthen faith, deepen compassion, extend generosity, and serve community.
Recently our community outreach has been focused on the hungry. We are proud to host the only Farmer’s Market in Ferguson Township. We provide Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for low income households to purchase food at the market. We currently are working through a process to listen to our community leaders and neighbors about their current challenges, and I’m excited to see what solutions we come up with! - Jeff Muthler
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