Author: Susan George

Last year Derry Church offered the opportunity to buy shares to support a child’s education in Pakistan through the Presbyterian Education Board (PEB). A remarkable  $6,649 was raised for the PEB General Scholarship Fund in 2021.

In addition, there were 10 Derry families who took the extra step and chose to purchase 10 shares and support a child’s education for the entire year. When asked why they made this commitment, we received the following responses:  

• There are lots of opportunities to support great causes, but few that have a direct impact on the life of one individual. Funding a scholarship offers that student the opportunity for a great education and hope for a brighter future. Sue and Jim George
  
• We chose to provide a scholarship for a Pakistani girl because as educators we believe in the transformative power of education. I do not know where else we could make such a difference in someone’s life for such a small contribution to fund a scholarship. Sue Whitaker and Al Reed
  
• In 2020 I chose to sponsor a child’s education through PEB in Pakistan. I do this to honor my own grandchildren, who have the luxury of living in a country with free public education – my wish is for all children to be blessed with knowledge through education. Kristy Elliott
  
• We are supporting this fund because we feel strongly about supporting the education of girls in a country where they may not otherwise have the same opportunities as they have here in the United States. James and Ellen Mosher
  
• Jay & I have chosen to support this program because it is a priority of our church and we believe in it. It is so important to help educate children, especially in places where there is great need. They are our future. Jay and Carol Carr
  
• We chose to support a child’s education through a scholarship because we believe everyone deserves the opportunity to learn in a safe and supportive environment. Education has the power to change a life, a community, and the world, so we are thankful to have the opportunity to help others receive the gift of education that will last a lifetime. Much of our own education was funded through scholarships, and we wanted to pass that gift along to someone else. 
  Courtney and Stephen McKinney-Whitaker
  
• We chose to provide support for the children/schools in Pakistan for several reasons. Education is the way out of poverty and to a better life. We believe in the partnership with PEB and the work they have done. We look forward to Veda’s updates and visits. We will continue to support this program as we are strong believers in its mission. Mike and Tracey Kinney

For 11 years, Derry Church has maintained a partnership with PEB. PEB operates 25 schools, primary through high school, including some boarding schools, that serve more than 5,900 students. Derry, through our Friends of Sargodha group, has a particular relationship with the schools in Sargodha. Our goal is to provide ten scholarships every year. You can help.

A full scholarship for a day student is approximately $370 a year, about a dollar a day. We are dividing that amount into ten shares, $37 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 giving online through the church website and selecting “Pakistan Scholarship.” 

Whether you are able to give one share, three, or 15, together we can fulfill the dreams of more students in 2022. PEB students will thank you for the precious gift of education that will help them contribute to positive changes in society as citizen-leaders in their communities, churches, their country and the world. Who knows? Your student may one day be the one to change the world.

It is estimated that more than 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men in the United States will experience rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime (CDC).

A November 2021 report by UN Women found that since the start of the pandemic, violence against women has become more severe across the globe. The report finds that women have experienced more violence since the start of the pandemic and they feel less safe overall. While COVID-19 has taken a psychological toll on all of us, women who are also exposed to violence, particularly physical violence, experience increased stress and anxiety.

Since 1975, Derry Presbyterian Church has supported the YWCA of Greater Harrisburg. The YWCA’s Violence Intervention and Prevention programs provide free and confidential crisis and counseling services to survivors of domestic and sexual violence, including a crisis hotline, safety planning, individual and group counseling, medical and court accompaniments, and referrals to local services. The YWCA also provides a shelter for women and their children who are experiencing domestic violence, as well as a legal clinic. To raise community awareness and to prevent domestic and sexual violence before it happens, the YWCA provides free, age-appropriate workshops for preschools, schools, colleges, youth groups, community groups and workplaces.

While domestic and sexual violence disproportionately affects women and girls, we all play a role in prevention and supporting survivors. In addition to supporting Missions at Derry, you can help by taking the following actions:

1. Educate yourself. Start by checking out the resources at Presbyterian Mission, Faith Trust Institute, RAINN and Love is Respect. Attend the January 23 Issues Class and learn from a YWCA prevention educator about domestic and sexual violence and how you can help.
   
2. Believe survivors. If you know someone experiencing domestic or sexual violence, believe them. Understand that it can be hard to seek help and to leave abusive relationships. Ask how you can support them and let them know about the services that the YWCA provides. The 24-hour crisis hotline is available at 1-800-654-1211.
   
