Author: Susan George

When Elise and I moved back to the Hershey area in the mid 1960s, we were looking for a church home where we could raise our family in a caring church, a place where we could grow our faith through worship, mission, music and the youth program. We found that at Derry and started our journey in 1968.

After several years, I was ordained as an Elder and joined the Worship Committee. In the early 1970s the Vietnam war was a contentious time for the youth and adults. The Worship Committee got the youth involved in plays and musicals starting in 1971. It was expanded with adults and youth, not only from the congregation but the community who participated in plays and full musicals. This was the start of the Vesper Series, which later began ARTS ALIVE! We continue today to praise God through music and the arts with ARTS ALIVE!  thanks to the support of our congregation and the community.

Elise and I had a number of opportunities to travel with the Derry travel group over the years. One of the most emotional trips was to Israel, where we had communion at the tomb, walked where Jesus walked, and touched the Jordan river where Jesus was baptized. Another trip was taking a journey in parts of Europe to many of the early biblical sites and tracing how Christianity spread throughout the world. In 1999 we traveled to Northern Ireland, where we traced our Derry heritage and witnessed reconciliation in that area.

We know that all of the programs at Derry require participation and finances. The foundation for my wanting to help others started when I was 10 years old. The church I grew up in was looking for a family to adopt in Germany after WWII and help them to recover. My family adopted a family of five in Germany.  Although we were a family of six children, we would send a care package to the family every three months for several years. Still, today I remember that act as forming my future giving ministry.

Over the years Elise and I supported Derry with our time and money as best we could.  We filled out the envelopes each week for many years before changing to online giving.

Elise was one who worked behind the scenes. She helped me prepare communion for over 25 years.  She cut the bread while I filled the cups, then she would check to see that everything was  just right on the communion table.

Elise’s journey at Derry ended earlier this year, but her journey continues with the Lord.  We appreciate the caring congregation we have at Derry for the many cards and prayers, and for the choir coming to our home and singing hymns for Elise. We also appreciated the comfort provided by the caring people of Hospice who saw us through this difficult time.

We were blessed to find a church home that provides so many ways to grow our faith — through worship and many programs, and through our strong mission focus locally and around the world.

Editor’s Note: On the first Thursday of each month, the eNews feature article highlights the mission focus for that month. In October we’re lifting up the 2023 CROP Walk, one way we can take action to care for hungry people in our community and around the world. This message written by Jane first appeared as a feature article in the 2011 eNews and is just as relevant today as it was 12 years ago.

Post worship fellowships, Terrific Tuesdays, corn roasts, cookie walks: these are just a few of the food-related events that we enjoy here at Derry Church. We sure do love to eat! 

Fortunately for us, food is abundant. But that’s not the case for many people around the globe, as well as here in the United States. Worldwide, over a billion people are hungry – half of them are children. In the U.S. more than 36 million do not get enough to eat.

Sometimes when I hear troubling statistics such as these, I wonder what can I possibly do to make a difference? Perhaps you, too, have had similar thoughts. Well, one thing we can do is to make a commitment to participate in the 38th Annual Hershey/Hummelstown Crop Hunger Walk on Sunday, October 22.

Top reasons why you should support this walk:

• It is great exercise – a lovely 5k walk on the grounds of the Milton Hershey School.
• It is a family- friendly/pet-friendly mission event.
• It is an opportunity to socialize with folks from the community.
• Your donation will help meet our community goal of raising $10,000.
• In past years we’ve had as many as 60 walkers. With your participation, Derry could top that number this year.
• 25% of the money raised stays in our community to support local food banks
• 75% of the money raised is used by Church World Service to feed hungry people around the globe.

AND THE NUMBER ONE REASON YOU SHOULD SUPPORT THIS WALK: 

It is the Christian thing to do.

…if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noon day. 

