Month: January 2024

Presbyterian Women’s Winter Tea

January 31, 2024

2 PM SUNDAY, MAR 3 IN THE JOHN ELDER CLASSROOM

All females 1-day to 100+ years are invited to the 2024 Winter Tea. All attendees are asked to bring a stuffed animal or memory of one to share with the group. It can be a favorite or one not so well loved for a reason.

It’s a great time to get to know fellow members and children better. Afterwards, everyone can enjoy the tea and treats. RSVP to Doris Feil by Mar 1.

Help Derry Church Host the Lenten Luncheon on Mar 6

January 31, 2024

When Derry Church hosts the mid-day Hershey Ministerium Lenten service and lunch next month, many hands are needed: volunteers to help set up, serve and clean up, as well as donations of Jello salads in 9″x 15″ pans and/or two dozen cupcakes.

Deliver food items to the kitchen any time on Tuesday, Mar 5 or by 9 am Wednesday, Mar 6. Contact Doris Feil and let her know how you can help.

What’s Up with Derry’s Monday Study Groups?

January 31, 2024
  • After taking the day off on Feb 5, the Monday morning group will begin a new study: Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference? by Philip Yancy. Join them at 11 am Mondays beginning Feb 12 in the Hammond Library. Questions? Contact Claudia Holtzman.
  • The Monday night study group steps away from book discussions this month to consider the three questions presented with Pastor Stephen’s Jan 28 sermon, “Surrounded.” Join the group at 7 pm Monday, Feb 5 in Room 7B and on Zoom to discuss:
    • Have you ever had an overwhelming experience of God  communicating with you, similar to Paul’s conversion experience?
    • Have you ever struggled with knowing what God wanted you to do? How did you make a decision? 
    • How have you experienced God’s presence surrounding you?
  • At 7 pm Monday, Mar 4, the Monday night group begins a study of The Liturgy of the Ordinary: Sacred Practices in Everyday Life by Tish Harrison Warren. This hybrid discussion will be held in Room 7B and on Zoom and will continue on April 1 and May 6. Questions? Contact Sue George.

Join the PW Book Discussion on Zoom

January 31, 2024

6:30-8:30 PM MONDAY, MAR 11 ON ZOOM

All women are invited to participate in the PW Peace and Justice Committee’s Zoom book discussion. In March, the group is reading Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng, which both the Hershey Library and Middletown Library have in stock. All titles for the discussion series have been ordered for our church library. Click here to read more and register.

Meet Hossana, One of Derry Church’s PEB Scholarship Recipients

January 31, 2024

Hello Friend! How are you? I study in Class 4. My school is the best school in the whole city. I am grateful for your support towars me and my family. Because of you I can continue my studies at PEB EMS Girls Sargodha. My dad cannot fulfill the full fee of my school. I am thankful to you for holding my hand I request you to please support me throughout my studies. We pray for you daily. I promise you, I will work harder and will become a doctor in future. May God bless you and your family.

For 13 years, Derry Church has maintained a partnership with the Presbyterian Education Board in Pakistan. PEB operates 25 schools, primary through high school, including some boarding schools, that serve more than 5,900 students. Derry, through the Friends of Sargodha group, has a particular relationship with the schools in Sargodha. 

Friends of Sargodha’s goal is to continue to provide ten scholarships every year. You can help.

A full scholarship for a day student is $400 a year, about a dollar a day. We are dividing that amount into ten shares, $40 each, to offer you the opportunity to support a portion of a scholarship. 

You can purchase one or more shares by writing a check to Derry Church notated “Pakistan Scholarship” or online through the church website.

Learn more:

This fundraiser continues through February 2024

Courtney McKinney-Whitaker • Derry Member

January 25, 2024

Last week, we discussed how Presbyterians from southern Scotland migrated to Ulster, Ireland’s northernmost province, and became known as the Ulster Scots. To summarize, in the early 1600s, England determined to strengthen its grip on Ulster through a policy of plantation (or settler-colonialism). English landlords found tenants for their holdings among the Presbyterians of southern Scotland, for whom repeated crop failures and religious persecution made Scotland a difficult place to live. Some Scottish Presbyterians settled in Ulster on the chance life might be easier there, but some were forced to emigrate. 

Now we’ll look at how many Ulster Scots found themselves emigrating a second time in relatively short order, not simply across the narrow channel that divides Ulster from southern Scotland, but across the Atlantic Ocean.

The Siege of Londonderry
Toward the end of the 17th century, Ireland became a minor theater in a larger struggle known variously as the War of the League of Augsberg, the War of the Grand Alliance, the Nine Years’ War, King William’s War, and the War of the Three Kings (1688-1697). To summarize, the French Catholic monarch Louis XIV sought to extend his power and smaller (largely Protestant) nations banded together to stop him. 

Louis XIV was the first, and certainly the most powerful, of the three kings referenced. The two others were the Catholic James II of England (also James VII of Scotland) and Protestant Dutch Prince William of Orange. William was both James’s nephew and son-in-law, as he was married to his first cousin, James’s daughter Mary. 

