Author: Susan George

This week, exactly one year ago, I was on a cruise ship. It was a chartered cruise designed for nerds and gamers of all varieties. The dining room held a board game lending library, there were tabletop role playing games scheduled throughout the week, the guest list included popular podcasters and science fiction authors, and instead of classes on towel folding or wine tasting, there were retro video game tournaments and Broadway sing-a-longs.

COVID-19 was real and it was in the back of all of our minds but it hadn’t become the menace we now know it to be in America (though, by the end of the cruise, that had certainly changed). Everyone had their temperature checked before we boarded the boat. Throughout the week at sea, crew members were at nearly every door with a bottle of hand sanitizer and passengers dutifully allowed them to pump some of the gel onto their hands each time we passed a station. A passenger who spends his daily life as a virologist held daily “office hours” in one of the ship’s common spaces to answer any questions that he could about the disease and how it spreads. We felt safe.

The cruise was cancelled this year. It would have been its 10th anniversary sailing. The boat would have set sail last Saturday with just over 2,100 nerds and geeks for what is essentially a comic-con at sea and, before its cancellation, I was scheduled to be on it.  

As we mark one year of living with COVID-19 in the US, it’s hard not to look back at all of the things that we’ve lost: activities cancelled, holiday celebrations moved to Zoom, vacations postponed.

It’s my hope that you can also look back and see the things that you have found.  Perhaps it’s time with family and a return to sharing dinner together each night.  Maybe you brought a new furry – or scaly – friend into your home.  COVID-19 forced me to slow down a bit and one of the things that I found was a new and healthier sense of self care. I discovered a new joy in cooking and, as an extension, in eating. I took delight in pampering myself with at home manicures each week. Spending so much time with myself, I found my way into a deeper and more meaningful life of mindfulness and prayer and I found my voice and the courage to speak out against the injustices I see in the world.

I mourn for the things that I lost, especially this week as I recall stories and events from the Dominican Republic and Half Moon Key, the ship full of nerds, and the excitement I felt as I signed up to sail again this year. But I am so very grateful for the things that I have found. As vaccines continue to be administered and life hopefully returns to a sense of normalcy, it is my sincere hope that not everything goes back to exactly the way it was. I want more than anything to hold onto the things that I found during this past year and to let them guide me into the future.

Editor’s Note: On the first Thursday of each month, the eNews feature article highlights the mission focus for that month. In March we’re lifting up the One Great Hour of Sharing offering.

The One Great Hour of Sharing (OGHS) offering is an integral part of Derry’s and the Presbyterian Church USA’s (PCUSA) observance of the season of Lent. This year’s offering is being received through Easter Sunday, April 4. 

Millions of people in the world lack access to sustainable food sources, clean water and sanitation, adequate housing, education, opportunity, and hope. The OGHS Offering is shared almost equally among three PCUSA programs: Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA); Presbyterian Hunger Program (PHP); and Self-development of People (SDOP). Each program works in different ways to remedy these deficiencies in the United States and around the world and to  provide people with safety, sustenance, and hope. 

Because of COVID-19, many of the following programs have undergone modifications to use a virtual platform to provide support:   

PRESBYTERIAN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (PDA) is well-known for its rapid response to natural and international disasters as it supplies funds to help initiate the recovery process. In recent years this has been readily apparent following hurricanes, the California wildfires, typhoons, and several earthquakes. This year efforts have been directed at building up local support in order to respond more rapidly to an emergency situation. PDA is also involved in programs supporting the refugee crisis in Syria, South Sudan, and the southern US border.

PRESBYTERIAN HUNGER PROGRAM (PHP) works to alleviate hunger and eliminate the root causes. Some of this is accomplished through providing animals, bees, and seeds, promoting better crop selection and agricultural methods, fair trade practices, and family gardens. They seek to supply better and more nutritional foods, secure loans for income-producing projects, tree planting, and establish wells and sanitation systems.    

SELF-DEVELOPMENT OF PEOPLE (SDOP) works in partnership with people in economically poor areas in the United States and around the world. The aim is to invest in communities responding to their experiences of oppression, poverty and injustice, and helping them develop solutions to their particular problems in areas such as cooperatives and workers’ rights, farming, skills development, and immigration/refugee issues.  