(Isaiah 58:10)

Ok, now that I have convinced you to participate, here is what you need to know to get started:

1. Mark your calendar and join the Walk on Sunday, October 22 at 2 pm on the Milton Hershey School grounds. 
2. Invite family, friends, and leashed pets to join you.
3. Request donations from family, friends, and neighbors.
4. Register for the walk online or at the registration table in the Narthex on Oct 8, 15, and 22 between services and after the 10:30 am service. Registration and donations will also be accepted at the CROP Walk. Look for the registration table near the start line.
5. Make a donation: you can give online or make checks payable to CWS/CROP.
6. Contact Marilyn Koch, Carl Rohr, or me if you have questions.

That’s it. Simple! So mark your calendar, recruit your family and friends, lace up your sneakers, and let’s all help to end hunger – one step at time.

We have reached September and are entering a new budgeting season. It is time for the annual update on how the church is doing financially and my projections for the rest of the year.

We started the year in a very strong position with income exceeding budget and expenses well below budget.  However, the typical summer downturn hit.  In fact, August was the lowest income month in over 10 years. As of the end of August, we have received income contributions that are 61.7% of our budgeted $1,299,000 income and approximately 14% below 2022 contributions.  That relates to being $65,635 below budget. However, Y-T-D expenses are $74,278 below budget or 61.2% below the annual budget amount of $1,370,882. As of the end of August, our income-expenses are $8,643 under budget. If our expenses hold and our contributions return to those at the beginning of the year, we should finish the year at budget.

As the Session, the Stewardship & Finance Committee, and other committees look forward to the 2024 budget and the future, we are working to ensure that Derry Church provides for the needs of our church members and the community as well as the financial stability of the church. By planning for the future, we can make sure we are managing our resources responsibly.

Because of the generous support of the congregation, we have not only met our operating costs, but have accomplished many capital projects such as refurbishment of the cemetery walls, improved signage around the church and an improved sound system. We have been able to sponsor and support a refugee family. Because of the generous support of the congregation, a new van was purchased in addition to a fantastic new piano for the sanctuary. We have been able to do mission work in our community and throughout the world, whether it be helping youth with college scholarships or building a new wing on the school in Pakistan. 

I would like to thank the congregation for your continued support of the church and its mission work in the community and the world. As our new stewardship campaign, “God Gives” begins, I look forward to the support of the congregation for our ongoing programs and exciting new ventures.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss anything relating to Derry’s finances, please contact me. 

One of the reasons I became a Presbyterian is because Presbyterians take educational mission seriously. The Presbyterian tradition values the importance of helping people to think for themselves so that they can form a relationship with Christ in a unique and personal way.

We are not a tradition that tells people what they must think. Instead, we teach about God and help people learn how faith touches every part of their lives. Christian Education helps us understand who God is and how God is with us and for us. It teaches us God’s better way to live and thrive in this world by being in right relationship with each other and with God as we follow God’s will and ways.  

As Presbyterians, we believe that education is part of the ministry of all members, that every person has the duty to be a teacher as well as a learner. When members join Derry, they promise to participate in some form of education. Membership is ministry for all of us, and being a Christian requires the sharing of our faith in God and Jesus Christ wherever we are, through our lifestyle, the way we spend our money or give it away, by living responsibly in our private and public lives, and by deliberately allocating time to make the world a more peaceful, just, and human place.

We are all called to become a beacon of God’s truth, whether we are sharing a meal at home, living out our vocation or avocation, or enjoying life with friends and family. Wherever we find ourselves, we are teaching others about Christ as we provide living lessons about what it means to be beloved children of God and followers of Jesus Christ. 

I invite you to take advantage of the educational opportunities at Derry Church to learn more about God, the Bible, the church, and the world that we live in: 

11 Minute Lessons: If you don’t have a lot of time, 11 Minute Lessons is a great educational option. Join me in the Chapel after both worship services or watch the videos on Facebook or YouTube. This year we’re going through the books of 1 and 2 Peter verse by verse, 11 minutes at a time. 

Sunday School: Classes for all ages meet 9:15-10:15 am. Sunday School is a chance to learn about life together with God and connect with one another. I’m teaching Sunday School for the 6th-12th grade youth this year along with volunteers, and we have a great team leading our children’s classes for Pre-K, K-2nd, and 3rd-5th grades. The adult Issues Class meets in room 7 and is live streamed. A Bible Study class will meet weekly in room 2 beginning Oct 8.