Despite persecution from Protestant reformers, the Catholic presence in England had never disappeared. After Oliver Cromwell’s death, his Commonwealth government collapsed and the Stuart dynasty was restored to the English throne in the person of Charles II, son of the executed monarch Charles I. While Charles II produced many children with his mistresses, his marriage was childless, so his openly Catholic younger brother James inherited the throne upon his death in 1685. 

When James’s Catholic second wife gave birth to a son in June 1688, panic arose among Protestants across both islands at the thought of a Catholic dynasty. When William of Orange invaded England in November 1688, the English army and navy supported him and James escaped to France.

In England, Parliament declared that James had abdicated through desertion and offered William and Mary the crown as co-regents ruling as William III and Mary II. James attempted to reclaim his throne by bringing a French army to Ireland. In Ireland, the larger-scale European conflict between Protestant and Catholic powers played out between Jacobite (Latin for James) forces who favored the Catholic James II and VII’s claim to the thrones of England, Scotland, and Ireland and Williamite forces who favored William of Orange.

As Protestants, the Ulster Scots were firmly in the Williamite camp. The Siege of Londonderry is probably the most lauded moment in Ulster Scots history. In 1689, they made their most famous stand as they held the walled city of Londonderry against Jacobite forces for 105 days at great personal cost, contributing mightily to William’s ultimate victory at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. 

In the ensuing years, many more Presbyterians left Scotland to join the Ulster Scots Presbyterians in Ireland. Alas, any belief that their contributions to the Williamite victory would lead to political and religious equality with Anglicans was short-lived. By 1704, the more religiously tolerant (and perhaps grateful) William III was dead, along with his wife and co-regent Mary II. In that year, the Test Acts went into effect, requiring all public office holders to produce a certificate stating they had received communion in an Anglican church, effectively barring Presbyterians from government. 

Emigration to North America
In the 18th century, many elements combined to make emigration to North America attractive to the Ulster Scots. The Crown and the Anglican Church regarded their marriages as invalid, excluded them from public life, and required them to pay additional taxes. They were accustomed to religious intolerance, and that alone might not have induced them to leave Ulster. But crop failures, rising rents, and a string of economic crises made the prospect of a new land more appealing. 

Kevin Kenny writes, “Presbyterians began to leave Ulster for America in large numbers at the turn of the eighteenth century. They left in pursuit of land and religious toleration, the two goals that had brought their Scottish forefathers to Ulster over the previous three generations” (27). In the early decades of the eighteenth century, Pennsylvania was the most religiously tolerant of Great Britain’s North American colonies, an appealing prospect for dissenters from the Church of England, including Presbyterians. (In 1707, the Treaty of Union established the Kingdom of Great Britain as a sovereign nation by uniting the Kingdom of England, which included Wales from 1542, and the Kingdom of Scotland.)

In 1718, large-scale Ulster Scots migration to North America began with the departure from Derry Quay of five ships carrying several congregations of Presbyterians led by their ministers. Landing in Boston, they found the long-established Puritan inhabitants hostile. As early as 1700, noted Puritan minister Cotton Mather had declared attempts at Ulster Scots settlement in New England to be “formidable attempts of Satan and his Sons to Unsettle us”(28). By 1724, the traditional date of Derry Church’s founding, new Ulster Scots immigrants to North America had learned to look for homes further south, a process facilitated by close ties between Belfast merchants and Delaware ports.

For the third time in history, the people who had been the Lowland Scots and who had become the Ulster Scots, would take on a new frontier and a new name. “On both sides of the Atlantic, Ulster Presbyterians served as a military and cultural buffer between zones of perceived civility and barbarity, separating Anglicans from Catholics in Ireland and eastern elites from Indians in the American colonies. What they wanted above all else was personal security and land to call their own” (3). In North America, the Ulster Scots became known as the Scots-Irish, and would again serve as a human shield between elite colonizers and indigenous people, at the mercy of, and ultimately reviled by, both.

This was the world into which Derry Church came into being, a world whose true nature has been cloaked over time in the myth of brave and hearty frontiersmen and women. No doubt some of them were brave and hearty, and certainly most of them clung to their own interpretation of the Presbyterian faith as a comfort and a guide in a world in which their lives were likely to be short and difficult and to end messily. Conditions on the North American frontier were brutal, and the choices these largely impoverished and repeatedly oppressed people faced were often no choice at all. Sometimes their migration was forced. Often they were lied to about the opportunities awaiting them on the opposite side of a perilous sea voyage.

The Ulster Scots who made their way to North America were victims of the generational trauma of living a hardscrabble existence on frontiers, between warring forces, their homes never secure, their lives perpetually at risk. By the time they came to the place they called Derry Church, they were ready to fight for their own security, whether that meant fighting the people who were already here or the elites who forced them onto the frontier.