Your gifts to the OGHS Offering will be shared equally with the PCUSA and Bridges to Community (BTC), the non-profit organization which has coordinated Derry’s trips to Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic for the past 20 years. Similar to the efforts of PCUSA, BTC is building houses in areas struck by hurricanes and earthquakes. With the BTC model, new homeowners are encouraged to pay into the local community fund, which can then be used by the community at their discretion for selected improvement projects. In other areas, planting and maintaining fruit trees is part of the payback. This past year the northeast coast of Nicaragua was struck by three Category 4/5 hurricanes, causing roof loss and extensive crop damage. Derry’s continued support of BTC will be directed at home repairs and planting plantain as a cash-crop for next year. Unfortunately, last year and this year, we are unable to travel with BTC because of the pandemic.

Our Mission and Peace Committee has set a goal of $15,000 for this year’s OGHS. You may give online or by check made out to Derry Presbyterian Church and notated OGHS. Taken together, your contributions to the OGHS Offering will enable both PCUSA and BTC to assist many people with the opportunity to improve their quality of life. Thank you for your generous support! 

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”  “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”  John 9:1-3

Within about one hour of our beautiful baby boy Hayden arriving on July 19, after a LONG 26 hours of labor, the words “Down syndrome” came out of the resident’s mouth. I honestly don’t really remember what she said or why she thought Hayden had Down syndrome. Was I shocked? Yes. How was it possible that I have a sister with Down syndrome and now I might have a son with Down syndrome? At that moment did I care? Not really. I was relieved and ecstatic that he was finally here. After going through a miscarriage the year before, we just wanted our baby.

I never thought that we, as parents, sinned to “deserve” Hayden’s diagnosis. He definitely did not either. Actually, most days I think “wow, we must have done something pretty awesome to deserve Hayden, to be blessed with him in our lives.” 

We are part of the lucky few. I like to say we are double blessed with both Hayden and Angela, my sister, in our family. Don’t get me wrong- some days are harder than others and sometimes our worries are different than I originally imagined- like living through a pandemic with a child with a diagnosis on the CDC’s high risk list. But all parents have their hard days and their worries- typical children or not.

When speaking about the blind man Jesus said “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” God presents us all with challenges, with bad news, with hard stuff to remind us of his work. In Hayden’s short 19 months in our lives so far, he has shown us God’s work. 

God has given Hayden determination as one of his strengths. Down syndrome or Trisomy 21 is a genetic condition caused by three copies of the 21st chromosome. Typically people have two of each chromosome. Low muscle tone, also known as hypotonia, is one of the many health conditions associated with Down syndrome. This makes it harder to do many things- eating, talking, crawling, grasping, walking- you name it. After Hayden rolled over for the first time at three weeks, I knew he had determination in his heart! We may be on the “scenic route” and it might take him a bit longer to reach milestones but boy is he determined to reach them!

Individuals with different abilities were put on this earth as a reminder that we are ALL unique and have different abilities. We all bless those around us with the abilities that God has given us. At 19 months old, I’m not sure yet what all of Hayden’s abilities are or how he is going to make a difference in the world. But I have discovered in that short time that he is full of personality. And I pray that his smile, laughter and big personality will continue to make friends, family and strangers smile and brighten their days.  

Hayden’s diagnosis has shown us that God will always provide. There truly is this Down syndrome “tribe,” the “lucky few” as I referenced earlier.  We are blessed to know the parents and families of Angela’s friends who are part of our tribe. Social media has also been a great resource for us. The Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network (DSDN) is the largest national organization that provides support to new and expectant parents with a Down syndrome diagnosis. They do an amazing job of connecting parents, providing support and providing accurate and up to date information to parents, families and medical providers. When Hayden was born we received a “welcome” package with books, a onesie and lots of information. I also joined a “birth club” on Facebook which includes moms of babies born with Down syndrome from July-December 2019. That group has been a lifesaver. They have been incredibly helpful, I love networking with the other moms and I am able to provide some advice from growing up with Angela.