Sunday School is one of the earliest memories children have of church, and these memories can last a lifetime. Will you join our wonderful team of Sunday school teachers who are making a difference in the lives of Derry’s children? Taking a turn once a month or every other month would be a huge help in support of our Christian Education program. Just reach out to M.E. Steelman and let her know your availability.

Tuesday evenings are another opportunity to invest in the children of Derry and participate in their education as they learn stories, express their faith through art, and learn about the history of Derry through the 300th Anniversary book they will be creating together. 

Small Group Studies:  Choose from groups that meet weekly or monthly:

• A weekly Monday morning group meets at 11 am
• A Thursday group meets at 10:30 am
• Presbyterian Women offer a study on the third Wednesday of the month at 1 pm
• A monthly Monday evening women’s group meets on the first Monday at 7 pm
• A once-a-month Bible study for our Prime Timers meets on Mondays at 12:45 pm
• Men’s Breakfast, which includes devotions, meets on the first Wednesday of the month at 7:30 am 
• A Women’s Journey in Faith and Friendship meets twice a month on Sunday evenings

I’d love to add at least one more small group this year. If you are interested in helping start a small group discussion/study group or being a part of a new one, please contact me. I’d be glad to help you get started and suggest some discussion guides or studies to direct your time together. 

Education is a gift that no one can take from you. Education has the power to inform and transform our lives. It can help us build stronger relationships with each other and with God. I encourage you to take advantage of Derry’s many educational opportunities as we grow in faith together this year. 

I admit there are times it’s hard for me to talk about my faith. I’d like to blame it on my stoic Lutheran upbringing, but I think it’s really because I’m not sure what kind of reaction I’ll get from whoever I’m talking with: what if they give me a funny look or ask me a question I can’t answer? Do I want to put myself out there in that risky way? I know I should, but it can be hard and awkward.

If only there was a way to introduce Derry Church in a non-threatening, easy way. 

But wait, now there is! 

This summer the Communications & Technology Committee (CTC) partnered with our Vacation Bible School leaders to create a Derry Church tote bag, enough for all the VBS families to have one and to make freely available to everyone in our church family who wants one.

As print advertising opportunities become scarcer, it’s on the CTC to find unique and engaging ways to make the church’s presence known in our community. Why not put our advertising dollars toward a nice item that people will use when they’re out and about? It’s exciting to think that this sturdy, simple bag could be a conversation starter. Or that people will see the bags all over town, in the grocery store or drug store or farmer’s market, and with repetition and familiarity, may think, “I keep seeing those bags. There must be something going on over there at Derry Church. I should check them out.”

If you don’t yet have a bag, I invite you to stop by the welcome table in the Narthex and get one. Don’t leave it in your car: use it on your errands and shopping, and make it visible in your shopping cart. But be prepared: anything could happen, from funny looks to faith questions. 

My bag’s ready, and this time I’m not going to wimp out. Bring on the sideways glances and questions: I’m carrying my bag proudly, and I’m glad to be an ambassador for Derry Church. 

PS: Later this fall, the CTC will be offering an opportunity to purchase shirts featuring Derry’s tree logo. It’s another way you can be an ambassador for Derry Church, especially as we head into our 300th anniversary year. Keep an eye on the eNews for details.

Dear Derry Church Family,

As summer comes to a close and fall swiftly approaches, I hope this letter finds you well and you are enjoying these warm days and beautiful blue skies. Where has the time gone? As you may imagine, our August has been chaotic and unpredictable. However, during these past weeks, there has been an overwhelming outpouring of prayers, letters, cards, flowers, offers of meals, and care embracing Sarah and me. Your unwavering spiritual strength and support have touched our hearts beyond what we can put into words. You have surrounded us in love, lifted us up, and encouraged our faith throughout this journey; thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

An update: my medical team has scheduled bypass surgery via laparoscopic robot for October 17 at UPMC Harrisburg. The prognosis is favorable, and recovery is roughly six weeks. My cardiology and transplant teams feel that despite the narrowing in my heart from nearly eight years of dialysis, I will live a long, healthy life after two stents and this upcoming bypass. Praise God, my gratitude to all who have overseen my medical care. In the interim, my cardiothoracic surgeon has cleared me to be back at the organ console and piano, directing and staying active to keep my heart healthy until the 17th. Thank you for your continued prayers throughout these next months.

