Month: September 2024

This year has been a whirlwind of Derry 300 events that culminated last weekend with our 300th anniversary homecoming celebration, worship, and cemetery rededication. We’ve spent the whole year remembering, reflecting, giving thanks for our heritage and the saints of Derry, and looking toward the future of Derry. We’ve traveled, we’ve sung, we’ve learned, and last weekend we gathered together. 

Much could be said about our homecoming weekend, but the word I keep coming back to is love. I felt surrounded by love in the Hershey Lodge on Saturday night amid the happy reunions, boisterous laughter, and shared memories. I could tell everyone gathered loved one another, loved Derry, and loved God. We broke bread together, we reflected on our past, and we heard an important word for the future from Rev. David Latimer, about who we are called to be for God and the world. Our call is to share the love that shapes us. Derry does that by proclaiming God’s word, sharing God’s love, and practicing God’s justice together. We are deeply rooted in love, and that’s where our growth has come from over the past 300 years.

We’ve spent the majority of this year looking back, and now it’s time to look forward to our next 300 years. Our work is not done, our story is not finished, our mission is not yet complete. Our world has not yet learned to live and love well together, so we — all of us — need a place, and we need a time that reminds us what love is and what it does and how it shapes us. We need a place to remind us that we are all defined by who and how we love.

That’s what Derry is, and has been for 300 years. I hope that’s why you come, and why you volunteer, and why you give to the work of this church. You, and all the past saints of Derry, have given of their time, talent, and treasure to make Derry a place to worship, serve and belong, as well as a place to remember the love that shapes our lives. I hope you’ve found this to be that place, that needed place, for you and the world.  

Entering our annual stewardship season, we can be inspired by our past, encouraged by our present, and hopeful about our future. In coming weeks we will be reflecting on what we can give so that Derry can continue to proclaim God’s word, we share God’s love and we practice God’s justice… or to say it another way, to share the love that shapes us. 

I’m feeling inspired and hopeful after such a memorable and special weekend. I loved the weekend, and I love Derry, and I love each of you. Derry is a special place: it is a place of love. Thank you for all you do to ensure that Derry remains a place where love is taught, given, shared, and received. 

Thanks to the generosity and faith of the Presbytery and many Presbyterians, the Derry Church Chapel was completed in 1887. At the same time, Derry’s Sunday School, an organization independent of the church, was reaching and teaching many children and adults each week. While the Sunday School was expanding, without a called pastor Church membership remained static, and Derry continued to struggle financially. 

While Derry Church did not have a called pastor, the church was fortunate to be served by stated supply pastors who offered Sunday evening services. Reverend Albert Williamson, pastor of  Paxton Presbyterian Church, offered monthly evening services from 1885-1895, and Reverend William Groff, pastor of Middletown Presbyterian Church, led monthly evening services from 1895-1905.

Milton Hershey’s decision to build a chocolate factory and model town in 1903 had a profound effect on Derry’s future. The factory, which began operations in 1905, brought new residents to the community. Derry Church slowly began to grow in membership and financial stability.

With the continued financial support of Presbytery and with Milton Hershey’s contribution of $300 (1/3 of a minister’s salary), in 1909 Derry called its first pastor since 1874. Reverend Benjamin Segelken served Derry for only a year before taking another call. During his short time at Derry, notable changes occurred. Individual communion sets with small glasses fitting into trays were purchased, allowing the sacraments to be served in the pews. A choir was organized, a pianist was hired, and a Ladies’ Guild was established with Reverend Segelken’s wife as its first president. From this point on, Derry Church was able to continue calling full-time pastors. As the town of Hershey grew, so did the congregation. 