3. Talk about this issue. Invite a prevention educator from the YWCA to speak at your workplace, school or community group. Talk to the children and teens in your life in an age-appropriate way about body safety, consent and healthy relationships.
   
4. Speak up! When you hear someone make a sexist, homophobic or racist joke or a comment that minimizes domestic or sexual violence, say something. These small, seemingly “minor” comments contribute to an overall culture that perpetuates domestic and sexual violence.

Through Derry’s support of the YWCA Greater Harrisburg and each of us taking the steps listed above, Derry members and friends contribute to a safer community for all. 

Last Christmas … it seems longer than a year ago. So much has changed over the course of the past year. It’s felt like a roller coaster of changing situations, emotions, challenges, and blessings. Last Christmas we weren’t able to gather together as we’ve done so many times before. Last Christmas was the first Christmas of its kind for most of us; participating in virtual Christmas Eve services, not traveling to be with family, opening presents on Zoom. This Christmas may be different for you, it may be brand new, or it may be much like last Christmas, but every Christmas IS last Christmas.

“Every Christmas is last Christmas.” I didn’t get it when I first heard it on an episode of Doctor Who several years ago, but I do now. Every Christmas is a last Christmas.

Perhaps looking back you’ve realized that last Christmas was your last Christmas: last Christmas with a loved one, last Christmas in a home, last Christmas when your child made you a present, or your last Christmas together.

This Christmas is going to be last Christmas. We know it will be the last Christmas we are blessed with Pastor Marie as one of our pastors leading us in worship, but we can’t know all the things that may change over the next year to make it last Christmas. The same is true for each of us. We may have an idea of how this may be a last Christmas because you may be aware of transitions in your own life, but we can never know the full extent of change a year can bring. But we do know change is inevitable: it will be last Christmas. Enjoy it, love it, cherish it, and take it all in. Every Christmas is last Christmas.

And yet every Christmas is also first Christmas. Do you remember your first Christmas as a couple, in a new home or city, with a new child, even your first Christmas at Derry? Last Christmas was also first Christmas: the first Christmas pre-recording services and having livestream only, the first Christmas with Pastor Pam and Grant, and for me it was the first Christmas as a family of four. This Christmas will also be first Christmas. This is Derry’s first Christmas with our new organ, it’s the first Christmas for Pastor Pam and Grant as we gather together in the sanctuary and for Eric Riley as our Artist-in-Residence. It’s the first Christmas at Derry for new members, even the first Christmas we’ve decorated with purple poinsettias.

Christmas is a microcosm of the changes in our lives. There will always be lasts and there will always be firsts. We will mourn and miss; we will change and cheer. Things will end and new things will begin as they have at Derry for nearly 300 years. Just imagine all the lasts and all the firsts this place has seen since Scots-Irish pioneers first chose to worship under the oaks in 1724.

The year ahead will be no different. There will be lasts and there will be firsts. Some things will come to an end, but new and exciting things will begin. My favorite Scripture is 2 Corinthians 5:17, “If anyone is in Christ there is a new creation, the old life has passed away and the new life has come.” I experience that every Christmas, every year, every day, and so does Derry. It’s one of the many ways the Gospel fills me with hope. God says to us again and again, “Look, I am doing a new thing (Isa. 43:19).” While I know this Christmas will be last Christmas, I can hold on to the hope of first Christmas. And while this year will be the last year, it will also be a new year and a first year.

So together, let’s make this Christmas and the coming year special. Let’s honor the lasts and celebrate the firsts in faith and thanksgiving. God is doing something new in our lives and at Derry. I can’t wait to discover it with you.

Derry Church has had the opportunity to connect with many amazing people over the years. Our church family has benefited from learning from world-class theologians, musicians, and composers, as well as world political leaders. How Derry was able to connect with these remarkable people is often serendipitous.

In 1998 Derry Church began making plans to celebrate its 275th anniversary the following year. Reverend David Birch (retired) who had served as Derry’s interim pastor before Reverend Dick Houtz was called and who regularly worshipped at Derry, served as the 275th Anniversary Committee chair. Remarkably, one of Dave Birch’s neighbors was Tom Foley, who was active not only in Pennsylvania politics but was also deeply interested and involved in efforts to bring peace to Northern Ireland, something that he begun during a graduate fellowship at University College Dublin back in 1975-1976. He later took a two-year leave from Yale Law School in 1979-1981 to serve as a full-time volunteer with the Nobel Prize-winning organization Peace People in Belfast. Following law school, Tom worked with two US Speakers of the House, Tip O’Neill and Tom Foley (no relation), and for Senator Joe Biden on Irish issues in Washington. When Northern Irish peace leaders traveled to the United States, Tom Foley was often called on to host them during their visits.