On  August 24, the Sanctuary Choir began rehearsing for the fall season and will sing for the first time on Sunday. Repertoire ranges from well-known hymn arrangements to Mendelssohn’s Verleih uns Frieden (sung in German), Look at the World by John Rutter, and a world premiere of Psalm 13: How Long, O Lord, by composer Yakov Lychik, on September 24.   If you’d like to join the Sanctuary Choir for an exciting season of great music, please contact me or speak to any choir member on Sunday mornings following worship!

Terrific Tuesday kicks off next Tuesday, September 12, with dinner beginning at 5 pm in Fellowship Hall, followed by rehearsals for our children’s and youth music and God’s Hidden Hands Puppet ministries. Tuesday evening worship moves to an earlier time, 6:00-6:45 pm in the Chapel. Derry Ringers rehearse in the Music Room from 7:30-8:30 pm, and we need two more ringers to fill out the five-octave choir. If you can read music and are interested, please contact me!

At 4 pm Sunday, September 24, Tyler Canonico, nationally acclaimed organist and Minister of Music and Organist at Market Square Presbyterian Church, and I will present an Arts Alive concert of piano and organ duets in the Sanctuary. The concert will feature works of classical composers, hymn arrangements, and movie music including Pirates of the Caribbean, Harry Potter, and more! Come hear our Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ and Steinway & Sons concert grand piano in action for an afternoon of exciting music!

Christmas at Derry concerts are set for Sunday, December 10 at 2 pm and 5 pm. The concert entitled “Gaudete!” meaning Rejoice, will feature the Sanctuary Choir, Derry Ringers, acclaimed tenor Christyan Seay, lyric coloratura soprano Nina Cline, soloists from Derry Church, orchestra and percussion, with harp, organ, and piano accompaniment. Join us as we paint the scene of the manger, bright shining star, wise men from afar, and angels singing on high as Mary and Joseph adore the newborn babe, wrapped in cloth and lying in a manger!

As we look forward to this exciting season ahead, I ask for your prayers for a speedy recovery and for God’s healing hand to be upon me. Once again, thank you for your love and unending prayers; words may never fully express my gratitude.

Yours,

Dan

Editor’s Note: On the first Thursday of each month (or close to it), the eNews feature article highlights the mission focus for the month. In September we’re lifting up the Peace & Global Witness Offering, and YWCA Greater Harrisburg, the organization that will receive a portion of the funds collected through this special offering of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

The YWCA Greater Harrisburg’s vision of creating a just community for all began 130 years ago. As the role and the needs of women adapted over time. The YWCA has historically expanded its impact, becoming a driving force that transforms lives.

We embrace a cultural commitment to our core values, through our leadership staff and volunteers, exhibiting respect, accountability, and inclusiveness. We are dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. 

Founded in 1883 to create a safe place for young working women to live and gather, the YWCA Greater Harrisburg focuses on five general program areas: 

• Housing and homelessness
• Violence intervention and prevention
• Legal and family visitation
• Children and youth
• Employment readiness and support. 

In its 130-year history, the YWCA Greater Harrisburg has maintained its dedication to the provision of quality programs and services that meet the needs of women and families. Providing service to individuals living in Dauphin, Cumberland, and Perry Counties, the YWCA actively serves as an advocate and resource to the community. 

The YWCA is working as the crossroads of society’s most pressing issues. We are providing critical health and safety needs by housing and case managing hundreds of individuals who may otherwise end up in emergency rooms. We are providing court accompaniments, so our victims receive justice. We are operating a full-time daycare to provide individuals the ability to return to work.