Perhaps for our 300th Anniversary, we can give our forebears the gift of seeing them truly, with the mix of pride, shame, and compassion which is the legacy of most of the people who have walked this earth.

Further Reading: The best secondary source on this topic is Kevin Kenny’s Peaceable Kingdom Lost: The Paxton Boys and the Destruction of William Penn’s Holy Experiment, from which the above quotations are taken.

Have Your Photo Taken for the Church Directory!

January 24, 2024

The next directory will be printed in late March, so now is a great time to have a new photo taken — especially those families whose children have grown up a lot since the last photo. Anyone who would like a new photo (or who never had a photo taken) is welcome to have one taken by Sue George on Sunday mornings following the worship services, or you can stop by during the week. To schedule a time, send Sue an email. Or look for Sue in the Narthex or Fellowship Hall on Sunday mornings.

Jan 2024 Session Highlights

January 24, 2024

  • Re-elected Kathy Yingst as Clerk of Session and elected Michelle Curry, CPA of Achenbach & Curry, as Treasurer for terms of one year.
  • Derry Church offers a Youth Servant Leadership Scholarship in honor of youth leaders in our congregation who have been committed to the Derry Church community. It is awarded to high school seniors and the award can be used for any legitimate higher education expense. This scholarship, approved by Session in 2019, contained a requirement that the individual(s) receiving the award be a member of Derry Church. Session discussed this requirement and approved a change which removed that requirement from the policy. The rationale is that we want our youth to discern when the Holy Spirit is calling them to become a member of Derry, not do so to qualify for a scholarship. The application stresses participation in Derry activities and requires written essays which reflect on the applicant’s personal beliefs and how their faith has influenced their work within Derry and in other community service activities.
  • Greg Taylor of Stewardship & Finance reported that due to generous congregational giving and underspending by church committees, we finished 2023 with a positive change in net assets of $20,000. After discussion, the Session approved adding this overage to the members’ equity account to be available for use towards a potential deficit at the end of 2024.
  • Two additional confirmands submitted information on their projects for the “Be a Blessing Challenge.” Emmie Achorn will be collecting donated items for the Harrisburg Humane Shelter and Anne Burke will be soliciting donations for baskets that she will be filling with items for cancer patients, named Ian’s Baskets in honor of her grandfather who battled cancer. The Session approved both projects.
  • The Session reviewed Pastor Stephen’s 2024 Terms of Call, which have not changed from 2023. The Terms will be voted upon by the congregation at the Annual Meeting on February 11, and the Session recommends that they be approved. Pastor Stephen previously submitted a proposal that he receive no cash increase in compensation, but rather that additional travel for him in 2024 be funded from the Brong Scholarship Fund. Session previously approved this use of those funds.
  • Tom Davis and Mike Leader will be Session’s representatives on the Nominating Committee. All active Elders were elected as Commissioners for the 2024 Presbytery meetings.
  • Derry Discovery Days’ Pancakes & PJ event will be moved Saturday, January 27 considering the weather predictions for the original date of January 20. The preschool will be including an online silent auction of items donated by local businesses during this event. The session approved opening the silent auction to Derry’s congregation.
  • Session approved the collection of items for Christian Churches United of the Tri-County area for their two walk-in overnight shelters. Derry’s Mission & Peace Committee will be collecting the items which consist of food, clothing, toiletries, and needed items for the shelters through Feb 15.

Check Out our Preschool’s Virtual Silent Auction!

January 24, 2024

LIVE 10 AM SATURDAY, JAN 27 THROUGH 12 PM MONDAY, FEB 5: SCAN THE QR CODE TO PARTICIPATE OR CLICK THIS LINK

Derry Discovery Days Preschool invites you to check out their  virtual Silent Auction held in conjunction with their Jan 27 Pancakes and Pajamas event. Scan the QR code or click the link to join the auction and place bids for a great assortment of items from vendors including Sweet Velvet Macarons, Where the Wild Things Play, Lake Tobias, Adventure Sports and more.

Derry’s Next New Member Class Begins in February

January 24, 2024


9:15 AM SUNDAYS, FEB 25 – MAR 17 IN THE JOHN ELDER CLASSROOM

The winter series of New Member Discovery Classes gives you the opportunity to learn more about the mission and ministry of Derry Church, and discover how you’d like to share your talents in the life of the church. You’ll also meet staff and leaders over the course of four weeks and tour the church. Those who decide to join will be received on Sunday, Mar 17.

Registration is appreciated by not required: sign up online or call the church office (717-533-9667).

2024 Chili Cook-Off & Square Dance

January 24, 2024

5:30 PM SATURDAY, FEB 24 IN FELLOWSHIP HALL

Homemade chili and square dancing highlight Derry Church’s 23nd Annual Chili Cook-Off and Square Dance. There is no charge to attend, and all ages are welcome.

The evening begins with a chili supper. Those attending should bring a dish to pass: salad, dessert, cornbread, or a favorite chili recipe. Informal judging determines cook-off winners in the chili and dessert categories, and best-dressed adult, boy and girl will be recognized.