That neighborhood friendship led to some amazing opportunities for Derry’s heritage trip. Throughout his life, Tom Foley had worked closely with leaders of the Corrymeela Community, a peace and reconciliation group dedicated to bringing all sides of the political conflict to the table. As part of the Derry Heritage Tour, plans were made to stay at Corrymeela to learn more about its work.

Tom Foley also helped Derry connect with the world events. John Hume, the 1998 Nobel Peace Prize winner, had been invited to be a speaker at the March 1999 Congressional Retreat that was held at the Hershey Lodge. Hume, a Roman Catholic, along with David Trimble, a Protestant, won the Nobel prize for their efforts to bring peace to Northern Ireland. Their work resulted in the Good Friday Peace Agreement, signed on April 10, 1998. The agreement ended most of the violence of the ‘Troubles,’ the political conflict in Northern Ireland that had ensued since the late 1960s. The agreement was a major development in the Northern Ireland peace process of the 1990s.

John Hume was a native of Derry, Northern Ireland. During his March 1999 visit to Hershey, he became aware that ‘Derry’ was the name of the township and this piqued his curiosity. His host, Tom Foley, told him about Derry Church and the origins of the township name. Tom brought John Hume over to Derry Church so that he could learn more about the history of our church. They had an impromptu meeting with Pastor Dick Houtz and Pastor Marie Buffaloe under the oak trees by the cemetery. When John Hume learned of our plans to visit Derry (Northern Ireland) he wanted to know the schedule so that he could meet and worship with the group when they visited the First Presbyterian Church (in Derry).

When the travel group arrived in Derry, they were met not only by John Hume, but also the Mayor of Derry, who joined them for Sunday worship and then hosted the travel group at Derry City Hall following worship. It was a truly memorable event for the Derry Church travel group, made possible by a chance, serendipitous meeting.

Editor’s Note: On the first Thursday of each month, the eNews feature article highlights the mission focus for the month. In December we’re lifting up a recipient of this year’s Christmas Joy Offering, Church World Service Lancaster. You can find the current month’s mission focus in the Joys & Concerns section of the weekly eNews.

Church World Service (CWS) Lancaster continues to help resettle refugee families from around the world to the Central Pennsylvania area. After strong travel restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we started receiving families back in May 2020. Since then, we have received 92 individuals (consisting of 16 families and some individuals) from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Syria, Myanmar, and most recently, Afghanistan.

After a 20-year military occupation in Afghanistan, the longest running war in American history concluded at the beginning of September. What ensued was the largest humanitarian evacuation in American history. Over 65,000 individuals from Afghanistan were airlifted out of the Kabul airport after the Taliban regime overtook the capital city in 11 days. Those Afghan families were then taken to various military bases across the United States. From there they have been processed for resettlement with the nine resettlement agencies in the US, and CWS is one of them. 

CWS Lancaster has begun to receive some families from Afghanistan to the Lancaster area, and we plan on helping to resettle many more over the coming months. The Presidential Determination (the amount of refugees allowed in the US in any given federal fiscal year) was set at 125,000 allowed into the United States beyond the 65,000 from Afghanistan.

This clearly presents not just a challenge, but an opportunity. This dramatic increase in refugee arrivals, after several years of federal budget cuts, has prompted CWS to open a satellite office in the Harrisburg area. We hope to open the office and to start resettling families to the Dauphin and Cumberland County areas in January 2022. This will give CWS the ability to service and resettle more refugee clients to the Tri-County area than ever before. And we can only do this work with the continued support of the local faith community, mobilizing churches to be a welcoming presence for all who want to start new lives in America after fleeing from violence and war.

CWS, along with churches like Derry Presbyterian, continue to form sponsorship groups (called Welcome Teams) for small groups of people to walk along side of our refugee friends and neighbors during their resettlement and integration period. This program lasts for approximately six months as families look to get settled to the area, learn a new language, enroll their children in school, secure housing and employment, and continue to flourish in our community.

