Author: Susan George

This month’s mission focus is on elder care as provided by Christian Churches United (CCU) and its partner agencies. From its earliest beginnings in Harrisburg in 1866, Christian Churches United of the Tri-County Area has evolved to a partnership of over 100 Christian congregations in Dauphin, Cumberland and Perry Counties that work together with concerned individuals, public and private funders, and numerous partner agencies like Derry to support our neighbors in need. 

CCU provides a continuum of programs seeking to address both crisis housing situations and chronic causes of housing and financial instability. While motivated by Jesus’ love and example, CCU aids clientele without regard to religion or creed. CCU is united in service and love to those facing homelessness, poverty and incarceration. 

One area of service provided by CCU is their HELP Ministries. Through HELP, services are offered to provide shelter, rental and utility assistance, as well as medical or other basic needs. For instance, families under threat of eviction can work with HELP to resolve the issue and remain in their home. During the winter, if a family has exhausted all other fuel assistance programs, they can receive a one-time supply of heating fuel through HELP. 

HELP is the point of contact for those needing an emergency shelter as provided by the YWCA, Shalom House, and Interfaith Family Shelter. They then work with the shelter and client to find permanent housing in the area. Financial counseling may be needed to save for a security deposit and to make the initial monthly rental payment. This can lead the family to a long-term solution out of homelessness. In addition, HELP provides aid to those in need of medical, transportation, or food assistance. Thus, a one-time need for a life-sustaining medicine can be met. HELP can also arrange for emergency transportation in specific situations, such as a stranded traveler. Clients in need of food are referred to the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank’s reference guide. Derry’s support of HELP Ministries enables them to provide a vital link with other social services to form a safety net for those in need in the Tri-County area.

The 2022-2023 school year at Derry Discovery Days just concluded and it was one of our best years yet!  We were blessed to have hired five new staff members and their strong backgrounds in education greatly enhanced our program.

In September, we re-opened our Ladybug 1s class led by Miss Jen.  This classroom had been closed since March 2020. Twelve students under age two arrived on the first day, having barely been away from their families, if at all, during the pandemic.  The growth in these children in even just the first weeks was incredible and it was amazing to see the love they received from their teachers, the friendships formed and their confidence stronger as a result of this warm classroom environment.

Our Turtle 2s led by Miss Morgan and Busy Bee 3s taught by Miss Rachel, also grew tremendously throughout the year, learning through play, working on fine and gross motor skills, early math and literacy concepts and being surrounded by lots of creativity and communication!

25 students completed our Butterfly 4 programs, taught by Miss Jill in the mornings and by me in the afternoons, graduating on May 25. These children enjoyed many engaging units of study throughout the year including space, community helpers, and  insects, and focused on all aspects of kindergarten preparation as well as on character traits such as kindness, generosity and teamwork.  The students performed several songs at their graduation ceremony. One of their favorites was called “Ready to Go” and they certainly are READY for Kindergarten!

Together we all enjoyed many fun activities including our Halloween parade, a visit from the Hershey Fire Department, our Christmas concert, Ash Wednesday service, Teacher Appreciation Week where we were spoiled by our amazing families, and our annual picnic in May. We also had our second 3.21 for Life Day on March 21.  All DDD staff and students received a mismatched pair of socks courtesy of Hayden and Lauren Talhelm and the classes learned about celebrating differences and how all of God’s children are unique and special.

We have openings in our Ladybug 1s class for the upcoming school year. If you are interested in learning more about enrolling, please contact me.. Children must be one year old by September 1 and walking.

We wish everyone a terrific summer.

For the last several days Facebook has been reminding me what I was doing seven years ago and last year. Seven years ago, I visited Scotland for the first time and fell in love with the country, culture, and history. We visited Edinburgh, St, Andrews, Glasgow, Iona, Skye, Loch Ness, and more. The trip helped pique my curiosity of the world and my love of travel. Last year, I was in Ireland at this time, exploring the country and learning more about reconciliation and living well together. 

I love Scotland and Ireland. I love the landscape and the legends, and yes even the food: Sainsburys grocery stores are the best! I enjoyed the historical sites and appreciated discovering the roots of Presbyterianism, and in many ways the roots of America. 

I’m looking forward to returning to Northern Ireland and Scotland next spring with more than 40 friends from Derry Church. I hope they fall in love with these countries as I did, but more importantly come away with a greater appreciation of Celtic spirituality, the roots of Presbyterianism, and the complicated history of the Scots Irish in the British Isles and in America. As a congregation, we’ll explore more about Celtic spirituality next spring during Lent leading up to the trip.