Following the supper, participants will enjoy a variety of line and square dances, including kid-friendly options.

Meet Ezran, One of Derry Church’s PEB Scholarship Recipients

January 24, 2024

Dear Donor, Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I am Ezran. I study in class 4-A. My school name is P.E.B. Boys’ high school Sargodha. Dear donor, thank you for supporting me in my studies. It will help me to continue my studies. I want to become an army officer. Thank you for your support.

For 13 years, Derry Church has maintained a partnership with the Presbyterian Education Board in Pakistan. PEB operates 25 schools, primary through high school, including some boarding schools, that serve more than 5,900 students. Derry, through the Friends of Sargodha group, has a particular relationship with the schools in Sargodha. 

Friends of Sargodha’s goal is to continue to provide ten scholarships every year. You can help.

A full scholarship for a day student is $400 a year, about a dollar a day. We are dividing that amount into ten shares, $40 each, to offer you the opportunity to support a portion of a scholarship. 

You can purchase one or more shares by writing a check to Derry Church notated “Pakistan Scholarship” or online through the church website.

Learn more:

This fundraiser continues through February 2024

Courtney McKinney-Whitaker • Derry Member

January 18, 2024

Spend enough time around Derry Church, and you’ll hear the story of how our earliest members emigrated from Ireland to Pennsylvania in the early 1700s, founding a church here around 1724. In this first piece, I’m taking you deeper into the past, to an earlier migration that is just as deserving of a place in Derry’s collective memory. 

The Protestant Reformation
Derry’s story begins with the Protestant Reformation. In 1517, priest and theologian Martin Luther published his 95 Theses, challenging the teachings of the Catholic church and inadvertently igniting the religious reform movement known as the Protestant Reformation. Religious groups in conflict with the Catholic church soon came into conflict with each other, ultimately producing the many denominations of Protestantism known to us today, including Presbyterianism.

While the Protestant Reformation occurred across Europe, events in England are most significant for Derry. In 1534, the infamous English monarch Henry VIII broke with the Roman Catholic Church and established the Church of England, or Anglicanism. Henry VIII’s concerns were political, not religious. While the English monarch replaced the pope as the head of the church, Anglicanism remained similar to Catholicism. 

Henry VIII’s actions produced two significant outcomes in England. First, it left serious religious reformers interested in a change in church substance, not just in name and leadership, dissatisfied. Second, by creating a national church, it explicitly tied religious identity to national identity. Those who didn’t support the national church might find themselves under suspicion of not supporting the nation—and by extension, the monarch who was head of both.

Scottish Presbyterianism vs. English Anglicanism
Meanwhile in Scotland, Protestant zealot John Knox spread the teachings of Swiss theologian Jean (or John) Calvin. In Scotland, national identity became linked to Calvinism, a theology most fully expressed in Presbyterianism. The first General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church was held in Edinburgh in December 1560. Over the next century, an early form of Presbyterianism comprised of a combination of Anglican, Puritan, and Calvinist theology, structure, and process spread throughout southern Scotland. (The much-mythologized Highlands and its clans remained overwhelmingly Catholic and separate from the Lowlands. They are not a significant part of Derry Church’s story.)

In 1603, James VI of Scotland inherited the throne of his cousin Elizabeth I of England, making him both King of Scots and King James I of England. (The two remained separate nations, but James was king of both, reigning as James VI of Scotland and James I of England.) James had been baptized Roman Catholic and raised Presbyterian, but he understood that his throne and his global power depended on that of the more powerful nation of England and its Anglican church. This led to a series of attempts by James and his heirs to “Anglicize” Scottish Presbyterianism and bring the two nations into closer alignment.

In 1637, attempts by James’s son Charles I to impose Anglicanism in Scotland led to riots in the Presbyterian stronghold of St. Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh. A more measured response to Charles I’s actions came in the form of the Scottish National Covenant of 1638, which declared Presbyterianism to be the only true form of church government and aligned Scotland with Presbyterianism and the principles of the Protestant Reformation. Over 300,000 Presbyterians in Scotland and Ulster signed it. 

The Presbyterian Migration to Ulster
Where is Ulster, and what were Scottish Presbyterians doing there? To answer that question, let’s start with a little geography.

Ireland is the name of a nation, but it’s also the name of an island, and the two aren’t exactly the same. Today, the separate nations of the Republic of Ireland (commonly called “Ireland” and a completely independent nation) and Northern Ireland (which is part of the United Kingdom) share the island of Ireland. 

Ulster is one of the four traditional provinces that make up the island of Ireland. Northern Ireland is comprised of six counties in Ulster. But three of Ulster’s counties are in the Republic of Ireland. The island’s traditional provinces predate English interference and have no present-day political existence or administration—and what existed in the past wasn’t especially strong. It might be helpful to think of these traditional provinces as similar to regions—such as New England, the Southeast, the Midwest—in the United States. These areas have a shared history and culture, but they aren’t political entities.