We are so thankful for churches like Derry Presbyterian for their willingness to walk alongside CWS in this exciting time. The goal is to serve as many refugee families as we can with dignity and compassion, love and grace as God calls us to continue to welcome the stranger in our midst.

When the program year began in September, I had no idea what would happen. In my own mind, I was consumed by questioning each program and decision. Would we have families attend Children’s Ministry programs? Is it too soon to start? What spaces should we use? Would we have enough volunteers to help lead our programs?  Would we be shutting things down frequently? I found myself talking to God frequently and ultimately following my heart and moving ahead with our normal programming, just doing so in a NEW way.

September saw a return to Sunday School and KIWI. Derry was once again blessed with incredible support from our church families. We have an amazing team of adult teachers/helpers who are filling our classrooms with joy, love and energy each Sunday.  COVID gave us a reason to pause and ultimately gave us time to look at our programs and ask what we could do better or different. This led us to add an element of music to our Sunday School time, led by Mr. Grant and Pastor Pam. Children are learning some of the beloved Sunday School songs that many of us grew up singing. Our new curriculum, Spark Activate Faith, has us “Trekking Through the Bible” and having a lot of fun journeying through the Bible together. KIWI has moved to the Chapel and offered us a more special and sacred space to gather and learn about worship. The children enjoy exploring a true worship space and preparing that space with the elements we see in weekly worship that remind us of our sacraments, promises and ways we show our love for our Lord and Savior.

We created a brand-new program called RECONNECT. Pastor Pam has been helping our first and second graders adjust to in-person worship as they focus on the various parts of worship and help them learn how to participate in, and not just sit through, worship. We are hopeful that this new program will make worship more meaningful to these children as they rejoin their parents in December.

Pilgrim Fellowship kicked off in October and has been a lot of fun. Our third through fifth graders love having a time to have fun, be silly and simply be together. We have chosen activities that allow us to be outdoors as much as possible, that connect with many different interests and also offer an element of faith formation through learning, mission and fellowship.

Children’s choirs were greatly affected by the pandemic as Terrific Tuesdays and rehearsals were all cancelled. This is an area of Derry’s Children’s Ministry that brings joy to everyone in the church family and we knew we wanted to find a way to rebuild our choirs. Our church leaders worked together and created a new program, K.I.C. Club (Kids In Christ Club). K.I.C. Club gathers on Tuesday evenings from 5:45-7:15 and offers children the opportunity to explore our creative arts ministries here are Derry: music, creation time and fellowship. The children gather together for our opening circle time and then break into groups to rotate through our three classrooms.  Tuesday evenings have come alive again here at the church. The relaxed atmosphere has allowed us the opportunity to make deeper connections with the children and families of the church. And the children have enjoyed making new friends and experiencing each of our extended Children’s Ministry offerings.

When you and your family are ready, I hope you will join us and find a way to let God be a larger part of your lives. These days are full of uncertainty and decision making and I fully respect the choice each family makes, but also want you to know that I am excited to welcome you back whenever you are ready to join us.

I continue to keep you in my thoughts and prayers, and I continue to thank God for the strength, support and love that surround our Children’s Ministry programs.

This year’s stewardship theme is Growing in Grace & Gratitude. When I think of what that means to me today, a number of things come to mind, some of them a bit different than several years ago when I was asked to write a similar article for the stewardship campaign.   

Each year as fall arrives and Thanksgiving approaches, I find myself reflecting on what is important to me and the many things for which I am thankful. The list is long and I consider myself to be blessed in many ways. I am thankful for my family, friends, my health, food on the table, a roof over my head and other things too numerous to mention.  

One thing in my life that has been a constant is Derry Church. I’ve grown up at Derry, spending the majority of my life attending here with my parents and then my husband and three children. The support and caring of my church family is  something that has kept me here for so long.  

Growing up at Derry, I’ve seen and experienced many changes and growth in the church — the physical building, staff, programs and increased church membership. We continue to grow and expand in new and exciting ways.  Many churches are not so fortunate.  

The past 20 months since COVID hit has truly been a test for all of us. Suddenly being unable to come together to worship and participate in the many church activities came as a shock. Things have been tough and we have all felt a void in one way or another. Not being able to greet one another on Sunday mornings, to chat at post-worship fellowship, to participate in church school, youth activities, Terrific Tuesday meals, just to name a few. However, through God’s continued grace and the combined efforts of so many, we were able to persevere and try to carry on as close to normal as possible. Finding creative ways to worship and continue to do God’s work, caring for our church family and continuing our ministry and mission work despite our limitations.     