March 21 is World Down Syndrome Day and we would love for you to celebrate with our family. It is an official day to spread awareness about Down syndrome and how awesome individuals with Down syndrome are. A simple way to join in the fun is to “rock your socks” by wearing your craziest pair of mismatched socks. Why do you ask? Because chromosomes look like socks and it allows us all to celebrate our differences! We would love to see pictures of all of our Derry friends. Our family will be celebrating by wearing our mismatched socks, our “Hayden’s Heroes” t-shirts, walking a virtual 5K and sharing how much money we will be donating to the Down Syndrome Diagnosis Networks through various fundraisers.

The best way to honor individuals with Down Syndrome and celebrate is to become more informed, check-out the DSDN and PLEASE ask us questions!! If you do not already, follow me on social media and I will share facts leading up to WDSD (Facebook: Lauren Basti Talhelm; Instagram: t21.mama.and.son).  We look forward to celebrating our gifts from God together!

Click this link for information about the Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network, links to my social media accounts and our various fundraising efforts.

Over the last few weeks I have been planning, creating and preparing Lent Kits for the children of Derry. Working in ministry I am blessed with the opportunity to focus on each season far in advance. It always feels like Advent ends and immediately I move into Lent preparations. This year, while I experienced the same shift from one season to the next, the preparation for Lent became extra special for me. Teaching remotely over the last year has not been easy! Finding ways to help children and families want to learn more from home and, and at the same time, add more to today’s incredibly hard, stressful and overburdened days has certainly been a challenge. But challenges are a great driving force to help educators create some of their best and most meaningful lessons.

The process of planning what would be inside each Lent Kit became a wonderful distraction from my current daily routine. Reading, researching and brainstorming how I can help children ready themselves for the season of Lent was almost therapeutic for me.  The search for the perfect items I wanted to use reminded me of the joy of egg hunts and Easter baskets. And the preparation of each kit gave me time to prepare my own heart and mind for the coming season of Lent.  

The planning process was full of questions: 

• What will kids need?
• How can I keep learning really easy, lots of fun and at the same time keep it meaningful?
• Why should families participate and add to parents’ already full plates?
• Which items from my list are the best to include?

Those early days of planning, the non stop questioning and decision making moments created the framework “I” needed to pause everything else in life and only think about my relationship with God.  

All of a sudden there was a new sense of comfort as I reread stories I have heard over and over again, and these memories of the past made me smile as I recalled what this season brings to each of us.  We get to follow Jesus along his journey and relearn the power of prayer, kindness and love for all.  We watch as our world moves from the dark, cold and harsh days of winter to the vibrant, warm and reviving days of spring…the real life connection to the amazement and beauty of Jesus’ resurrection.

The creating and collecting phase is my favorite part of any lesson or unit. Finding just the right items to fit each story and each emotion is like gift shopping for those we love.  Choosing items like an empty colorful Easter egg to symbolize the Empty Tomb, or dissolving paper to write out your sins and then watch as you ask God for forgiveness and see them disappear in water right before your eyes, lets the children use everyday items or a little magic to bring them closer to God. Including a holding cross to use as they pray, when they need strength or comfort or to calm their anxieties, will help remind them that God is with us always. And my favorite addition to any lesson or unit is the use of something made by a Derry member. Elizabeth Gawron created a Lenten placemat for the children to enjoy, which includes games and activities that bring the children closer to the bible and are surrounded by a unique and beautiful Lent labyrinth to use as they talk with God.  

With all the contents of the Lent Kits chosen, collected and copied, it was now time to complete each kit. As I worked to put these bags together for the children, I was blessed with time alone. I was able to be “in the moment” and enjoyed having uninterrupted time with God. As we begin this season, I encourage you to make a little time each day to be “in the moment” with God. I pray that this time can bring you what you are craving. These days are certainly not easy. They are filled with newness around each bend, and often feel like a constant uphill battle. I encourage you to let God walk through these days with you, let God carry some of your burdens, and let God fill you with love, patience and comfort so that you may feel all the emotions the season of Lent offers us.