Okay, back to the history:

English monarchs had been claiming Ireland since at least the 1100s, but much of their power was in name only. In the early decades of the 1600s, the English Crown’s attempts to rule Ireland in fact as well as in name led to the systematic plantation of Ulster, the northernmost province of Ireland that had always been the most difficult to bring under English control. In this context, “plantation” is a verb, not the noun we’re used to using to refer to large antebellum farms in the American Southeast. In essence, plantation involves driving the native inhabitants off the land you want and replacing them, or simply overwhelming them, with your own people. England used this method (which is very similar to what is today called “settler-colonialism”) to great effect for centuries, with Ulster as their proving ground. 

So why did the Plantation of Ulster occur when it did? With much of Ulster abandoned by native Irish leaders as a result of conflicts early in the 1600s, English interests were able to swoop in and sell the abandoned land to new (mostly English) landlords. In need of tenants to make their new holdings profitable, these landlords looked to the Lowlands of Scotland, where years of crop failures and religious persecution for their Presbyterian faith made promises of better land and greater religious toleration in Ulster attractive. Some of these Scottish settlers in Ulster chose migration—to the extent that trading probable starvation for possible starvation is a choice. However, some were forcibly transplanted. 

In addition to their vulnerable state as a mostly poor and marginalized group, Lowlander Scots held a particular attraction for their new landlords. For centuries, their families had inhabited the constantly contested borderlands of England and Scotland. They were accustomed to making their homes between violently antagonistic forces. This was key, because the land they settled on was not empty. Ulster had been abandoned only by its elites. Many native Irish remained, clinging to their Catholic faith in the face of persecution from both English Anglican landlords and Scottish Presbyterian tenants.

The Black Oath
When those 300,000 Presbyterians in Scotland and Ulster signed the Scottish National Covenant of 1638, the English Crown responded with what became known as the “Black Oath.” It required every Protestant in Scotland and Ulster over the age of sixteen to swear allegiance to the king and reject the Scottish National Covenant. The Black Oath turned the Ulster Scots community against Charles I, adding to the controversial monarch’s many enemies. The 1640s, a decade of bloody unrest on both islands, ended with the king’s execution in 1649. 

When the dust of migration and war finally cleared around 1660 there were three major religious groups in Ulster: displaced and oppressed Catholics, looking to Rome and the Catholic monarchs of continental Europe for redemption; land-owning Anglicans, loyal to the restored monarch Charles II and the Church of England; and a tenant class of Protestant Dissenters, of which Scottish Presbyterians made up the largest part and whose numbers were increasing. 

Indeed, while there had been plenty of Scottish Presbyterian settlements in Ulster in the first half of the 1600s, the greatest numbers, including many Presbyterian ministers, migrated to Ireland during the second half. All told, perhaps a quarter of a million people migrated from the island of Great Britain (England, Wales, and Scotland) to the island of Ireland by 1700, most of them to Ulster.

These migrants to Ulster from Lowland Scotland—Scottish, Presbyterian, Dissenters — became known as the Ulster Scots. Stay tuned next week to discover how they became known in North America as the Scots-Irish.

Further Reading: This article provides an extremely simplified overview of a complex historical process. Jonathan Bardon is a major authority on the history of Ulster. His book, The Plantation of Ulster (2011) is the standard source. If you’re not interested in reading a whole book but want to learn a bit more, check out the Ulster-Scots Agency.

Image credit: Wdcf, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Jan 2024 Financial Snapshot

January 17, 2024

Cash Flow – Operating Fund as of 12/31/23:

        ACTUAL        BUDGETED
Income YTD:     $1,239,072       $1,300,000 
Expenses YTD:      $1,218,473       $1,370,882
Surplus/(Deficit) YTD:           $20,599         ($70,882)

Support our Scouts AS YOU Savor Some Spaghetti

January 17, 2024

11:30 AM-1 PM SUNDAY, FEB 4 IN FELLOWSHIP HALL • $10 PER PERSON, FREE FOR CHILDREN IN KINDERGARTEN & YOUNGER

The Derry Church-sponsored Cub Scout Pack 200 and Troop 2200 invite you to a spaghetti lunch fundraiser following worship on Sunday, Feb 4. The meal includes spaghetti, sauce, salad, roll, drink, and dessert. Gluten free and meat-free sauce options available, as well as take-out. Proceeds will support scouting opportunities including summer camp and outdoor activities.

Cub Scout Pack 200 is for boys and girls grades K-5. The Pack meets on Mondays at Derry Church from 6:30-7:30 pm. Contact Cubmaster Willam Day for more information. Troop 2200 is for girls grades 6-12. The Troop meets on Mondays at the Derry Church Scout House from 5:45-6:45 pm. Contact Scoutmaster Jeff Hosenfeld for more information. Find them on Facebook.

Help the kitchen crew prepare enough for all: RSVP now.