I think the Derry 300th Heritage trip will be an educational, fun, and memorable trip for all. Courtney and I will be leading some classes for the participants leading up to the class about Scottish and Irish history, but anyone can come who may be interested in learning more. 

While I’m excited about the April 2024 trip, I may be even more excited about taking our youth and college aged students to Northern Ireland in June next year. We’ll spend a week at Corrymeela where they will lead us in a program about peace, reconciliation, and living well with difference. We’ll take a day trip to Belfast and learn the history of the Troubles as told by both an Irish Republican and a British Loyalist. We’ll spend a day in Derry and worship at First Derry Presbyterian Church, tour the city, and learn more about the Troubles and the peace process. We’ll also have time for some fun, like visiting Giant’s Causeway, Rathlin Island, and Carrickfergus Castle. 

This will be a once-in-a-lifetime — and hopefully a life-changing opportunity — for our youth. They’ll not only get to explore a new part of the world, they’ll learn about the history of the Scots-Irish and the difficult societal divisions in Ireland and how they began to heal. They will be given tools by one of the most respected reconciliation ministries on how to live well within a world of difference and be peacemakers themselves.

Youth who are attending will participate in educational classes before the trip so they can get the most out of it, and will need to complete 25 hours of mission work through the church. 

This is one way they can more deeply connect with our 300th anniversary next year as they learn the history and visit places like Derry, Northern Ireland. 

We hope to significantly offset the cost of this trip so it’s possible for as many youth and college students to attend as possible. If you would like to donate to help make this youth trip possible, please reach out to me or donate to our Empower Youth Fund or through checks notated Empower Youth.  

2024 will be a special year for Derry, and not only because of these trips. We will be looking back and looking forward all year with special music, guests, classes, and worship. Even if you won’t be taking one of these trips, you can keep up with the travelers through pictures and stories, and you can participate in all the classes and our Celtic Spirituality worship series next Lent. 

As I see the old pictures I took on Facebook, I am filled with anticipation for my next trip and the experiences we will have together.

Many of you know our daughter Lynn works as the director of communications at Westminster Presbyterian Church in West Chester. When she comes home for a visit, she and I can’t help but talk shop: how’s the livestream going? How’s the new pastor? What new technology is Westminster using that we should try at Derry? Sometimes we get so excited talking and sharing ideas that Jim has to go into another room and shut the door for some peace and quiet. 

There’s one area we talk a lot about but haven’t yet come to any good conclusions: how do we help our live streaming friends stay connected and involved in the life of the church? It’s exciting that our in-person community is growing, yet there continues to be a respectable number of Derry members and friends who participate by live streaming, and I don’t see that changing any time soon. It’s what works for them, and I’m really glad we can offer a robust and welcoming online worship experience for families like the Plassios, new members who live in Texas and worship online with us each week. We may not see these folks in the pews, but they are as much a part of our congregation as those who attend in person. 

So how can we extend the warm and welcoming Derry community to these good folks beyond Sunday worship?

We already offer Tech Time on Zoom and Issues Classes to watch live or recorded later. The Communications & Technology Committee has its monthly meeting on Zoom, and the Monday night study group gathered on Zoom regularly this year. While some people could care less about ever meeting on Zoom again, there are others who prefer this format, or because of their circumstances, are grateful for the option. And those are the folks we can’t forget or leave behind even as many return to in-person church.  

As Lynn and I scratch our heads over what kinds of virtual gatherings make sense in a post pandemic world, it occurred to me that I could ask you good eNews readers what would be of interest. A prayer group? A class? The ability to attend an existing class or program that is not yet offered in hybrid format? Let me know by sharing your suggestions:

You can be sure I’ll be sharing your ideas with Derry’s staff and with Lynn. She has given me so many good ideas that I’d like to share a few of our good ones with her and the Westminster congregation. Yet I am very much aware that what works in one place may not make sense somewhere else. I’m looking to extend Derry’s offerings in a way that makes sense for our congregation, so that we can continue being the church that proclaims God’s word, shares God’s love, and practices God’s justice. 

This spring my children’s music groups and I had the gift of time. We sang in worship on Palm Sunday, April 2 and not again until Music Sunday on June 4. Without the time pressure of getting a song ready in a few weeks, we had time to play! And play we did.