We are doing this work through the lens of our vision, mission, and purpose. The YWCA is on a mission to eliminate racism and empower women. We work at the intersection of gender, race, age, ethnicity, and orientation.  

Today, we combine programming and advocacy to generate institutional, systemic and individual change, by impacting one life at a time. 

The start of a new program year is exciting in so many ways, especially here at the church.  The month of September will have our building buzzing with excitement as we welcome everyone back to our classrooms, small group gatherings, and fellowship opportunities. I have no doubt that God’s presence will be felt by all as we continue to prepare for and enjoy the start of another program year at Derry Church.

Not only will the life of the church feel more vibrant with the program year getting under way, you’ll likely feel the rest of your life coming alive as everyone moves away from the slower pace that summer typically brings. So how do you choose what to join, how to fit in, and where to find information on church life and programming? Read on for answers to some of those questions.

What types of programs can I expect?

Derry’s planning teams are working hard to provide a variety of learning and gathering opportunities for Sunday mornings and throughout the week for all ages to enjoy. Sunday mornings this fall will include Sunday School for all ages, choir rehearsal, and 11-Minute Lessons.  

Throughout the week we offer a variety of small groups studies so that you can find a group that fits your schedule. You can find fellowship on Monday afternoons, Tuesday evenings and Sundays after worship as we offer opportunities for church and community members. Tuesday evenings  include delicious hot dinners in Fellowship Hall for all to enjoy, music and creative arts for our children & youth (preschool-12th grade), and worship in the Chapel. 

How can I learn more about all of the different programs Derry Church offers?

The best resource is our church eNewsletter. We try to include all that is happening in this weekly publication. We have also been adding the schedule to the Sunday bulletin and have printed copies of the eNews available on the information desk in the Narthex. 

If you are looking for information specific to youth, contact Pastor Stephen.  For children, email me and ask to be added to the regular newsletters we share with all that is happening for these specific age groups.

Why is it important for me to be involved in more than Sunday worship?

Growing your faith is a lifelong journey. Our faith experiences become greater and more meaningful when we gather with others to learn, share, wrestle and prepare for the ups and downs of life. Gathering for worship can help us feel ready to face the start of a week with new thoughts and good intentions. But often life can quickly overtake those thoughts and intentions, and before we know it we are sitting in worship again and realizing we haven’t invited God to join us throughout the week.  There are also times when life’s ups and downs will leave us needing or craving help and care from our church friend. Derry’s various programs are not only created for learning and sharing, they are designed to help us strengthen our relationships with one another.

How do I get involved?

Simple: come! Whether you are a parent who wants to help your children or youth grow their faith, or you are an adult looking to challenge and explore your faith, or you are looking for connections with others, all of our programs are designed to welcome you when you are able to join us. I encourage you to step out from the craziness or loneliness of life and carve out time to explore your faith and grow your relationship with God and with your church family.

What if I’m just too busy right now?

We all go through seasons of life when time works against us and keeps us from being able to be more involved. That does not mean our faith journey needs to be put on pause or moved to the back burner. We can still explore our faith. Over the last few weeks, we have begun to include faith questions in the bulletin and eNews and at the start of staff and committee meetings. These questions are designed to help us pause and reflect as we spend a few minutes with ourselves to discover how God is finding us in our daily lives.  Questions can be answered while sitting alone, sitting in worship, or talked about at church and family gatherings. We hope they spark something within you that allows you to open your heart and mind even more.

What if I have questions about Derry’s various programs or want more information about how to get involved?

Please call (717-533-9667), send an email, stop by the church office, or talk with our staff members on Sundays to learn more about any of our church programs and how you can get involoved.

I look forward to seeing you soon!  

On May 14 I had the honor of being commissioned as Derry’s first Faith Community Nurse. What an exciting day! I had always dreamed of doing some sort of health ministry with my nursing skills, and now I’m on my way.  

Many of you may be wondering about the role of a Faith Community Nurse (FCN). What are her responsibilities? How can she help me? 

A FCN Is a subset of nursing like pediatrics, medical surgical, women’s health, cardiovascular care, and more. This speciality is subject to its own Scope and Standards of Practice and is required to adhere to these standards including confidentiality.  I will soon be taking an extensive course for FCN and will receive my certification. 