Ash Wednesday Worship Options

January 17, 2024

9:15 AM WEDNESDAY, FEB 14 IN THE SANCTUARY
Join Derry Discovery Days preschool families for a brief conversation with Pastor Stephen and Shawn, and imposition of ashes.

7 PM WEDNESDAY, FEB 14 IN THE CHAPEL
A contemplative hour-long service led by Pastor Stephen and Shawn includes hymns, a sermon, and celebration of the Lord’s supper along with imposition of ashes.

Hershey Ministerium Lenten Worship SERVICES

January 17, 2024

The churches of the Hershey Ministerium invite you to noontime worship services followed by lunch provided by the host church ($5 suggested donation). It’s a great way to add devotional time to your Lenten practice as we gather in community with our Christian neighbors.

2024 Schedule:
12 pm Ash Wednesday, Feb 14: St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church
Led by Rev. Ursula Schreffler of Zion Lutheran Church, Union Deposit, and John Triscik of St. Joan of Arc

12 pm Wednesday, Mar 6: Derry Church Sanctuary with lunch in Fellowship Hall
Led by Rev. Cindy Brommer from Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and Rev. Jim Smith from Country Meadows

12 pm Good Friday, Mar 29: First United Methodist Church
Led by Rev. Adam Ulm from Spring Creek Church of the Brethren and Rev. Stephen McKinney-Whitaker

Meet Anaya, One of Derry Church’s PEB Scholarship Recipients

January 17, 2024

Hello my dear friends, I am Anaya from Class 4. I wish to become a doctor. My parents are not so rich to fulfill all my school needs. God is great. He sent His angel in your face to support me. I love you too much. I wish to serve the poor people of my country. I request you to please support me always. We pray for you daily. May God bless you always. Amen

For 13 years, Derry Church has maintained a partnership with the Presbyterian Education Board in Pakistan. PEB operates 25 schools, primary through high school, including some boarding schools, that serve more than 5,900 students. Derry, through the Friends of Sargodha group, has a particular relationship with the schools in Sargodha. 

Friends of Sargodha’s goal is to continue to provide ten scholarships every year. You can help.

A full scholarship for a day student is $400 a year, about a dollar a day. We are dividing that amount into ten shares, $40 each, to offer you the opportunity to support a portion of a scholarship. 

You can purchase one or more shares by writing a check to Derry Church notated “Pakistan Scholarship” or online through the church website.

Read Eleanor Schneider’s message inviting you to participate. This fundraiser continues through February 2024.

Updates from Presbyterian Women

January 17, 2024

  • In the PW basket in the mission closet, you’ll find kits to sew hygiene bags. Precut fabric and ribbons and instructions are included. Sign your name if you take one, and return by April. Doris Feil can answer your questions.
  • PW designates the 25th of each month as Orange Day to recognize the exploitation of females and work to end it throughout the world. January is also National Human Trafficking Month. Trafficking victims are 80% female. Of those, 80% are sexual trafficking and 20% are labor trafficking. Recently some police departments are arresting and publishing names of those who are paying for services rather than the victims’ names. Publicity has reduced incidents in some locations. Most traffickers and their victims are of same race. Wear orange or an orange ribbon on Thursday, Jan 25 to show support for efforts to eliminate these exploitations.

Eleanor Schneider • Derry Member

January 11, 2024

We are nearing the end of a season of wonder and I confess I have never ceased to be amazed at the number of projects and their huge impact for our local and worldwide communities that Derry undertakes. I say this because my first church was a small congregation in western Pennsylvania where I remember hearing adults talk about “living link missionaries.” These missionaries seemed to be far away, so I wondered: where were these missionaries and what did they do there?

My experience of mission at Derry has vastly enlarged my understanding of how we, individually and collectively, are a link to others.  I am thinking especially of the ministry of the Presbyterian Education Board (PEB) in Pakistan, which Derry members have been supporting — first in small ways beginning in 2009, and now in significantly substantial ways through a variety of fundraising endeavors and the personal involvement of many.  This is about education for the most needy in Pakistan, where government-run schools are inadequate and where many children could suffer lifelong illiteracy. 

Derry’s Shares for Scholarships campaign, under way now and continuing through February, supports the education of children in PEB schools. Last year 54 folks at Derry raised $23,200 in scholarship funds that are benefiting 55 children who attend PEB day and boarding schools. It is my good fortune and a blessing to be able to send Adan, a little guy who is a day student, to nursery school. His letter from 2022 tells me that his favorite subject is English and that he wants to be an engineer. Wonderful! 

Derry members support the work of PEB through Friends of the Presbyterian Education Board here and across the country.  There are now three schools  in Sargodha (a large city of about 660,000 people) that serve more than 1,000 boys and girls who are Christians and Muslims. An annual scholarship is $400 for a day student and $800 for a boarding student. A share is any amount you might wish to allow God, though you, to support the education of a child.