On Tuesday nights, my preschool and kindergarten group used their loud and soft voices to help one child find Queen Caroline’s royal scepter, tried to guess who stole my dog’s bone based on the voice who was singing, and flew around like butterflies or crawled like monsters depending what type of music I was playing on the piano. Also on Tuesday nights, my 1st-5th grade group used forte or piano singing to help one child find the “anel” (Portuguese for ring), made sure they DID NOT sing my “poison pattern,” and got a hand clapping pattern faster and faster while singing “Aqua qua” (a nonsense song from Israel). On Sunday mornings, the kids came up with new verses for “This Little Light of Mine” by imagining different places their light could shine and motions to go with them. Some examples include “with my friends” “while climbing trees,” and “on a roller coaster.” I’ll let you imagine the motions!

Yes, this play was fun, and honestly, I’m not sure we need more of a reason than that to keep doing it, but more was happening than fun that only lasted for the 30 minutes I was with them. The kids’ community was slowly deepening. They were learning that here was a group who would cheer for them when they found Queen Caroline’s royal scepter or the “anel”— even the child who hid the scepter or ring cheered, especially if they thought they had found a “super good spot.” Here was a group that if they accidentally sang the “poison pattern” would say, “don’t worry, you’ll get it next time.” Here was a group that when the clapping game got so fast, they couldn’t possibly keep up and would simply collapse onto the ground in a fit of giggles. In other words, we’ve created a space where the kids feel safe enough and are confident enough to take risks and make mistakes because they know the other kids will support them.

Did you notice how many kids sang a solo verse on Sunday in the anthem “Over My Head”? There were FIVE. Not only did they sing a solo, but they each wrote the words to their solo verses. In addition to the five you heard, every single child in my 1st-5th grade group wrote at least one solo verse and sang it on Tuesday night for the group. I doubt I would have had nearly that many volunteers to sing their solo verse in worship, nor would every child have happily written a solo verse (or three) if we hadn’t had time to play together.

As we enter the summer months, we take a break from our weekly gatherings. But the kids continue to see each other. The community we have formed through musical play doesn’t go away, it simply becomes a little less structured. I can’t wait to continue building this community alongside the kids in the fall.

In 2024, Derry Presbyterian Church will celebrate its 300th anniversary. As part of this celebration, the Mission and Peace Committee, with Session approval, has accepted a unique opportunity to partner with the Veterans Outreach of Pennsylvania (VOPA) in a unique local mission project. 

Who is the Veterans Outreach of Pennsylvania? 

VOPA is an organization founded with the goal of “combating homelessness among Veterans by providing support and services needed to promote an empowered life filled with strength and purpose.” Their intent is to meet the needs of veterans by creating a stable support network similar to that which they had prior to entering the armed services. 

What is this local mission project? 

VOPA intends to build a central community center surrounded by 15 “tiny houses” for homeless veterans on a 5-acre tract of land along the Susquehanna River in South Harrisburg. The site is above the 100-year flood plain and site preparation has been completed. Each tiny house, of about 200 square feet, will contain a bed, toilet and shower, a desk, sink, and an under-counter refrigerator. In the community center, veterans will be able to prepare meals, do laundry, and receive professional educational, job training, and counseling services. Veterans will re-enter society when they feel ready, and the home will be readied to again provide a safe shelter for another homeless veteran. 

How will Derry help? 

Derry has an opportunity to assist at several levels. We are responsible for the cost of one of the tiny houses. In addition, we will be able to help with the construction of this house. When the project has been completed, Derry members and friends will be able to assist with some of the social programs offered to the veterans. 

How much is Derry’s share and how can we help? 

The cost of a house is $50,000. Since VOPA expects to begin construction in January 2024, our campaign to raise the funds will be for six months, from June to the end of December 2023. Contributions can be made by check to Derry Presbyterian Church notated “VOPA.” Watch for future announcements to volunteer to help with the construction, or any of the social service programs to be offered. 

To learn more about VOPA and this program, join the Issues Class at 9:15 am Sunday, June 4 in Room 7 and live streaming: presenter John Hickey is a VOPA Board Member and Governance Committee Chair. 

Why do this project?

Homelessness among veterans is a national and local concern. We all have benefited by their sacrifices. Whether you have served our country or not, this is an opportunity to assist those who have served and who struggle to adapt to our current culture. It is a project worthy of our 300th anniversary celebration as we continue to proclaim God’s Word, share God’s love, and practice God’s justice into Derry’s future. 

“Let every instrument be tuned for praise! Let all rejoice who have a voice to raise! And may God give us faith to sing always: Alleluia!”