A FCN works within a faith community and incorporates health, wellness, and spirituality into her practice. I can do this by teaching about different health topics, teaching and encouraging wellness practices, acting as a resource person, and incorporating spirituality into these teachings. I can also help you navigate today’s complex healthcare systems. In my role as a FCN, I can provide counsel on a variety of issues and help to seek solutions, and offer a listening ear. Home and long term care facilities visits, hospital visits, as well as phone calls and follow-up calls after surgery are also a part of my duties. If you need community resources, I can help guide you to those services. 

I can review medications with you and make suggestions on how to take them. Nursing assessments of different situations are also part of my role. If you have a health question, I can help with that and I can do some health assessments and screening tests, such as take blood pressures and offer advice. Some of the things that I cannot do are hands-on nursing care (things like basic physical care or placing meds into containers for ease of remembering to take them).

At Derry, I am partnering with the new Health and Wellness Committee, using their knowledge to act as a health and wellness guide for our church family. “Health Time with Nurse Beckie” is a new educational program I’m offering on Zoom on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Join me as I present a health topic followed by discussion and questions. The first session is Wednesday, August 23 at 1 pm. I’ll be talking about ticks and lyme disease.  Click this link to join the conversation.

I am very excited about this new role at Derry Church and I look forward to meeting each and every one of you and getting to know you. Please reach out with your suggestions and any questions. I’m happy to take calls and make visits. You can contact me through the church office (717-533-9667) or reach out by email: care@derrypres.org. 

I feel so blessed that God and Derry Church have called me to this ministry, and I thank you for the opportunity to serve this congregation.

Editor’s Note: Last month a group of Derry Church youth and leaders spent a week in Niagara Falls, NY on a mission and fellowship adventure. What follows are Kate’s reflections on that experience. 

What was your impression on what you saw in Niagara Falls?
I did not expect Niagara Falls (the city) to be so run down and deserted. Leaving the amazing falls and then driving down an abandoned Main Street is something I will never forget.

What did you do on the mission trip?
We had the chance to work at Community Missions in their soup kitchen and food pantry.  It felt really good to talk with people who came to pick up food for their family and to help them load everything into their cars.  I will never forget the smile on one woman’s face when I handed her a bouquet of flowers.  Everyone was so thankful for our help.

We also served at Center City and got to assist people at their homes.  We met a woman who had a fire in her home and we were able to help her work in her yard to make it look nice even though her house was still being fixed up after the fire. We also met a man who needed help cleaning up his property and we worked to transform all the overgrown gardens and make the yard look really nice for him.

Some of our group spent two days at Holy Trinity, a former Catholic church that is now a historical site.  The church was built in the early 1900s by a Polish community and has so much amazing history.  Marge, the lady who now cares for the whole property and runs the mission organization that is housed there, very much appreciated our help with the yard work and preparing it for their upcoming Polish Polka Festival fundraiser that raises the funds needed to keep the historical site going.

What is your favorite memory from this youth mission trip?
Our last night in Niagara Falls our group had free time together and we had a lot of fun exploring the falls. We visited a park and took sunset pictures, did some souvenir shopping, saw Niagara Falls lit up at nighttime and saw fireworks over the falls.  It was a super fun way to end our mission week.

How do you see your life differently now that you are back home?
I look forward to helping others more than I did before.  I hope that our youth group will find ways to help make a difference in our own community.

Would you want to go on another trip? Why or why not?
Yes!  I enjoyed this mission experience and having the opportunity to meet youth from other churches.  I look forward to going on more mission trips in the years to come.

In case you missed it: click here to watch a short video of the group’s adventures in Niagara Falls.

Editor’s Note: On the first Thursday of each month, the eNews feature article showcases one of our mission partners. In August we’re focusing on Education of Children and the good work happening at Logos Academy Harrisburg.