I believe we are truly God’s links to youngsters who will have hope of a better future, a chance to rise out of poverty, and the promise of becoming educated citizens who are prepared to serve their communities and the world. A card from PEB reminded me of Hebrews 6:1, “God is not unjust: God will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped God’s people and continue to help them.” 

I invite you to join me by becoming a link of God’s love to one of God’s children by giving online or by sending checks to Derry Church notated “Pakistan Scholarships.” 

Dec 2023 Session Highlights

January 10, 2024

  • Examined and approved the ordination and installation on January 14, 2024 of newly elected ruling elders and deacons.
  • Approved a baptism request for Reese MacFarlane, daughter of Erica & Brendan MacFarlane, who will be a part of the upcoming new member class.
  • Approved a building use request to hold a Japanese Swordmanship Seminar on Friday and Saturday, Jan 26-27 in Fellowship Hall.
  • Approved Derry’s 2024 budget as follows: $1,322,800 income, $1,415,711 expenses leaving a projected deficit of $92,911. Historically, expenses are less than budget projections and with the addition of a portion of the income from the Anderson Trust, any shortfall, if it occurs, can be minimized.
  • Stewardship & Finance reported that with the end-of-year giving and underspending of budgets by the committees, we may end 2023 with a budget surplus. If there is a surplus, the Session will address how to use it at the January 2024 meeting when final figures are available.
  • To increase opportunities for giving, the QR code included in the bulletin will be added to the livestream projection during the “Thanksgiving for Gifts Received” portion of the worship service. In addition, Stewardship & Finance will look for ways to increase the visual prominence of our collection boxes for depositing financial gifts.
  • Approved the Presbyterian Women 2024 collections: Blanket + Fund, Birthday and Thank offerings. The Cookie Walk Jumbles Shop event will be held Saturday, Dec 7.
  • As part of this year’s confirmation class, Pastor Stephen has issued a “Be a Blessing Challenge” in which each confirmand will be given $100 to bless an organization or cause. The purpose goes beyond giving money with each person encouraged to think how she can use the money to engage and invest in her cause. Session approved a request submitted by Alex Patton to solicit the congregation for books for a mini library, which she is proposing for her project. More information on specific books needed will be forthcoming.
  • The term of active service will end in January for elders: Duncan Campbell, Jessica Delo, Pete Feil, Claudia Holtzman, Gregg Robertson, and Laura Williams. Thank you to these elders for their leadership over the past three years, which included the challenges of the pandemic, helping Derry to continue to meet its commitment to proclaim God’s Word, share God’s love, and practice God’s justice.
  • This being ME Steelman’s final session meeting as a staff member, the Session acknowledged and thanked her for her commitment and dedication to Derry’s children and Christian Education program.

Derry Dads Drop-In & Games

January 10, 2024

6:30-7:30 PM THURSDAY, JAN 25 IN THE YOUTH ROOM

Derry dads are gathering this month for conversation, snacks and games. Pastor Stephen may even bring some of his venison bologna, but you’ll need to show up to find out.

Join the PW Bible Study!

January 10, 2024

1 PM WEDNESDAY, JAN 17 IN THE LOUNGE

“A Person with Leprosy Encounters Jesus” is this month’s lesson for the Presbyterian Women’s circle. All women are invited to attend. The scripture — Luke 17:11-21 — looks at how Jesus heals a leper and how he can heal fixed ideas that limit life.

Bible and Race: A Presbytery-Wide Bible Study

January 10, 2024

6:30-7:30 PM TUESDAYS ON ZOOM, JAN 16-MAR 19

God loves everyone. We know prejudice based on race is wrong. Yet, as issues around race have been politicized, many of our congregations are reflecting on how to discuss race and loving our neighbors in our 21st century highly anxious American society. Carlisle Presbytery is sponsoring a Bible study led by various pastors to engage scriptures related to race and spiritual practices. View and download the schedule.

Check Out Derry’s New Hearing Assist System

January 10, 2024

We’ve recently installed a new hearing assist system in the Sanctuary that offers a standard headphone option or a loop that connects with many hearing aids so sound is heard through the user’s hearing aids. If you have questions about how to use the new system, see deacon Dave Hibshman on Sunday. Big thanks to Dave for working to seamlessly incorporate the new devices into our sound system.

If you prefer to use the previous hearing assist system, it is still available and operational.

Christian Churches United Overnight Shelters Need Your Support

January 10, 2024

During the cold winter season, Christian Churches United of the Tri-County Area offers two walk-in overnight shelters so that everyone who needs a place can have a warm space to sleep. To support their efforts, our Mission & Peace Committee is holding a drive from Jan 15-Feb 15 to collect food, clothing, toiletries, and needed items for the shelters. Click to view and download the list. Drop items in the designated basket in the mission closet in the Ruth Codington Library.

Marilyn Koch • Derry Member

January 4, 2024

Editor’s Note: On the first Thursday of each month (or close to it), the eNews feature article highlights the mission focus for the month. In January we’re lifting up women’s equality, justice and opportunity through the good work of our mission partner, Bethesda Women and Children’s Mission in Harrisburg.