With hearts and minds centered on our Awesome God, we will rejoice with voices lifted in singing this text from the final stanza of our closing hymn on Music Sunday, June 4. There is one service at 10:30 am in the Sanctuary, where the choirs of Derry Church will share their talents in praise to God as we celebrate the gift of song in worship.

Derry Ringers will begin our service with a lively prelude written by Dan R. Edwards entitled Resounding Jubilation. The Youth Vocal Ensemble and Sanctuary Choir will sing together an arrangement of the well-known contemporary hymn, Lead Me, Lord.  Celebration Singers will share a traditional African-American spiritual, Over My Head, led by Claire Folts, our Director of Children’s Music. 

Claire and Debbi Kees-Folts will present a children’s message with a song of mystery – come and find out what song they will play during the children’s message! The Sanctuary Choir will offer Gilbert M. Martin’s stirring arrangement of When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, which begins contemplatively and crescendos to the complete resources of the organ as the choir paints the picture of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, and finally, building to the full “Amen.”

 All of our ensembles join together in leading the congregation in our closing hymn, number 641 in our Glory to God hymnal: When In Our Music God is Glorified. Under the direction of Scott Ramirez, Derry Brass will conclude the service with Charpentier’s Te Deum, written for brass and organ. Following the worship service, the congregation will enjoy fellowship at the annual Derry Church picnic on the church lawn. 

As Music Sunday is the close of our church academic year, the choirs will have a break for the summer until they return after Labor Day weekend. There will be three opportunities this summer to join the Sanctuary Choir in the open loft – you don’t have to be a great singer, just come to the rehearsal at 9 am and learn an easy anthem to sing at the 10:30 am service. 

Summer special music begins on Sunday, June 11, with members of Derry Church and the surrounding community sharing their many gifts for praise and adoration given to God. Some highlights include trombonists Tracy and Nicola Burke, sopranos Janice Click Holl and Julie Miller, a quartet from the Susquehanna Chorale, soprano Sasha Piastro-Tedford and violinist Jeffrey Tedford, harpist Marilla Clay, Piper Stagg (one of our graduating seniors), and cellist Mike Klucker. The Derry Brass will lead us in Tuesday evening worship on the church lawn once a month over the summer.

Music serves an essential role in our worship; whether we are ringing bells, playing an instrument, or singing the hymns of faith: we express what cannot be spoken, pour out what is weighing in our hearts, and invite the Holy Spirit to move in and through this Holy place. We are incredibly blessed at Derry to have so many musicians willingly sharing their musical gifts with us. My deepest gratitude to our choirs of all ages and soloists who have graciously given their time and talents for God’s glory this past year. Come, rejoice, and sing as we celebrate the gift of music in the life of our church on June 4!

Derry Church is a family, with members who play many different roles. Many of our members are essential to our success but make their contributions quietly and steadfastly, while avoiding any recognition for their contributions.

We, as a church, are beholden to those quiet members who contribute so much to making Derry Church a welcoming, caring, and strong congregation.

For Mary Jane Mease, who passed away this past January, Derry Church was at the heart of her life. As she noted in a 2003 oral history interview, her parents met each other in this church, married in this church, and had all nine of their children baptized and confirmed in this church. Mary Jane’s father, Ivan Mease, was one of Derry’s strong leaders and served as the Clerk of Session for 45 years.

Mary Jane was born on November 21, 1927, the fifth child of Ivan and Minnie Dressler Mease. At that time, Derry Church consisted of the original 1884 Chapel, the 1732 Session House (that had not yet been enclosed by the glass structure), and the cemetery. Reverend Taylor (1916-1932) married Mary Jane’s parents in 1920 and baptized all of the Mease children.

Before the Chapel was enlarged (with an east transept, classrooms and social hall on the lower level in 1935), Sunday School was held in the west transept of the Chapel. There were separate Sunday School classes for boys and girls. When Mary Jane was a teenager, the girls’ class was held in one transept and the boys’ class was held in the other transept. One of Mary Jane’s favorite memories of Derry Church was coming to church each Sunday. Her parents gave each of the Mease children two nickels, one for Sunday School and one for the church offering. The nickels would be laid out on the table and the Mease children would pick them up on their way to church. The Mease family took up an entire pew in the Chapel

Growing up in Hershey, Mary Jane attended the Derry Township schools, graduating from Hershey High School in 1946. She also attended the Hershey Junior College before going to work for the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare. She spent her working career there, retiring as a Budget Supervisor. Mary Jane never learned to drive a car, relying on public buses or friends to provide transportation when needed.