Creating these kits and choosing just the right items are much like how we prepare our homes and hearts for Lent. As you bring out the colorful eggs, the cute bunny decorations, the signs adorned with words of hope and affirmations, the baskets, and the flowers, may you place them around your homes to serve as daily reminders of God’s love for you. When shopping for the perfect sweet treats to fill Easter baskets, may it remind you of the joy and comfort you feel when you invite God into your life.  And when you wake up on Easter morning and “come” to worship, I pray you will be filled with strength and peace and be able to rejoice for God’s unending love for you!

I pray that this season of Lent will bring you the fun and joy of an Easter egg hunt, realizing that even colorful plastic eggs can serve as reminders of Jesus. May you find God in plain sight on the good days and hiding in unexpected places on the tough days. I hope you can be filled with peace and hope as you anxiously wait for the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection and the reminder that he continues to live within each of us. May Easter morning let you feel great joy…a kind of joy that only God and Jesus can let us feel.

Take care, my friends!

Editor’s Note: Joanne wrote this article for a May 2020 edition of the eNews, then publication was postponed as pressing pandemic messages took precedence. Now as we approach Lent and we’re about to begin the sermon series, “Who You Meet on the Way to Jerusalem,” it seems the perfect time to share this message about Joanne’s trip to the Holy Land and some of the people she met on her travels.

A tour of the Holy Lands was never at the top of my bucket list and yet, after experiencing an amazing trip in early 2020, I encourage you to consider the possibility – at some point post-pandemic. About two years ago, I was intrigued by a brochure from my daughter’s church in Northern Virginia that detailed an upcoming trip and I decided to jump on the tour bus with those Methodists and other tag-alongs. As a result of my experiences in the Holy Lands, I will never read the Bible, listen to the news from the Middle East or look at a map of the area in the same way again.

Did you know that the Sea of Galilee is actually a freshwater lake and not nearly as big as you might imagine? Other observations included shepherds still herding their sheep just outside of Jerusalem, learning about real forms of life at the bottom of the “Dead” Sea while effortlessly floating on its waters and realizing that even in the middle of the desert it is cold and snows in January. I also learned that the geography of the West Bank is best compared to that of Swiss cheese and is very removed in many ways from the Gaza Strip.

One of my most memorable moments was participating in a communion service at the Garden Tomb while hearing the Muslim call to prayer being blasted in the background.  It was a moment of understanding that the Holy Lands is an amazing place that tries to combine many cultures and faiths into the daily pattern of life for its residents and visitors.

While planning a trip to the Holy Lands, I strongly recommend finding a local tour guide who can put a Middle-Eastern perspective on everything you see and experience.  Our tour guide was a Palestinian Catholic gentleman who grew up in Old Jerusalem and lives there with his wife and daughters.

At the top of my list of experiences were the two dinners I enjoyed in the homes of two very different local families. The first dinner was hosted by a Palestinian Catholic family who lives in Bethlehem and is able to trace their ancestors through their local parish all the way to the beginning of current record keeping – more than 400 years ago!  They are a wonderful, gracious family who told us they feel like they are prisoners under Israeli rule. For example, most Palestinians are not allowed to use the TelAviv airport and instead must travel to Amman, Jordan to board a plane. My second dinner was hosted by a Jewish family who keeps Kosher in Tel Aviv.  They were equally as gracious and happy to share their unique perspective on life in Israel. I quickly realized that, although they desperately want it, there will probably never be peace in this region, especially with the corruption that was evident and the long and diverse cultural history.

After 10 days in Israel, we crossed the border to the country of Jordan. Jordan can be nicknamed the “Switzerland” of the Middle East due to its neutral alignments. It was very different than Israel but no less fascinating. The population of Jordan is 98% Muslim but that doesn’t stop alcohol sales or western influences. I recommend including Petra, Jerash and banks of the Dead Sea on your Jordan itinerary.

Although my new post-COVID travel destination bucket list includes many places, I would love to explore the Holy Lands again someday. I felt very safe throughout my trip and although the area lacks natural beauty, it more than makes up for that in cultural and historical significance – especially for those looking to experience the food and people, to learn more about the origins of our Christian faith, or to literally retrace the steps of Christ.

Editor’s Note: On the first Thursday of each month, the eNews feature article highlights the mission focus for the month. In February we’re lifting up homelessness. The current month’s mission focus is included in the Joys & Concerns section of the weekly eNews.