My first visit to Bethesda Women’s Shelter was easily 25 years ago. It was a dark, cramped building that had once been a school. We shared our love by preparing a luncheon and sharing a meal together. Over time, Derry members visited and learned about their programs and needs, and we planted colorful geraniums in a narrow strip of grass between the sidewalk and the road.

Now the Shelter has been replaced on the same site by a light-filled interior space surrounded by outdoor views that allow women to thrive in a Christ-centered facility. Bethesda offers hope to those searching for their purpose and their place in this world. 

On completion of a year-long Discipleship and Recovery program, women have the option to move into a Transitional Living Program before moving out on their own. Because many of the women have addictions to drugs and alcohol, and may have been living in domestic abuse situations, it is important for program participants to commit to sobriety. Bethesda offers prayer, a discipleship program, counseling — individual and group — and 12-step Christian recovery groups and meetings. Children may stay with their mothers at the shelter so their bond can be maintained and strengthened. Parenting classes are available, and everyone has access to financial and budgeting instruction to help round out their life skills.

Since their education may have been interrupted, Bethesda can assist participants in obtaining local social, medical, and educational services to help them set and reach attainable goals during their stay. Some women, after completing Bethesda’s programming, either return to the work force or continue their education at a local college. Many of the graduates remain in contact with the shelter through calls, mentoring, or as volunteers.

Derry has shared our love with them as well as our mission funds over the years. Look for opportunities in the near future for you  to share your time and talents, too!

Winter Weather on the Radar? Where to Find Schedule Changes and Cancellations

January 3, 2024

In this winter season, plans can change quickly. When snowy, icy weather is forecast, here’s where you can find church schedule changes:

  • At the top of the church website in the black ALERTS bar
  • Posted on Derry’s social media channels (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram)
  • Text messages to everyone signed up to receive alerts from Derry Church: sign up here to get on that list

It’s our practice NOT to send email notifications for every closing and schedule change as these can be frequent and not everyone subscribed to our email list needs the same information.

Join the Prime Timers for Travel Stories: Iceland

January 3, 2024

12:45 PM MONDAY, JAN 8 IN ROOM 7A

This week Prime Timers offers an opportunity to learn more about traveling to Iceland. Join Pastor Stephen and others who’ve been there to hear their stories and advice, see pictures, and learn more about the country and its history, customs, and traditions — like a giant Christmas cat! If you’ve traveled to Iceland, bring along your pictures, souvenirs, and stories to share.

There’s Snow Place Like the Library

January 3, 2024

This winter, warm up with a good book in the Ruth Codington Library. Come find a new-to-you character who shares your inspirational word of 2024. Will you be Brave like octogenarians Ch’idzigyaak and Sa’ in Velma Wallis’s icy Alaskan legend? Determined like Phillis Wheatley who stood trial in front of our Founding Fathers to defend her poetry? Or maybe you’d like to reread warm and fuzzy favorites as you strive to be Kind like Summer in Wonder, or Loyal like wizard sidekick, Ron Weasley (there are more than 15 Harry Potter related titles in our library!)

Look for books any time in our online catalog. Or, stop in to browse the shelves (the library is just inside lower Entrance #1) and add your input on the graffiti wall.

You’re Invited to the Ordination of Kevin Long

January 3, 2024

3:30 PM SUNDAY, JAN 28 AT CHRIST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 421 DEERFIELD RD, CAMP HILL

The Presbytery of Carlisle invites you to celebrate the Ordination of Kevin Long to the Ministry of Word & Sacrament and his Commissioning as Organizing Pastor of the Intertwined worshiping community in Harrisburg.

In recent months, Kevin has presented two Issues Classes at Derry Church: one on Intertwined and the Need for More Worshiping Communities and one on Eco-Justice. 

Monday Night Study Group Discusses “A Leap of Faith”

January 3, 2024

7 PM MONDAY, JAN 15 IN ROOM 7B AND ON ZOOM

The first opportunity for you to discuss Derry’s church-wide anniversary book selection happens this month. Join in person or on Zoom as Claudia Holtzman leads a discussion of David Latimer’s memoir of how he and Martin McGuinness worked together for peace in Northern Ireland. Rev. Latimer was pastor of First Derry Presbyterian Church, Londonderry, and will be our featured guest speaker in September. Copies are available in the church library.

Urgent Needs for Love INC’s Personal Care Closet 

January 3, 2024

The following items are urgently needed and can be dropped off in the designated basket in Derry Church’s mission closet in the lower level atrium:  

  • Regular feminine pads
  • Super Tampons
  • Household Cleaners
  • Baby Wipes
  • Baby Wash
  • Baby Shampoo

Love INC’s Personal Care Closet Ministry is a place where neighbors in need who use one of our partner food banks can receive personal care, household, and baby items like toothpaste, laundry detergent, and diapers—items not covered by food stamps.