Our History

first-class
Janet Rader (on left), Apostles Community Preschool’s co-founder, director, and teacher, with the first class in 1965 (formerly known as St. John’s Community Preschool).

In 1965, St. John’s Community Preschool was begun at St. John’s United Church of Christ in Wheatland Hills by Reverend Glenn and Janet Rader, as an outreach to parents of young children in the church and neighboring community.

A merger of St. John’s with St. Paul’s U.C.C. from downtown Lancaster formed Church of the Apostles U.C.C. The Preschool relocated to the Marietta Avenue location in 1980 and became Apostles Community Preschool.

What began as a class of eleven children and two teachers has grown into a school of 170 children with 18 staff members. We are proud to be celebrating  55 years of excellence in the Lancaster area!