In the spring I received a text from one of our Medical Outreach Nurses: “Pastor, I know we don’t normally do this, but I have a patient who lost his job and is way behind in rent. Is there anything we can do?”

At Christ Lutheran Church, we know well those who experience homelessness. Our Health Ministries clinics serve many homeless patients. Our mission is to provide for the basic health needs of our community. When a client has a housing need, we turn to one of our wonderful partner organizations, like Christian Churches United, who specialize in that kind of assistance. But during the pandemic, many we served who did not ordinarily have housing needs were suddenly facing dire situations because of the effects of the health crisis. 

Fortunately, and I might even add, miraculously, United Way of the Capital Region reached out early in the pandemic offering a grant for us to respond to the basic needs (housing, food, clothing, medical) our neighbors were now facing. Christ Lutheran’s mission has focused on health needs, but during this crisis we have been able to offer emergency support to help keep people from becoming homeless and put food on the table. The nurse who texted me was able to tell her patient that we would work with his landlord and get him caught up on rent. 

Many of our clients are immigrants who did not receive any assistance from the government stimulus. They were those who needed it most. That was the case with a family from Mexico with two young daughters. The husband lost his restaurant job in Hershey and within a couple weeks was unable to pay rent. We were able to cover two months’ rent and take the mother to get groceries. This family would have become homeless, but it didn’t take much to fill the gap and now they are back on track. 

Another family of five recently immigrated from Nigeria. Both parents quickly found jobs in local warehouses but were laid off for several weeks due to the pandemic. We were able to cover their rent for two months until their jobs opened again. Members at Derry Church also helped provide a wonderful Christmas morning for their three sons, including new jackets and bikes!

We provided rental assistance for one family when both parents lost their jobs. After months, the husband was finally able to find work but was then injured and out of work again. They just couldn’t catch a break and had no other options. For those who are trying to do everything right, homelessness can quickly creep in. 

We all know that homelessness takes many different shapes and the causes are unique and varied. The COVID crisis revealed just how vulnerable to homelessness many of our neighbors are. Folks who pride themselves on their hard work and ability to provide for their families are suddenly facing the very real possibility of homelessness. 

Thanks to the relationships our nurses and providers have with our neighbors and emergency support from United Way and Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, we have been able to help even just a few individuals in their time of greatest need. Thanks be to God, and our village of support, and to God be the glory!

In late 2019, the Christian Education Committee approved formation of a subcommittee to explore the needs of individuals who are differently abled or who live with sensory or perceptual challenges. In line with our church’s vision “to be an inquiring, inviting and inclusive Christ-centered community,” we wanted to become aware of any barriers in our Church’s structures, communication or attitudes that might hinder full participation in congregational life. Although all members approached the work from differing backgrounds and life experiences, all are committed to finding ways to serve all of God’s people.

Our initial meeting defined goals for the subcommittee:

• Research ways in which churches increase/improve their ability to include individuals with special learning needs and accommodation needs into their congregational life
• Examine ways in which Derry includes and accommodates for individuals who are differently abled or who live with sensory or perceptual challenges
• Make recommendations regarding ways in which Derry can support individuals with cognitive, perceptual, attentional, mobility or sensory challenges into all aspects of congregational life

Subcommittee members committed to researching relevant materials and to making personal contacts with area churches which advertise “Disability Ministry.”

As we researched this very broad topic, we realized that we needed to define the demographics to be considered: individuals with vision loss, hearing loss, mobility impairments, intellectual and sensory differences and behavioral challenges.  All age groups should be considered.  As we researched and made personal visits, we found many common themes:

• Assessment is critical as well as re-assessment of needs
• Follow up from assessment is essential
• Recommendations should be based on congregational needs
• Education for greeters, ushers, teachers, aides is essential
• 15-20% of the populational have some functional challenges

As the pandemic closed our building, our subcommittee continued with virtual meetings. We defined the ways in which Derry currently includes and accommodates:  ramps, handicap accessible doors, large print Bibles and bulletins, auditory amplifiers, quiet lounge with audio as well as accommodations for individual learning differences within classrooms. We confirmed that the first step forward needed to be assessment of needs.  