Mary Jane always lived with her parents. After her father died in 1965, she and her mother moved from 111 Cocoa Avenue to an apartment on W. Granada Avenue. After her mother died in 1985, Mary Jane continued to live in the apartment until months before her death.

Throughout her life, Mary Jane was an active if quiet participant in the life of Derry Church. Mary Jane began singing with the Derry Church choir in 1948. During the early years of the choir, the numbers were small: four men and four or five women. The men sat in the west transept and the women sat in the east transept. Mary Jane continued to sing with the choir until the early 2000s. When a separate choir was established for the 8 am Chapel service in the early 1990s, Mary Jane sang with both the Chapel and Sanctuary choirs. Mary Jane also served as the choir librarian, keeping the music library well organized and the choral music properly filed.

From 1952 to 1967 Derry Church sold dinners during Pennsylvania Dutch Days as a fundraiser. Every year, Mary Jane, along with her mother, helped prepare and serve hundreds of meals on each of the five days Dutch Days was held.

After Mary Jane retired from work, she spent many hours each week volunteering at Derry Church. She took on the responsibility of tidying the pews in the Chapel and Sanctuary, collecting discarded bulletins, making sure the hymnals were properly stored, and that welcome cards and pew offering envelopes were stocked and pencils sharpened. For many years she completed this task on her own. Later she was joined by Marguerite Hunchberger and then Jill Campbell. She also worked in the church office, helping fold the weekly bulletins and filling each one with inserts. She helped with the monthly newsletter mailing and other clerical tasks. Mary Jane enjoyed helping wherever she could and never wanted to be recognized.

At home, Mary Jane enjoyed working on jigsaw puzzles and always had a puzzle in progress. She took responsibility for the flower bed in front of her apartment building, carefully planting the impatiens and vincas each year, making sure that they were kept watered throughout the growing season.

Editor’s note: Thanks to Pam Whitenack for preparing this week’s feature article.

Have you seen “Prime Timers” in the bulletin or church emails? Are you curious what Prime Timers is all about? Wondering if this new program is worth checking out?  Want to learn more?  Please read on and discover all that Prime Timers hopes to offer to our church family and to the community.

What is Prime Timers?

Prime Timers is Derry’s newest adult fellowship program. The program has been established to help strengthen the connections between the adults of the church, and our community, through times of fellowship, learning, faith and fun.

Who can attend Prime Timers?

ALL adults are welcome to join us!  Prime Timers gathers on Mondays from 12:30-2 pm in Room 7.  Prime Timers is open to both our church family and the surrounding community, so we encourage you to share this group with others who may be looking for a way to engage with other adults, meet new friends, expand their knowledge, or feel more connected to their community.

Where did the name, Prime Timers, come from?

Prime Timers meets during the “prime time” of the day, the early afternoon.  Our time together is during daylight hours and when most roads are less traveled, making it a “prime time” for all to gather.  

What can you expect at a Prime Timers gathering?

Each week will offer a new topic or activity.  Our weekly programs rotate between guest speakers, intellectual discussions, engaging bible studies, games & trivia and mission projects.  Each program is designed to offer a time for learning and a time for fellowship.  On the first Monday of each month we expand our time and offer a $5 soup and salad lunch at 12 noon and then move into our program.

Do you have to attend every Prime Timers gathering?

No!  While Prime Timers gathers each week, the program was designed so folks can “come when they can”.  While we would love to have you with us each week, we understand that other commitments will make that difficult.  We chose to have the program meet weekly to ensure that folks have ample opportunities to gather together, something we know many look forward to doing.

Who leads Prime Timers?

I’m the coordinator of this program and I work closely with both our Membership Connections Committee and Christian Education Committee to create programs that are diverse and dynamic. Guest speakers, church staff members and various committees will help lead individual programs.

How can I learn more about Prime Timers?

Email M.E. Steelman and share that you would like to receive a weekly Sunday email sharing more about the upcoming Monday program.  

What’s coming up for Prime Timers?

Monday, May 15 – Hershey Gardens: What’s new? Fun History. Gardening Tips.

Monday, May 22 – Patriotic Trivia & Games

Monday, May 29 – Happy Memorial Day! NO SESSION

Monday, June 5 – Bible Study with Pastor Stephen

Editor’s Note: On the first Thursday of each month, the eNews feature article highlights the mission focus for the month. In May we’re lifting up the Pentecost Offering: 40% of gifts received will support the good work of the Community Check-Up Center in Harrisburg.