Kirk Hallet, founder of the Joshua Group, often said that education is the best anti-poverty program. Statistics bear that out. A study by the American Educational Research Association found that a student who can’t read on grade level by third grade is four times less likely to graduate by age 19 than a child who reads proficiently by that time. Without a high school diploma, a student is twice as likely to be in poverty as one with a high school diploma and more than five times as likely as one with a college degree, according to a recent UC Davis study.

Derry Church’s partnership with Logos Academy Harrisburg enables us to provide a quality and compassionate education in a Christ-centered environment, thus addressing poverty and equipping tomorrow’s leaders. With 43% of our students (Pre-K to third in 2022-23) in poverty and another 22% near poverty, we are seeing the impact. Grayson has grown from a struggling student in first grade to excelling in second grade, far exceeding his growth and stretch goals. He has become such a good reader that his grandmother says she has to hide her phone, because he “reads over my shoulder.” Further, she adds, “he has come out of his shell.”  She credits his school for this growth. She is rightfully proud of his academic growth but equally proud of his growth in character. That is the goal of true education, according to Martin Luther King, Jr.

Logos Academy Harrisburg’s math and reading test scores are good and helpful indicators, but this is not the only important or even the most important priority in education as a predictor of future success, according to Ross Wiener of the Aspen Institute (USA Today.) Being creative and critical thinkers with a high degree of integrity and character is a much better indicator of long-term success in life. 

The education model of Logos Academy Harrisburg is designed so that every student grows. As with many other schools, our students are at varying levels of academic proficiency and social/emotional development. Our individualized approach allows all students to experience success. “Elaine” is several grade levels behind. Math is challenging; reading is challenging; but she is growing. Testing her simply for grade-level proficiency would be discouraging, at best. However, testing her for growth is motivating, because she is growing. She is succeeding because she is meeting her growth goals. The result? “Elaine” is learning to love learning.

We are thankful for our partnership with Derry Church, whose investment in our students is already paying dividends and will continue to do so for these young learners for years to come.

“We proclaim God’s word, share God’s love, and practice God’s justice.”

These are familiar words to those of us who are members of Derry Church. However, I believe that the words that often follow our mission statement are absolutely as important, and they are the reasons that we can boldly act on our mission.

“…through being an inquiring, inviting, and inclusive Christ-centered community.”

In 2004 when I moved with my young family from Virginia to Hershey, one of the most important things for us to do was find a home in a community of faith. As one does when moving to another area, I began attending Sunday mornings at different churches. I will never forget the sense of welcome that I felt at Derry on that first Sunday. Not only were so many members friendly and kind during the passing of the peace, but afterward several folks came to say hello to me and my two young daughters (it is hard to believe that Gillian and Rachael were four years old and one year old when we arrived here). Then one day later that week as I was unpacking boxes in our new house, there was a knock on the door. When I opened it, there were two smiling people standing on my porch, thanking me for attending church the prior Sunday. Then they offered me a delicious loaf of Irish soda bread. I had never had such a warm welcome from any other church. 

The community of Derry Church is so much more than people who all attend the same church.  Not unlike prehistoric humans who discovered that once they lived together they also shared each other’s work and joys and sorrows, we who worship together at Derry experience very much the same support of one another. But it doesn’t stop there. Derry allows us to grow together in place, and out into the broader community of our town, and our state, and in the world.  

I have found that it is so important to be a part of the programming of our church, because in these acts of service we also find community that perhaps we didn’t know we were missing.  Over the years, the communities that have meant the most to me (and in fact, drew me to the church initially) were children’s ministries, and music.  But my daughters and I have been fortunate to serve in other ways too, and all along the way we also felt nurtured and loved.

I encourage all of us to continue to listen to God’s call to us to share God’s word and love, and to practice God’s justice. Be inquiring:  ask what you can do to be a part of mission and ministry.  Share ideas you have to serve others. Be inviting: welcome newcomers to our church community, and be a model for Christ’s love in all that you do. Be inclusive and share community: bring about positive change, and show love to our neighbors – all our neighbors.

Derry Church, thank you for the faithful and loving community that you are for me, my family, and so many others throughout the world. I look forward to worshiping and serving our communities with you for many years to come.