Published congregational needs assessments from Presbyterians for Disability Concerns, Lutheran Initiatives, and Congregational Accessibility Network formed a framework from which the subcommittee developed a six-question survey to give a more complete picture of any barriers which might hinder full participation into congregational life by individuals who are differently abled. Staff reviewed the survey and  all involved concluded that the unusual and evolving operational challenges experienced during the pandemic made this a less than optimal time for survey distribution.

The subcommittee pivoted to consider how to be most helpful during this time of limited in person gatherings. Informational material was developed and published in the eNews with tips to help individuals with mild hearing or vision loss achieve optimal access to virtual meetings.

As in person activities resumed in summer and fall, the reservation form was modified to include the statement, “If you have accessibility needs which may impact your full participation in worship, please let us know how we can help.”

Here we are, one year later. Our subcommittee is committed to assuring that everyone has access to full participation in all church experiences. Our next step will be distribution of the Individual and Family Needs Assessment, which asks if cognitive, mobility, perceptual, attentional or sensory challenges have limited their access to church activities or worship and how we can help.  As with all aspects of church life, timing of the assessment survey will be driven by community wellness, building access and staff discretion.

Along with all of our church family, we look forward to the day when our doors are fully open and we can continue the process of assuring access for all. Assess needs, develop targeted plans, provide education, and assess again:  we can’t wait to involve our caring and compassionate congregation in this endeavor.  

If you are experiencing accessibility challenges which impact your access to online worship or educational opportunities at church, please call the church office (717-533-9667) and your concern will be directed to someone who can help.

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them, I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. Isaiah 42:16

I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.  Matthew 25:40

Celebration! The word on my Epiphany star which I received from Derry last January. It was easy to think about Celebration coming into the new year knowing that we had two trips planned, a beach week, and family celebrations. New beginnings are easy to celebrate. I have that star posted where I can see it every day.

As we returned from a two-week trip to Florida, blissfully unaware of how serious the situation with the virus was here in Pennsylvania, things began to change. It was March 13 and by the time we got home from the airport, the schools were planning to close for two weeks. Since we had been away, we hadn’t stocked up on essentials and found them in short supply.

The next several weeks were an adjustment for all of us. Choir practices were canceled, church was closed, going anywhere seemed to be a risk. We used Giant Direct, brought the groceries in and disinfected the packages. If we had to go into a store, we wore gloves in addition to masks. Due to the shortage of cleaning materials, I made my own bathroom cleaner and still use it. 

I realized this would be how we would be living for quite some time and it seemed to me that instead of swimming against the tide the best thing to do was to go with the flow. It was enjoyable to see families we had never met taking neighborhood walks. I began to embrace it, looking at it as an opportunity to organize files, drawers, and closets. I dug through family files that I had long ignored. In that activity, I found many interesting pieces of my family history, some of them disturbing, but worth acknowledging. I found a new kind of quiet.

I decided that the best thing to do was not to think about what had been taken away but what had been given during this time. For me it was the gift of time, time to not be so busy and time to prioritize what I do with my life. Probably the most difficult was the three month separation from the grandchildren but even that was not at all as heartbreaking as what many families endured. So many had to say goodbye to loved ones without the benefit of a celebration in church. So many were unable to visit their older relatives. My challenges have been small in comparison.  

As the time has gone on, I have found ways to find joy in each day and I have been eternally grateful for what Derry Church has done to help us stay connected, to provide meaningful worship, and offer online support. Being able to sing in a small group was a new experience for me and I enjoyed it. Friends of mine who do not have this from their churches tell me how fortunate I am.

I know that I have the resources to successfully get through whatever is ahead in the coming months and I know each day I am able to embrace the Epiphany star and find a way to make this challenging time one of celebration, albeit different, still Celebration!   

At 7:30 am, Tuesday, October 29, 2019, we boarded the Presbyterian Education Board (PEB) bus at the headquarters in Lahore, Pakistan, for the two-hour drive to Sargodha. We 11 Derry travelers were greeted by the entire student body, Christian and Muslim. Kindergarten children dressed as fairy tale characters, that month’s curriculum theme, presented us with bouquets of roses. There were hats and scarves for the men. The older students danced and drummed and sang. We toured the elementary school displays of science projects and visited classrooms in both the boys and girls schools. 