As I look back on the past year, I am sure I am not alone in the gratitude I feel for how our church family has come together, caring and supporting one another. Gratitude to those that enabled us to live stream worship, church school, and committee meetings. Finding creative ways to worship and continue to do God’s work. Our continued support of various mission opportunities, caring for one another through personal calls from staff “just to “see how we are doing,” notes, loaves of bread and gifts from Shepherd Group leaders and Deacons. Meal trains for those in need. So many working to maintain a sense of normalcy. 

Now as we see many in-person church activities resuming, I find myself feeling extremely grateful for Derry and God’s continued presence in my life, my faith and for those that have worked tirelessly in the past year to provide a continued form of God’s presence and grace — whatever form it might have taken.

In this season of Thanksgiving and stewardship, let us reflect on what is important to us and what Derry Church means to you and your family. As you are aware it takes significant financial support to run and operate a church, especially one of our size with the many wonderful programs, staff and mission work that Derry provides.  Please take time to prayerfully consider what you can give to Derry for the coming year.  

Editor’s Note: On the first Thursday of each month, the eNews feature article highlights the mission focus for the month. In November we’re lifting up Access to Health Care. You can find the current month’s mission focus in the Joys & Concerns section of the weekly eNews.

We at Derry Church are so blessed to have people with many talents and interests.  And making time to be a hands-on volunteer can bring a new perspective on our society. But even with the understanding that Covid has greatly impacted how our agencies provide services, I would urge you not to rule out being an active volunteer.  Our committee provides funding for several ministries in the midstate area and they can use your support as well.

We support the Community Checkup Center in Hall Manor, Harrisburg, which is a non-profit health center providing quality care to Harrisburg’s diverse and underserved children and adults.  Our own Gretchen Ballard served on the board for many years (they have been providing services since 1994) and is still working with them. She delivers the calendars donated by members from our congregation to the center, so they can be given to patients to track return appointments and important reminders. There’s a basket in the mission closet ready to collect 2022 calendars. The Checkup Center sees about 200 patients a month, about half the number they were able to see before Covid due to social distancing issues, although numbers are now starting to increase.

Our connection with Christ Lutheran Church’s Health Ministry has grown over the last few years. They offer the following four free health clinics in South Allison Hill, a neighborhood of intense need in Harrisburg where workers strive to be the healing hands of Jesus in that community:

• The MEDICAL OUTREACH CLINIC is a free, nurse-run walk-in clinic in conjunction with Holy Spirit Hospital. They provide simple lab tests, basic physical assessments, health education, and some limited assistance with social service liaison, medication assistance, and the provision of items necessary for health such as blankets, hygiene items and underwear. The Outreach team includes a small core of paid staff and volunteers. Nursing students from HACC have clinical rotations there. Services are provided in English, Spanish, French and Arabic languages.
• The DENTAL CLINIC is comprised of a team of volunteer dentists, support staff and translators who offer care three days a month for urgent dental conditions requiring simple extractions and fillings.
• The PRENATAL CLINIC provides free prenatal care, including labs and radiology, and is offered to low-income women who are ineligible for insurance and whose pregnancies are in the low risk categories. Nurses and doctors determine the risk factor. Through a partnership with Holy Spirit Hospital, access to advanced care, labor and childbirth delivery at the hospital is included.
• The URGENT CARE CLINIC has a doctor available weekly for urgent (but not emergency) medical needs. By appointment only, but free of charge.
  

Last, but not least, our own Dr. Larry Espenshade has volunteered for a number of years with Hope Within Ministries in Elizabethtown. They offer free primary health care services for medically uninsured low income residents of Lancaster, Lebanon, and Dauphin Counties, as well as low-cost, sliding scale counseling and donation-
based dental care thanks to more than 30 volunteer medical, dental providers, therapists, and nurses. All appointments are scheduled with patients for the medical and dental clinics and for clients in their counseling center, because they are not a walk-in facility.

Please consider these volunteer opportunities and how you can join these agencies in their missions to provide health care to our uninsured and underinsured neighbors.

When we returned to this area, we felt at home the first time we attended worship at Derry Church. Through warm greetings from folks like Nancy Kitzmiller, membership classes, and the nursery volunteers, we felt welcome. Now, whether we are in person, worshipping via the live stream, learning at Derry Discovery Days, watching classes on YouTube, or hearing what our kids did at VBS, Derry Church has truly become a home.