On behalf of the Community Check-Up Center (CCC), thank you for the very generous donation from the Derry Church congregation. Your support helps CCC to continue to provide free and/or low-cost health care to Harrisburg’s diverse and underserved children and adults. All are welcome, respected and treated regardless of their ability to pay. 

Located in Hall Manor, CCC was founded through a request from Head Start mothers and South Harrisburg women to provide support and medical assistance to infants and their families. Over the years, CCC has expanded to provide health care to those from baby to adult.  Through generous supporters like Derry Church, CCC is able to enhance and expand patient services.

CCC currently serves a population that self identifies as 53% Hispanic, 36% African American and 6% White.  Our clients’ ages range from newborn to over 85 years of age. To date in 2023, the Center has provided over 600 patient visits with access to preventative health screenings, vaccinations, health education, cancer screenings, acute care, hearing, and vision screenings and much more. With our focus on pediatrics, women’s health and family practice, our doctors and nurse practitioners are able to serve the needs of our community.  

While our staff is small (two doctors, two Nurse Practitioners and three Medical Assistants), we are able to see patients three days a week from 8 am to 4 pm.  We continue to look for highly qualified medical providers to help meet the ever-changing needs of our clients.

Community Check-up Center is fortunate to partner with UPMC, Penn State Health, Dauphin County, Harrisburg Housing Authority and numerous free and low-cost clinics throughout the area. These partnerships ensure that our patients receive timely and professional health care with dignity and respect.

Your financial support helps us as our major sources of income are grants and contributions. Patient payments only account for 18% of our annual budget, but we never turn anyone away regardless of income or ability to pay.  

The Community Check-Up Center welcomes volunteers and visitors. Click to learn more. 

There is nothing permanent except change. These words are true today as we witness changes occurring in almost every aspect of our lives including religious practices, economic and governmental systems, educational focus, social values, cultural norms and of course physical structures. Our physical church is no exception and this article seeks to briefly explore the evolution of our church buildings over the past 300 years. 

Worshiping in this place occurred around 1724 as frontiersmen and women gathered near a spring and pool of water. Other local churches were founded near a spring, so this watering source must have been an important location to gather and perhaps refresh themselves and their horses. Minutes of New Castle Presbytery in 1729 record a request from Derry Church for a supply pastor and Rev. Anderson was appointed to minister these settlers every fifth Sabbath. An actual building did not appear until Derry called its first minister, Rev. William Bertram (1732-1746). The Session House was built in 1732 and served the church and the local community in a variety of purposes including as a pastor’s study and meeting place for church officials, a classroom, a lending library, and community post office. By early 1741, Rev. Bertram and some Derry Church members petitioned the sons of William Penn for the land upon which Derry Church would be built.

Our second pastor, John Elder, became pastor in 1746 and served until 1791. As the congregation grew, the need for a larger structure was recognized and “Old Derry” was built in 1769 and later underwent repairs in 1831 costing $500. This structure served the congregation until 1883.  We have seen photographs of this clapboard structure with the communion table and chairs located outside the building, along with a pewter communion set. Today the pieces of furniture have been in continuous use and are used in our Chapel. The pewter communion set is still present at our worship services. When “Old Derry” was renovated in 1831, a new pulpit was installed. That 1831 pulpit is now restored and hanging on the wall of the east transept in the sanctuary.

In the 1870s, after the Civil War, church attendance began to drop. Frequently Derry was without a pastor and very few services were held in the church building. Maintenance on “Old Derry” was minimal at best. The church leaders decided that it was too expensive to restore the building, so in 1883 “Old Derry” was demolished. With a very small membership, future looking church leaders organized a Sunday School. Classes were held weekly and attendance began to increase with an average of 59 students per class. But, since there was no main church building, the church records were relocated to Paxton Presbyterian Church’s manse for safekeeping, but that backfired. In August 1894 there was a fire at the manse and most of Derry’s records were destroyed.

Since membership at Derry was very low in 1883 and there was no pastor, the building of a stone church was truly an act of faith. The community recognized the historical importance of Derry Church, so the Dauphin County Historical Society was instrumental in establishing a building committee for a new church building. The cost of this endeavor was estimated to be $7,000.  To raise funds for this project, Mrs. Charles Bailey of Harrisburg and Mrs. G. Dawson Coleman of Lebanon, along with descendants of former members, led this effort with assistance from Henry B. McCormick, member of Pine Street Presbyterian Church and a member of the Harrisburg Historical Society. Neighboring churches also contributed by donating funds for the Chapel’s stained-glass windows.