At the Christian Girls Boarding House 74 girls greeted us with huge smiles. Debbie Hough told them how much Derry cares for them. “We want you to study hard, be healthy, and pray, so that you are strong in mind, body, and heart.” We sang “Jesus Loves Me” with them, and many of them knew the refrain in English. We each chatted with a small group of girls. When I asked, English got several votes for favorite subject, then science. They have big dreams. Most said they want to be teachers, others said scientists. We were impressed and inspired by their enthusiasm for learning and their appreciation for education.

Like parents everywhere, Pakistani parents want the best education possible for their children. So they seek a private school, not a government or Taliban school. But many of them are poor, and a good education is out of reach. PEB’s mission is to provide enduring, high quality education of mind, body and spirit to individuals of all religious backgrounds, regardless of their ability to pay. They are highly regarded schools in their communities and continue to grow.

For ten 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 the 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 $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 ten students in 2021. 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.

Editor’s Note: On the first Thursday of each month, the eNews feature article highlights the mission focus for the month. In January we’re lifting up women’s equality, justice and opportunity. 

This Thanksgiving holiday was vastly different for Stop the Violence (STV), an organization in Harrisburg dedicated to providing counseling for women of domestic violence, as well as providing food, clothing, gifts and school supplies to families in need. Stop the Violence gave away over 50 Thanksgiving baskets and, for the first time in 25 years, had no food left over. Stop the Violence was unable to purchase turkeys from the Food Bank this year, but a friend of mine who works with a non-profit organization offered us almost four dozen turkeys (they also had hams to hand out). God is always intervening and keeping watch over those with the greatest need.

The Christmas season was also different this year. Many families signed up for food baskets instead of toys for the kids because they are destitute. There are many families that are really suffering: they have no money, they cannot pay their bills, they are getting ready to be evicted, and they have family members that have died (or are dying) from COVID-19.  Suicide is on the rise.

I’ve been consumed with consoling those who lost loved ones and praying for those who are still sick in hospitals. I’ve made many phone calls and sent texts to encourage people that are having a hard time with pandemic. Many people are isolated and are afraid to go out. This has been one of the hardest Christmas seasons I’ve ever seen.

Despite these hardships, we’ve been working to counsel women and families, provide food baskets, deliver toys and new coats to the children, and provide small Christmas trees and decorations to try to bring joy into the community. We’ve provided blankets to seniors and children thanks to a volunteer whose women’s club made and donated over 50 quilts. God has been so good through all the tears, broken hearts, death and sorrow. God makes it possible to make a difference no matter what the situation. God turns attitude into gratitude.

I love to read the books of the prophets in the Old Testament because they are God’s messages for a hurting and broken world. They instruct us how to live and how to do better, but they also share words of hope, healing, comfort, and love. I need to hear one of those messages, especially this year, so I’ve turned to the prophet Isaiah. 

One of my favorite passages is Isaiah 40, “Comfort, Comfort Ye my people!” In this passage God instructs the prophet to get up to a high mountain, to lift up his voice and say to those who are suffering, rest assured, “Here is your God. God is right here and has been here all along. You are not alone.”

The prophet addresses suffering people. They feel like they’ve been wandering in the dark, abandoned by God, and forgotten by the world. These people who long to hear some good news are given a prophet who climbs a mountain and looks out over the mass of suffering people and says, “Here is your God.”

We are the prophets today. We are the ones called to “Go tell it on a mountain” and proclaim the presence of a loving, steadfast God.

Last Saturday, we premiered this year’s Christmas musical offering, “Tis the Season: Music and Memories.” One of the songs we featured was a favorite from last year’s concert, “The Dream Isaiah Saw.”

The dream refers to the prophet Isaiah’s vision of God’s creation restored to peace and harmony through the word of the Lord from Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:1-5). It is the panoramic view of the future Messianic Kingdom. The song comes from a poem by Thomas H. Troeger, “Lion and Oxen Will Sleep in the Hay.” The composer Glenn Rudolph began to set this poem to music toward the end of July  2001.  Nineteen days after September 11, he completed this choral work. It captures the contrast of the chaotic world we live in with Isaiah’s dream calling for us to “walk in the light of the Lord.”