Gratitude gives us the eyes to see the grace of God all around us, particularly in the ways it is demonstrated by our church family. We are thankful for the beautiful musical gifts of Grant, Dan, and many others, to share in that ministry, and for the moments when the music grabs our kids’ attention and draws them into worship.

We are thankful for Pastors and staff who take a few minutes out of their own busy days to acknowledge birthdays or send a postcard. We are thankful for Shepherd Group leaders who check-in and truly show God’s love in sharing peace and joy.

Our kids have been regular visitors to the church nursery, and as new parents, we have always been thankful for the love of volunteers who comforted them and let them know that we were close by if they could hear the music (thank you, Sue Fox). As parents of young kids, our church family has shown us love in making the quiet room on the side of the sanctuary a welcoming space. Hudson has been part of Derry Discovery Days since he was a Ladybug, and Oliver joined this year as a Turtle. Our gratitude runs deep for the amazing teachers and the connections our boys have made to Derry during their time at school.

For our family, being a part of Derry has looked like church on Sundays, followed by fellowship, Easter egg hunts, Zoom scavenger hunts and learning with Mrs. Steelman, drive-thrus to offer donations and to share God’s love and grace far beyond the walls of our church, new friendships, and delicious breakfasts on Easter morning. Who can forget Pastor Stephen’s Derry Good News series during the early days of COVID? What a gift during that uncertain time to be reminded regularly of God’s grace all around us.

The gift of God’s grace and faithful, steady presence can be seen at Derry in the beautiful tulips planted around our church many years ago. We know the tulips will bloom each spring without fail, just as the sun rises each morning. We can count on this ever-present reminder of God’s love. We know we have the ability to impact others through a genuinely warm welcome or “how are you?” because we have experienced it, and by showing up for one other, the church itself, and the greater community and world. Being a part of the Derry church family has allowed us to inhale grace beyond measure, and exhale our gratitude. We hope the same is true for each of you.

Because our friend and former student, Dan Stokes, became interim organist at Derry, we decided to spend a few Sundays visiting Derry Church to hear Dan play. We realized from the first Sunday service that there was a friendliness and sincerity at Derry that led us to attend membership classes and become a part of that family.  Then COVID hit, and the opportunity to know more members of the congregation and to become involved in the life of the church seemed to disappear. The streaming services allowed us to continue to worship each Sunday, but we still felt removed from the actual life of the church and from fellowship with its members.  We couldn’t possibly know at that point just how important our connection to Derry Presbyterian would become in the following months.

As the pandemic continued to preclude worshipping in person, we adjusted ourselves to “remote” membership in the anticipation of full participation when the pandemic subsided.  Then, in a blink of the proverbial eye, our lives were upended, as Rudy was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer. No warning signs. Just a quick trip to the emergency room, a diagnosis within hours, and brain surgery scheduled within days. Seeking some direction and support at a particularly difficult time, we turned to the Derry ministerial staff.  While one would expect the clergy to offer their guidance, we were not prepared for Derry’s pastors’ numerous expressions of care via phone calls, texts, emails, and cards. Indeed, their sincere expressions of concern extended far beyond what we could possibly expect! Their calm, reasoned guidance and encouragement provided a much-needed respite from the chaos that enveloped us during those dark days.

Even more astonishing (at least to us) was the outpouring of sympathy and offers of help from members of the Derry congregation, many of whom we didn’t even know.  Hand-delivered flowers, apple cakes, a stunning prayer shawl, and numerous cards with handwritten notes of encouragement were indicative of Derry community’s commitment to care for its parishioners.

Sometimes, when one reflects upon past events and their influence, one can see what Marcy would call “God winks,” events that display God’s grace without great fanfare, but rather with a whisper that says, “I’ve got this; here’s a special gift to ease your burdens.”  Derry Church is one such “God wink.”  How could we know that the clergy and the members would be right where we needed them, when we needed them?  Perhaps we didn’t need to know. “God winks” arrive without our requesting them or deserving them. They simply reflect God’s grace, most often through faithful, unselfish messengers, like the community that is Derry Presbyterian Church.

We originally began visiting Derry Presbyterian about ten years ago on the recommendation of some member friends. We were immediately impressed by the positive energy exuded by the congregants as a group as well as those we met individually. Our visits soon turned into exploring the new member classes and eventual joining as full members. Since that time we have continued to be lifted by the love and positive attitude of the church displayed by our pastors, session members and fellow congregants.