The Ladies’ Guild played a significant role in Derry Church life. In addition to Bible studies and fellowship, fundraising played an important role in the Guild. During the Guild’s first ten years, the women raised funds to improve the Chapel building. Fundraisers were often held in downtown Hershey because there wasn’t space for such events in the Chapel. The women held Strawberry Festivals and Oyster Dinners, sold magazines such as McCall’s and Ladies’ Home Journal, sewed and sold aprons, and even offered weekly embroidery and crochet lessons to add to their treasury. With their funds, the women paid for pews in the Chapel, repaired the church walls ($150), tuned the Chapel piano, purchased a Brussels carpet ($263.75) and the church’s first electric vacuum cleaner ($20.38). In 1917, the Ladies’ Guild paid for Derry Church’s first indoor toilet.

Reverend George Snavely Rentz came to serve Derry in 1913. During Reverend Rentz’s tenure the church continued to grow in strength and numbers. The church celebrated its legacy of oak trees on November 13, 1915 by planting 50 new trees. The event was a community affair. Milton Hershey and Pennsylvania Governor Martin Brumbaugh attended and each planted an oak tree on the church grounds. The Hershey Band provided music, and Hershey Industrial School (Milton Hershey School) boys assisted with tree planting.

Reverend Rentz built relationships with other Hershey churches, holding joint worship services with the United Brethren (Hershey 1st Methodist) Church. He also reestablished summer Sunday evening lawn services.

Under his leadership, Sunday School classes continued to thrive, with the Men’s Bible class, the Christian Endeavor youth program, and women’s groups growing in numbers. Reverend Rentz left in 1916 to take a call at Market Square Presbyterian Church. When the United States entered World War I in 1917, Rentz resigned to enlist as a Navy chaplain.

Derry Church, like the rest of Hershey, sent several young men to serve in the military during World War I. And like the rest of the nation, Derry Church and the Hershey community suffered from the influenza pandemic that swept the nation as soldiers returned home. The efforts the community and Derry made to curb the spread of influenza were minimal. Once during the winter of 1919, the town shut down public schools and gatherings for two weeks. During the height of the influenza season in 1920, Derry Church suspended all gatherings besides Sunday morning worship for a couple weeks, but little else was done. 

After Reverend Rentz left, Derry Church called Reverend Robert Taylor. The church rented a home located at 20 West Chocolate Avenue to serve as the Church’s manse. In 1924, Derry built a manse for the pastor’s use on church property. It was located near the corner of East Derry Road and Mansion Road, close to today’s church office entrance.

By 1924, Derry’s 200th anniversary, church membership had grown to 148 members with an average of 150 people attending Sunday School each week. The church celebrated its anniversary with several services held over one weekend. The weekend was marked by the return of former members, descendants of former pastors, and friends of Derry.

Reverend Taylor wrote a historical sketch of Derry Church that he presented during one of the services. This sketch, which Taylor later expanded, became Derry’s first published history. 

Reverend Taylor’s interest in Derry’s history led to the preservation of the Session House through the construction of its glass enclosure. Reverend Taylor seized the opportunity when Milton Hershey was visiting the church property to check on the trees to ask for a donation towards preserving the Session House. That request led to Milton Hershey directing his architect-builder, D. Paul Witmer, designing and constructing the building’s glass structure.

While he served as Derry’s pastor, Reverend Taylor emphasized tithing in his sermons and ministry. As a result, by 1927 Derry Church became self-supporting and no longer needed the Presbytery’s financial support. 

By the mid-1920s, congregational growth led to plans to expand the Chapel. Preliminary plans showed an extension to the west of the church. However, after much discussion the final design called for the construction of an east transept to the Chapel with classrooms behind the original building and a social gathering space on the lower level. In honor of Derry’s best known former pastor, the new expanded Chapel would be christened “The John Elder Memorial Chapel.” The economic crisis resulting from the Great Depression would delay construction for several years. 

We just started our new program year, and it looks like it is going to be a great one.  Our Sunday School is back in full swing, and I have been encouraged by all the volunteers — both new and experienced — who have stepped up, willing to help. They bring with them a wide spectrum of energy and gifts to make our programs even stronger.  