Here is an excerpt of the poem:

Peace will pervade more than forest and field:
God will transfigure the violence concealed
deep in the heart and in systems of gain,
ripe for the judgement the Lord will ordain.

Little child whose bed is straw,
take new lodgings in my heart.
Bring the dream Isaiah saw:
justice purifying law.

Nature reordered to match God’s intent,
nations obeying the call to repent,
all of creation completely restored,
filled with the knowledge and love of the Lord.

This is why we proclaim the prophetic message of hope, healing, comfort, and love while these dark days surround us.

We live in what often seems like a dark, divided, and dangerous world – a world so counter to the words like hope, peace, joy and love.  And yet, out of faith, out of conviction, and out of courage, we defy this darkness and proclaim that love has come: a light in the darkness. We proclaim the dream Isaiah saw, the dream Christ promised, and the dream Christ will ultimately fulfill.

We proclaim this good news and we wait, just as our mothers and fathers waited. We wait in the dark, we watch for the light. Each year, as the days grow short and the nights dark, as the years turn and turn again and though it strains our collective memory to do so, we remember. We remember that God came to us and lived among us, a peasant born to a Palestinian virgin, an itinerant preacher hated by the religious and executed by the powerful. We remember, and we wait for his return. But we will not wait in silence because the world needs to hear the promise of the light, a son, and a savior. 

You who bring good news to Zion,
go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good news to Jerusalem,
lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
say to the towns of Judah,
“Here is your God!”  (Isaiah 40:9)

It was late November, cold and brisk with snow on the mountains in the Laurel Highlands. Brad and I faintly heard the deep harmony of the 40 huge wind chimes as they blew in the stiff breeze. They call it the ‘tower of voices’ at the entrance of the Flight 93 memorial in rural western Pennsylvania. It greets those who arrive with wordless voices of inspiration from the 40 passengers and crew who selflessly gave their lives to save others on Sept. 11, 2001. On that morning we were unaware that we were already at war, until teams of terrorists hijacked and killed innocent people of all ages and destroyed more than iconic buildings. They tried to destroy our hope. 

As the hijack began on Flight 93, passengers called loved ones to say goodbye and then learned of the earlier attacks. That’s when these 40 strangers became a unified army of warriors. With unprecedented courage they fought back, sacrificing their lives in order to protect the lives of those they did not know. Instead of crashing into the White House as planned, this plane’s target was averted and saved. Tragically the plane was crashed into this empty field in Pennsylvania, killing everyone. This powerful, simple memorial is the hallowed resting place for these heroes. 

With all our current national discord and divisiveness, I yearn for the commitment seen on that airplane decades ago, that sets aside personal desires for one’s self and individual rights and instead chooses something far greater as a goal. Amid the many items left as memorials on this site, one note stood out to me. The letter simply said,
“I was near the White House that morning and I believe you saved my life. I promise not to waste it.”

What are you and I doing with the one precious life we have been given?

I hope we are not wasting it, after so many have and are working courageously in battles to protect us. My hope is that we can be unified to attack an enemy and not one another.

It made me think of others who became warriors, never expecting or volunteering to go to war. They find themselves selflessly fighting back and risking their own lives for our safety. This winter those warriors are our health care workers (family, neighbors, friends) who for the last nine months have been fighting the attacks of an unrelenting virus and courageously risking their lives to keep us safe.

Like those unsuspecting passengers, those nurses, doctors and health care workers did not sign up to work tirelessly in a pandemic that only seems to worsen. Thanks for these troops!  They are heroes to all of us. We already know that it will be a difficult Christmas season and we are reminded of the gift of the Savior who comes as a light in our darkened world.

In addition to sending Christmas cards and greetings to family & friends this year, I encourage you to send mail to these troops: the many health care workers, nursing home caregivers, and medical professions who are caring for us, protecting us from the threat of a raging virus. As well as a note, let’s make a commitment to assist them in this battle. By the ways I choose to live each day, I do my part to support these fearless troops.