Derry broke ground in 1884 and by October of that year the cornerstone was installed. Construction delays were common due to slow fundraising, but the leaders persisted and the church was dedicated on January 6, 1887 during an 11 am worship service led by Rev. Albert Williamson. 

The original Chapel consisted of a bell tower, a west transept which held the choir, a sanctuary with chancel and a rear entrance. Beneath the Chapel (on a lower level) was a furnace room and classroom. Later in 1917, the women of the church (Ladies Guild organized in 1910) paid for the first indoor toilet located on this lower level. By 1928 the church leaders began to make plans to expand the Chapel. Plans included breaking through the east wall and adding an east transept and four classrooms on the first floor (our present Hammond Library and John Elder Classroom) with an assembly room and kitchen on the lower level.

Plans went forward but the stock market crash of 1929 temporarily suspended this project. In October 1934 Henry McCormick again stepped up and offered Rev. John Corbin a donation of $5,000 to help with the expansion plans. Non-member friends of Derry also donated over $6,000, so with construction loans from the Presbytery and Synod and pledges from the congregation, money was raised to cover the entire project’s cost of over $25,000. In addition, in 1935 Milton Hershey gifted each of the community’s five churches $20,000 each to help defray financial difficulties caused by the Great Depression. Since Derry was already expanding, the gift from Milton Hershey allowed Derry to add a vestibule to the Chapel entrance as well as improvements to the chancel and choir section, new chancel furniture, new carpet, and furniture and equipment for the newly added classrooms. A new pulpit was also built, its design inspired by the original pulpit from “Old Derry.” On December 8, 1935, Derry Church conducted its first worship service in its newly renovated and expanded building, now called the John Elder Memorial Chapel.

By 1950, the church Sunday School was well established and well attended. Church growth resulted in the need to expand the church building. Rev. Sheldon Blair was called to serve Derry (1950-1959) and during his tenure ground was broken on October 29, 1950 for an addition to the east of the Chapel. On November 11, 1951, the Christian Education Building was dedicated. This building added a new entrance and foyer, a nursery and children’s classroom, and office space on the main floor. The new lower level included a large social room with a raised platform at one end and a modern kitchen at the other. Today this space is known as rooms 6 and 7.  Additional classrooms filled the rest of the lower level.

When Rev. Ira Reed was called as pastor (1959-1987), the need for a larger sanctuary was soon evident. The Chapel had room for 135 congregants and membership was growing. Although a new sanctuary was a few years away, improvements to the Chapel were made. Rev. Reed did not like preaching at the existing pulpit as his back was to the west transept and choir so a lectern was installed at the back rail in the center of the chancel and space for 40 more seats was found. This brought the total number that the Chapel could hold to 175 people. This expansion was still not sufficient, so a Building Committee was established. Groundbreaking for this Sanctuary occurred on March 7, 1965 and on February 13, 1966 the Sanctuary was dedicated along with its new organ. Significant features of this new building were an A shaped rear entrance facing East Derry Road and a long rectangular sanctuary with a center aisle. The chancel area was raised and faced with wood. The choir loft and organ were located above the chancel. The pulpit could be in the center of the chancel or moved to one side. This large sanctuary allowed Derry to grow its membership and church programs.

Rev. Dr. Richard Houtz was installed as pastor on May 6, 1990, and shortly thereafter the church leaders began considering how they might enlarge and improve the church facility. Rev. Houtz thought there were so many nooks and crannies and stairs connecting the various areas of the church due to additions and renovations over the years. He felt that there was room for improvements that would facilitate better use of the building. Before anything could be built, more land was needed so the manse had to be demolished. This three-story home with 18” limestone walls was used as a residence for ministers since 1924. Demolition was accomplished in 1993.

After rejecting one architect’s proposal, the architectural firm of Alexander/Muelken Studio submitted a proposal for the expansion. The church accepted the proposal and Chuck Alexander, son of church members Bill and Marion Alexander, served as design architect for the job. As someone who grew up at the church, he was able to keep the original orientation of the sanctuary, adding east and west transepts and a larger chancel area to facilitate Derry’s investment in its numerous music programs. The choir loft and organ were lowered to the chancel floor, a narthex area was created before one entered the front of the sanctuary, the main entrance to the church building was relocated to this narthex area and a lounge was added to the west transept. This expansion also included new offices, choir room, bathrooms, nursery, the atrium and a new Fellowship Hall. Interior designs were also implemented to accommodate this larger sanctuary. This remodeled sanctuary was dedicated on January 29, 1995.