The youth group (grades 6-12) just kicked the year off with “Cutout Capers.” At this event, the youth broke up into teams and headed into the Hershey community with life-size cutouts of celebrities such as Adam Levine (the lead singer for ColdPlay) and Katy Perry.  Taylor Swift was supposed to be in attendance, but her schedule didn’t cooperate (shipping was delayed). Teams had a list of places to go to take pictures with their cut-out. Much fun was had.

The Kids Fellowship (grades 3-5) will go apple picking on Sunday, along with the youth and everyone who wants to participate in this all-church activity. Later in the fall we have planned bonfires, s’mores, corn mazes, popcorn making, and service projects.

Our Sunday School is up and running with some new tweaks. Youth started “3G” during the Sunday School hour, which stands for God, Games, and Grub.  We will be playing games,  then having a faith discussion surrounding those games. Some of the games will be classics like Pictionary or charades, while others will be modern like Jack Box. After we play, we will eat and talk about things that matter.  We had a great turnout this past Sunday.    

Grades K-5 are following the SparkHouse curriculum, which includes hands-on activities, faith discussions, and multimedia resources. This past Sunday each class created a covenant to help them promise how best to treat each other.

Terrific Tuesday started this week, and we are excited about all the music, stories, fun, and puppets that will be happening. We have simplified the schedule a bit and added a recreation block so that our kids have time just to be kids and play with each other. 

Now that you know more about our programming, I would like to tell you why we offer these programs. Our primary goal is to create a safe place where all who participate will hear that they are loved by God (who is always with them) and by their church family. It has been my experience that if you are successfully able to accomplish these goals, then you can have rich discussions about faith formation, having divine worth, participating in God’s amazing work, dreaming about how the church can live its mission out, and discerning and realizing that each of us are uniquely equipped and have something to contribute to the church, community, and world.  

Something that you may not always hear a pastor say but I firmly believe is that participation in the church’s programming is not a requirement to having a faith. I believe that you should make faith a priority in your life, but our programs are just one way you can support and enrich your faith. Family time, athletics, vocations, and academics are also very important and demand your time. These things also contribute to your faith. 

I encourage you to make faith a priority in your life, and I hope that our programs will aid in your faith development. I hope and believe you find lifelong relationships in our church community. And I want you to remember that when life gets busy with other commitments, it’s completely understandable to take a break. Know that you will be missed, and we will be thrilled to see you when you return. 

Editor’s Note: On the first Thursday of each month, the eNews feature article highlights the mission focus for the month. In September we’re lifting up the Peace & Global Witness Offering, where a portion of funds received goes to our mission partner Gather the Spirit for Justice. In their own words, here is a snapshot of their operations: 

The mission of Gather the Spirit for Justice (Gather the Spirit) is to “strengthen community in Allison Hill, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.” Most of our neighborhood folks are low-income and many are homeless. For the census tract immediately surrounding the community center, census data shows an estimated 2020 median family income of only $35,306 and a minority population of 88%.  

Gather the Spirit’s Common Ground Community Center provides a safe, comfortable place for our neighbors to gather for classes, weekly community breakfasts, gardening and special events. We offer services that help them improve their opportunities for employment and personal growth (e.g., English as a Second Language classes, cooking classes) and we assist with basic personal needs (e.g., toiletries, food, cleaning supplies).

Gather the Spirit began operation at the Shared Ministry on Market Street in Harrisburg in the 1970s and later also partnered with the Unitarian Church of Harrisburg, The open door of the community center was closed during the worst part of the Covid pandemic, from March 2020 through 2022. Now Gather the Spirit is located on the bottom floor of Christ Lutheran Church in Harrisburg, and Common Ground Coffee can be found there every Saturday, 9-11 am.

Dear Derry members, The Mission & Peace Committee would love to interest you in some of Gather the Spirit for Justice’s volunteer opportunities and the committee hopes to offer some financial support after taking a hiatus during the Covid pandemic. Please consider supporting this worthwhile mission! Contact me for more information and to volunteer — Karen Leader, Mission & Peace Committee Member