We have been particularly grateful for the family-oriented worship activities afforded by the 10:30 service. Our daughter enjoyed KIWI when she was younger and now is thankful to be able to learn from the messages delivered as a part of the regular service. We have also been grateful for the grace and humility demonstrated by our leadership throughout the Coronavirus pandemic as they have followed expert medical science in designing different worship opportunities in hopes of safely reaching the most people while simultaneously validating the rights and feelings of those who disagree with the decisions made.

More directly, we experienced the grace and love of church members helping us during some health care issues a few years ago as well as the support during Ellen’s mother’s recent transition into death last year. We have been able to enjoy the grace of helping others through the church’s many affiliations with various mission organizations, through the Pakistan student support as well as local families in need through the Lutheran church at Christmas.

We continue to be grateful for the many opportunities for involvement offered by our church. Jamie has enjoyed sharing in the music ministry through composing, arranging and performing. Ellen has grown during her participation as a deacon.  Meredith has had wonderful experiences participating with Pilgrim Fellowship, Pastor Pam’s summer Bible studies and now the Youth Group.

These sentiments all came into sharp relief during the October 2 service as we sang, “To everyone born, a place at the table.” From its upbeat rhythmic feel to its positive message of inclusiveness, this song encapsulates the spirit and attitude that we appreciate most about Derry Church. We have friends in the church from both sides of the political spectrum, from various sexual orientations and from many walks of life different from our own. We are therefore ever grateful that our church is a welcome place for everyone to come; where we can learn from each other and through our personal interactions be inspired to fashion a world where, “God will delight when we are creators of justice and joy.”

Editor’s Note: if you were fortunate enough to attend or live stream Grant Wareham’s organ recital on Oct 10, you heard the world premiere of “Up to Eleven” a piece composed by Jamie Mosher in honor of Dan Stokes and Grant. Click to watch an introduction by Grant and comments by Jamie before watching Grant play the piece.

Several decades ago, the British writer and lecturer C.S. Lewis was asked to speak on the subject of Christian stewardship. He began with these words: “On the whole, God’s love for us is a much safer subject to think about than our love for Him.” I feel that way, too. Sometimes it is much easier, and safer, just to skirt around the whole subject of stewardship, of how we give shape and substance to our love for God.

We may choose to skirt the subject entirely, but the fact remains that stewardship is the way we define our faith and make it personal. It’s how faith becomes concrete — a part of our lives, not just a feeling we have or something we say.

I believe our faith is shaped by our experiences of grace and gratitude, which is why our stewardship and sermon theme this fall is “Growing in Grace and Gratitude.”

We all know the benefits of grace. Grace is a gift, an undeserved, sometimes even unasked for gift. Grace connects us with God. Grace gives us new life. Grace gives us a second chance. Grace welcomes us into the family of God. Grace is being welcomed in love. We all need grace in our lives. We need God’s grace and we need the grace offered by one another: the grace of relationships. Growing in grace is growing in love, life, and wholeness. We know we need grace.

But do we know we need gratitude? A research study done about ten years ago reported the shocking news that those who live from a posture of abundance and gratitude live happier, statistically longer lives. Gratitude makes us happy, deeply happy. Gratitude connects us to other people. Gratitude connects us with God and, in itself, makes us better stewards of all that we have and of this planet on which we live.

Over the next several weeks, we’ll hear stories of grace and gratitude from Scripture and from each other. We’ll be reminded of the power of God’s grace in our lives and what gratitude looks like. We’ll celebrate how God’s grace has been manifested through the ministry of Derry Church. We’ll show our gratitude through our financial gifts, to ensure God’s grace touches people’s lives for generations to come.

We grow in grace and gratitude as we proclaim God’s word, share God’s love, and practice God’s justice. And this year, our giving needs to grow in order for the ministry of this community of faith to flourish. Growth in giving is a sign of a spiritually healthy church. I encourage you to prayerfully consider how you can grow in your giving and your involvement at Derry, because your investment here can have a life-changing impact — not only for you and for our church, but for our community and the world.

Derry is an amazing faith community. It’s a place where I have grown in grace and gratitude, and I hope you have, too. Together we can show our gratitude with more than words. Let’s ensure that Derry Church continues to be a place to worship, serve, and belong for at least another 300 years.