The Rev. Amanda Knouse, Rector
The Rev. Amanda Knouse was called to be the rector of St. John’s in June, 2019. Previously, Amanda served as rector of Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Delaplane, Virginia, a position she held since 2012. She was Associate Rector at St. James’ in Lothian, MD from 2008-2012 and served as the Camp Director for the Bishop Claggett Center during that time.
The Rev. Amanda Knouse received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Juniata College and a Master of Divinity from Virginia Theological Seminary. In the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania, Amanda serves on the Commission on Ministry, the task force for reimaging curacies, and is a member of POWER, an interfaith community dedicated to carrying out faith in the public sphere.
Amanda is a native of Central Pennsylvania and an avid lover of the outdoors and sports. She and her husband, John, have two children; Ruthie and Caleb.
amanda@stjohns-lancaster.org
Mark Herr, Minister of Music
Mark Herr is a native of Lancaster County, whose family roots go back over 300 years ago. He has been an active member of the Lancaster Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and has served as dean of the chapter twice. Ordained in the Moravian Church in 1979, Mark has served 5 different denominations throughout his years of active ministry. His Episcopal connection is from the years he lived in southern Maryland where he was involved in music and education at the historic, St. Thomas Parish, Croom, MD.
In ministry, he has worked in the areas of music, education, youth and the creative arts. Mark has been the director of the Reading Liederkranz Singers (German chorus), and director of the Ephrata Cloister Chorus. For twenty years, he has been adjunct professor of philosophy, ethics and music at the Reading Area Community College. His wife Susan is a bassoonist, currently playing in the New Holland Band and the New Horizons Band in Reading. The “organ bug” hit their son Hans when he was five years old which has led to him being one of the owners of R J Brunner and Associates Organ Company in Silver Spring.
music@stjohns-lancaster.org
(717) 299-1188 Ext. 1104
John Knouse, Property Manager
Having grown up in the Lutheran Church, John began working in Christian Outdoor ministries at Camp Mount Luther in 2004. The same place he would later meet his wife and current Rector Amanda Knouse. Their love for camping ministries and their career paths led them to places such as the Bishop Claggett Center in the Episcopal Dicocese of Maryland, and the Shrine Mont Camp and Conference Center in the Diocese of Virginia. In 2012 he took his first job as the Director of Family Ministries at Trinity Episcopal in Upperville, Virginia.
In 2019 he began working with the St. John’s Youth Programs, overseeing monthly men’s gatherings, directing our Eagle’s Nest After-school Program and a stint as our interim Parish Administrator.
Over that time and out of necessity, John began to elaborate on the skills his grandfather had instilled in him as a handyman/carpenter and woodworker to assist in managing our wonderful campus. In 2021 he agreed to become our part time property manager among his other volunteer responsibilities, and enjoys being an integral part of our wonderful leadership team. Starting in 2024, John became our full-time property manager to help oversee our extensive HVAC, lighting and window repair work.
You will also see him around on Sunday Mornings teaching classes to our young people and navigating his and Amanda’s two children, Ruthie and Caleb.
property@stjohns-lancaster.org
Dana Sanborn, Bookkeeper
Dana is a graduate of Bloomsburg University where she majored in Business and was a member of the varsity swim team. After graduation, she worked for many years in the field of Human Resources, specifically recruitment and benefits. Upon the birth of her first child, she became a stay-at-home Mom. When her youngest was 10, she volunteered to assume the position of Treasurer at her home church in Cleona, PA. This experience led her to other church-based accounting positions, the most recent being the position of Bookkeeper for Saint John’s.
She enjoys working with the accounting software and making sure that church finances are accounted for accurately and in a way that all parishioners can easily understand. Dana states that it has been a wonderful and positive experience here at Saint John’s, and she is grateful for all of the support and guidance she’s received since she first began working with the Church. Outside of church, she enjoys spending time with her husband and her three grown children, and she enjoys gardening and exercise.
finance@stjohns-lancaster.org
Danielle Hill, Nursery Attendant
Danielle is a licensed and credentialed Board Certified Behavior Analyst. She has been in the ABA field since 2016 and has supported children and adults of all ages in their homes, schools, communities, and clinic settings. She graduated from Mary Baldwin University with her Masters in Education with an Emphasis on Applied Behavior Analysis in 2018.
Danielle has been a volunteer with Autism on the Seas since 2016, and has been on 8 cruises all throughout the Caribbean, Bermuda, and Alaska.
She and her wife, Kayla, and their 2 dogs, Rowan and Rosette, moved to Lancaster from Roanoke, Virginia in February of 2024.