Since then there have been additional interior and external cosmetic redesigns. In 2015 interior design renovations and a new exterior courtyard and walkways were added to our main entrance. Rev. Dr. Stephen McKinney-Whitaker was installed as pastor in 2017. The need for a larger, more powerful organ for the sanctuary was soon recognized. A new-to-Derry 1951 Aeolian-Skinner Organ was installed and dedicated in 2021.

As Derry approaches its 300th anniversary, it is important to remember the history of the people who worshiped here and the buildings that they created. Derry’s history is filled with productive times, and times when as a church it almost folded, but dedication, faithfulness and strength of our early friends and congregants have given us a legacy that we should cherish, uphold and adapt to our changing times. Our church is steeped in history and tradition, but it is also flexible, warm and welcoming, reflective of those who now call this our church home.

Editor’s note: To learn more about the evolution of Derry Church’s buildings, join members of the Heritage Committee at 9:15 am Sunday, April 30 in the John Elder Classroom and streaming.

Have you ever experienced a “God Wink”?  What’s that, you say? It is a message from God that comes through life circumstances, and that we can choose to learn from, if we open our hearts and minds to the fact that God has a hand in the circumstance.

Once I had a very dear friend who gave me a book about “God Winks.” This simple but enlightening book opened my eyes to a powerful concept that I had been experiencing for a long time, but to which I had not given a title.  

“God winks” happen when you open your mind to the concept that God speaks to us and shows us how God’s guiding principles become real in our lives, as we are faced with everyday situations and circumstances. Through these situations we are “nudged” into contemplating what message God is trying to give us, and how we can best live our lives in service to God and to each other, if we follow that message.

“Give me an example,” you say. Well, one that happened to my husband and me in the summer of 2021 involved Derry Church.

Our good friends, Susie and Dean Haine, asked us if we wanted to go with them to the Mt. Gretna Tabernacle to hear Dean’s pastor, Stephen McKinney-Whitaker and members of Derry Church lead worship that Sunday evening. Since the Mt. Gretna Tabernacle holds a special place in my heart from the days when I went to church camp there — plus the fact that we enjoyed sharing in activities with Susie and Dean — we said “sure.” We were blown away by the service, Pastor Stephen, and the friendliness of the Derry pastor and members who introduced themselves to us. They responded to our compliments on the service by inviting us to join them at Derry for other worship experiences.

It wasn’t long after that when Dean called and said, “Do you want to go along to Derry next Saturday night to participate in a worship service utilizing the songs of Billy Joel?”  “How intriguing” we thought, and we joined them in that adventure as well. After those two experiences (God Winks), Ron and I decided that we needed to more intently explore a “pull” that we were feeling from Derry Church (a fellow Presbyterian church of the Synod which is located four miles from our home rather than the 20 miles from our home church at that time).

We attended Derry Church on a Sunday morning and didn’t even sign the visitor registry because we wanted to remain “anonymous.” However, we did greet Pastor Stephen as we were leaving that morning and reminded him that we were Dean’s friends, to which he replied, “I remember.”

Much to our surprise, the next day when coming home from an errand, we found a loaf of Irish soda bread and a welcome package from Derry on our doorstep, with a note from Linda Chidester. The next day in our mail was a note from Pastor Stephen inviting us to call him for a “getting to know you” chat!  We hadn’t even given them our name or address, and here Derry was, giving us an invitation to get to know the congregation better. How could we deny the opportunity? Another God Wink! 

A visit with Pastor Stephen, an invitation to join the choir for at least the Christmas season, and regular attendance and interactions with the Derry choir and other members of the church – including Linda, who lives in our neighborhood and always greets us warmly when we see each other on Sundays – slowly led us to make the decision to take the New Member Classes in April 2022, and ultimately change our Presbyterian membership to Derry Church.

“God Winks” don’t just happen to Ron and me. They can happen to everyone, in all aspects of their lives if they choose to embrace this concept. If we are open to seeing how God provides us with opportunities, through real life circumstances that impact our lives — and many times the lives of others with whom we interact — we constantly can receive spiritual uplifts (“faith boosts”) through these “winks” from God.

Since 1993, Derry Church and its members have been the cornerstone of my faith. My family and I are so thankful for the friendships, support and Christian leadership that Derry has provided us.